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Editor

Book Review: Iron and Water

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Grant Merritt’s memoir tracks his life working to protect the lakes and land of Minnesota, describes the lows and highs of his many battles, recalls a pivotal period in Minnesota history, and reminds us why we must continue to fight to protect nature.

Red clay runoff into Lake Superior captured from space

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As the snow melts every spring, the Nemadji River ‘unloads’ red clay sediment into Lake Superior, and in June the Duluth-Superior region experienced heavy rains. A stunning photo of red clay sediment flowing into the lake was captured by…

Honoring Veterans with a Boundary Waters wilderness experience

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In July, five veterans of our US armed forces gathered to celebrate Independence Day in the BWCAW. The group had never met and most had never paddled before, but they were all ready to leave civilization behind to enjoy peace and serenity, and hopefully some good fishing.  

The State of the Boundary Waters Report

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How healthy is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness really? Will the Boundary Waters survive climate change, mining, invasive species and the myriad of issues faced today? The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness released an extensive and revealing report…  

Book review: Gunflint Burning

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Before you strike a match to light your next campfire read this gripping nonfiction account of the 2007 Ham Lake Fire written by Cary J. Griffith…

Wilderness Voices: Layne Kennedy

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“There are many reasons why this pristine wilderness along the shared border of Minnesota/Ontario is important. A close encounter with nature can turn into a tremendous learning experience. The fair price for wilderness travel is awareness…”

History. Image courtesy National Park Service.

Paddling Into the Past on Rainy Lake

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Editor’s Note: Whenever possible, Quetico Superior Wilderness News highlights partners committed to protecting or enhancing the wilderness character of the region. The following piece is reposted with permission by the Voyageurs …

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New Water Trail Benefits from Collaborative Cross-Border Partnership

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This summer, Ontario Provincial Park wardens, the Gunflint Ranger District of the Superior National Forest and members of the Northwoods Volunteer Connection came together to work on a water trail that runs from Kenora to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Called the Path of the Paddle, it’s part of a larger effort to connect three oceans…

Dave and Amy Freeman began and ended their year in the wilderness on the autumnal equinox, eventually spending 366 days in the Boundary Waters. All photos courtesy Dave and Amy Freeman.

Plugged In

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Dave and Amy Freeman spent a year in the Boundary Waters, using social media to inspire others to protect the wilderness.

Urban Boatbuilders Partnership Program Manager Collette King spent three weeks at Camp Ogiche Daa Kwe, helping campers and staff build a skin-on frame canoe, which they named Morning Light. All photos by Liz Hattemer.

Morning Light – A Canoe Built by Campers at Ogiche Daa Kwe

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There is something delicate about the look of a skin-on frame canoe. In the sunlight, the wooden frame shows through its skin, as do the shadows of paddlers. Looking down into the boat, the line where water meets air is visible. Yet it is a seaworthy craft, light enough for the youngest and oldest of paddlers to carry, and, at girls’ wilderness camp Ogiche Daa Kwe, a perfect metaphor for community. Last summer, campers and staff at the Rainy Lake camp built a 17.5-foot wilderness traveler skin-on frame canoe.

Amy Adair, Quetico Foundation Intern Biologist, measures crayfish as part of a study to assess the impact and risk of invasive crayfish on the aquatic ecosystem in Quetico Provincial Park. Photo by Brian Jackson.

Climate Change in the Northwoods Part III: What People Are Doing

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In the last two issues of Wilderness News, we’ve taken a look at climate change in the northwoods. In this final installment, we look at some of the things people are doing to cope with and address climate change. In the Quetico-Superior Region, climate change is not something looming on the horizon.

Status Report: Border Country Birds

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The loon’s famous song, echoing across wilderness lakes, makes solitude audible. It simply sounds like wilderness. Many other bird species also find the habitat they need to breed amid the forests, lakes, rivers, and wetlands of the Boundary Waters, giving unique voice to the wild landscape. Here, a tongue of Canada’s boreal forest creates ideal conditions for an array of bird species—for a few months each year.

http://www.theclevermoose.com/

Climate Change and the Disassembly of the North Woods

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In an excerpt from John Pastor’s new book, What Should a Clever Moose Eat? Natural History, Ecology, and the North Woods, the author examines the impact of climate change on the North Woods and the personal responsibility that comes with it.