Minnesota Man Turns Storm Debris Into 8,000 New Trees

When a catastrophic windstorm tore through Bemidji, Minnesota last June, Robert Saxton watched from his porch as 9 million trees fell across the region. Now, he's turning that devastation into new life, one sapling at a time.

Saxton is in his sixth year of transforming his Puposky property into a dense, biodiverse forest that mirrors what northern Minnesota looked like centuries ago. His land, once heavily logged and used for railway construction, had been "used and abused quite a bit," as he puts it.

Since 2021, a USDA reforestation grant has funded his ambitious vision. Each year, he receives payment to purchase hundreds of trees selected by the USDA, plants them carefully, and nurtures them through Minnesota's harsh seasons.

But young saplings are vulnerable. They need protection from deer, proper fencing, and most importantly, mulch to retain moisture and protect their delicate roots.

That's where last year's windstorm comes back into the picture. Beltrami County began processing the millions of downed trees into mulch and offering it to residents for free.

Saxton immediately saw the poetic opportunity. He's now collected more than three dump trucks full of storm mulch and spread it around his sprouting forest.

"It's a circle of life. It's ashes to ashes," Saxton said. "It makes me feel a little bit better to know that the remains of those trees are being used to help grow new forests."

The windstorm itself was traumatic for the community. Saxton called it the most devastating storm he'd witnessed in his life, comparing it unfavorably to multiple tornadoes he'd seen.

The Ripple Effect

Saxton's project goes far beyond replacing lost trees. He's planted over 8,000 trees total, including white pines, cedars, maples, cherries, tamaracks, oaks, birches, and white spruces. He's also converted two empty fields into pollinator habitats, creating ecosystems that will support birds, bees, butterflies, and countless other species.

His property sits roughly 13 miles north of Bemidji and was spared from the storm's direct impact. That proximity allows him to continue collecting free mulch while simultaneously healing the landscape that sustained so much damage.

The county still has ample mulch available, and Saxton still has trees to plant. He aims to add 500 to 1,000 new trees each summer, filling gaps and expanding sections until his scattered saplings become a consolidated forest.

He recently secured a second round of USDA funding to continue the work into 2027 and beyond. What started as one man's vision to heal abused land has become a living memorial to the trees that were lost.

Every time Saxton spreads mulch around a young pine or oak, he's participating in nature's most fundamental promise: that destruction eventually gives way to renewal.

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