Pam Wright 
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency conducted a study identifying sensitive brook trout habitat near a proposed data center in Hermantown. The project raises concerns among area residents and environmental groups about potential impacts to the watershed.Â
A conservation easement created in partnership between Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center and The Nature Conservancy now protects 928 acres of forested land forever. The center offers camps and activities to help people learn about forest ecology, sustainability, and land stewardship.
The USFS announced that the ban on campfires in the BWCAW would be lifted as of June 12. The restriction was announced due to dry conditions and elevated wildfire risk.
North Shore adventurers have a new basecamp. Silver Bay’s new downtown trail center sits at the crossroads of major hiking, biking, and snowmobiling routes, offering the perfect spot to relax, use the restroom, or shower after a day on the trails.
Three new wildfires ignited in the BWCA due to storms that passed through the area on Thursday, June 4. The Superior National Forest said that crews have been working on management and suppression techniques. The wilderness campfire ban will remain in effect through June 30.
Friends of the Boundary Waters lost over a million dollars for its youth program after the state voted to eliminate the funding. Lawmakers said the organization should not receive public funds because it also engages in anti-mining advocacy.
Starting June 8, the Cache Bay and Prairie Portage ranger stations are expected to implement a new telephone reporting system for paddlers entering Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. Visitors will be able to use the stations’ Wi-Fi to report their entry.
Bugs are a fixture of the northern Minnesota landscape, chasing bare-legged campers into their tents as the sun sets. As early as March, they can begin to appear, starting with ticks. By June, black flies, gnats, and mosquitoes are common. Find our top tips to beat the bugs or at least co-exist safely with them.
A local company is using trees damaged by wildfire on state and federal lands to make lumber, pallets, and other products. As crews open areas, the Forest Service will restore some of the fire-impacted land with new tree seedlings and seeds.
In an effort to restore state land affected by wildfires or windstorms, crews with the Minnesota DNR will plant almost 2 million tree seedlings on state-owned land this spring. This will include over 2,000 acres in the northeastern part of the state.Â
There is now evidence that cougars, which used to be native to Minnesota, are reproducing in the state again. A recent video shared by the Voyageurs Wolf Project caught a female cougar and three kittens on one of their trail cams.
The Forest Service has published its latest permit and visitor-use report for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). While visitor numbers remain about the same, cancellations and no-shows continue to rise.
Spring in the Boundary Waters offers unmatched solitude and the first signs of life, but the beauty hides a deadly risk: water temperatures that linger in the 40s and 50s long after ice-out. An experienced guide shares tips to help stay safe, warm, and prepared for the unpredictable conditions of a BWCAW shoulder-season adventure.
In a narrow 50-49 vote, the U.S. Senate passed H.J. Res. 140, effectively overturning a 20-year moratorium on mineral leasing in the Superior National Forest. The move clears a major federal hurdle for the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine.
Each spring, the Forest Service plans prescribed burns throughout the Superior National Forest. The work is expected to begin this month and, depending on conditions, will go through June. This is done annually to help safeguard communities from wildfires and reduce fuel loads. See which areas are scheduled for burning.
Experience Minnesota’s dark skies during International Dark Sky Week, April 13-20. Minnesota is home to two certified dark-sky sanctuaries – the BWCAW and Voyageurs National Park.
The U.S. Forest Service recently announced that it will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah. The move is part of a broader restructuring of the agency. Closer to home, two research and development facilities in Ely and Grand Rapids are slated for closure. We reached out to the Superior National Forest to learn what this may mean for the national forest.
When the ice will be out on Boundary Waters lakes? Using scientific and historical data, an online thaw tracker provided by the Minnesota Sea Grant helps estimate when ice will disappear from Minnesota lakes.
From the successful restoration of the fire-ravaged Powwow Trail to an ambitious new project rebuilding boardwalks on the popular Eagle Mountain Trail, BWAC volunteers are the boots on the ground keeping wilderness paths open. Crews paddle or hike in, and use traditional hand tools to clear deadfalls and protect the trail experience for thousands of hikers.
Moose populations continue to be stable, according to the most recent survey by the Minnesota DNR. The state, along with tribal, federal, county, and other partners, plans to implement a new, long-term plan to improve moose habitat across three counties and 50,000 acres.