Editor 
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.
“By examining annual growth rings in increment cores taken from tree trunks, we found that many pines at this site were more than 250 years old. Distinct injuries recorded within their rings denoted the passage of multiple low-severity surface fires that damaged but did not kill many of these trees…”
Minneapolis entrepreneurship program takes group of women from immigrant community to the wilderness in search of canoe country’s unique challenges and rewards.
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…
“Painting that blackened landscape really taught me how to find beauty in an otherwise not so beautiful environment. The shiny silver patterns on a charred tree or stump against a green back ground were fascinating to me….”
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.
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…
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…
“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…”
The uncommon beauty of winter, photographs from Voyageurs to Lake Superior, Boundary Waters to Quetico, from frozen lake to snow-laden trees…
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 …
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…
By Kelly Fuller, Voyageurs National Park Association Maintaining visitor services and the full range of recreational opportunities at Voyageurs National Park can be a challenge in this time of federal budget …
Dave and Amy Freeman spent a year in the Boundary Waters, using social media to inspire others to protect the wilderness.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This summer, thirty years after a pair of trailbuilders first started flagging a hiking route along the ridges overlooking Lake Superior on Minnesota’s North Shore, the Superior Hiking Trail will be finished—mostly. The final section of the trail, connecting it to the Wisconsin border southeast of Duluth, should be completed by Labor Day. Hikers will then be able to travel from that point all the way to the Canadian border on the trail that has been called one of the best in America. But the work is never done. Hundreds of volunteers will continue to put in thousands of hours each year keeping the trail in good condition.
