In the coming weeks spring will make itself known, and residents of the Gunflint Trail area will be watching especially closely for what green things will sprout up. After last year’s Ham Lake fire, which burned 75,000 acres of Superior National Forest and Ontario, the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee organized a weekend of planting to give the forest a boost towards recovery. Fire plays an important role in forest ecology, but today this northern forest faces significant challenges when regenerating. White pine trees, in particular, have difficulty re-growing without help in the face of hungry deer, invasive pests, and scarce seed sources. Last year white pine got a jump start with 6,000 seedlings, whose donation was arranged by the Quetico Superior Foundation, as part of its White Pine Initiative, which strives to restore the white pine tree to healthy and sustainable populations in the Quetico Superior region.
This year, Gunflint area residents are not just waiting to see what new trees will appear, but they have also organized a second planting for May 2 and 3, called the Gunflint Green Up. The 2007 planting drew 200 volunteers from all over the state, and this year organizers hope for 500 participants to plant the 75,000 seedlings that have already been reserved, thanks again to donations by the Foundation and also Iron Range Resources. Nancy Seaton, one of the event’s organizers, stresses that the event is for all those who feel deeply connected to the Superior National Forest. “We are really excited,” she says, “about how important this place is to everyone. It’s not just for those that live here.”
In addition to planting trees, volunteers will be treated to talks on topics such as forest ecology and Gunflint Trail history on May 2. May 3, after spending the day planting, there will be a festive dinner and dance at Gunflint Lodge to celebrate this investment in our forest’s future. Registration is important and must be done by April 22. To do so, visit the Gunflint Green Up web site at www.gunflintgreenup.com or call 1-800-338-6932.
This article appeared in Wilderness News Spring 2008