Busy weekend in the Boundary Waters could also be dangerously dry
Wilderness permits are nearly sold out as the paddling season gets underway with high risk of wildfires.
TOP STORY:
Scientists are trying to save Minnesota’s northern forests from global warming
Washington Post article raises alarms and reports on scientific research and Minnesota’s “forests of the future”
Northeastern Minnesota environmental projects in jeopardy as state senate refuses to spend lottery funds
Republicans refuse to approve funds dedicated to science and conservation in a dispute over budget.
Lutsen ski area expansion could include 400 acres of public hills
Comments are currently being accepted as part of the first phase of review for proposal to develop new terrain next to existing runs.
New lawsuit challenges how Twin Metals mineral leases were renewed without review
Numerous groups argue that federal government failed to follow law when issuing controversial leases to search for minerals on public land.
Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park closed to overnight visitors until May 17
Recreation areas allow local residents to take day trips, but camping is prohibited to prevent spread of coronavirus.
Poem: Rocky Shores
What Wilderness Means to Me Series Submission: “Rocky shores, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, full moon paddles and islands alone, Boundary Waters you are my throne. Great wilderness of untold stories, nature is proof of your glory…”
Quetico Provincial Park closed until May 31
Ontario closes popular canoe park across from the Boundary Waters to prevent unnecessary travel and spread of coronavirus.
Clean Water Act rollback could make it difficult to protect BWCAW water from mining pollution
Proposal from federal government could block MN from protecting lakes and rivers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Orchids of the Northwoods – Lady’s Slippers and beyond
“It all began by happenstance…The trail was overgrown, littered with fallen boles, when I noticed a glimmering iridescence unlike anything I had seen before. I had stumbled upon on one of Minnesota’s most common orchid species, the stemless (pink) lady’s slipper, glimmering with rain drops…”
Celebrating the night sky: lack of light pollution a valuable regional resource
The border region of Minnesota and Ontario offers dark nights perfect for seeing star-filled skies, northern lights, and other wonders.
Boundary Waters closed for all until May 4
Permit quota season will be delayed due to statewide stay-at-home order during pandemic. The Superior National Forest announced today that the BWCAW is closed…
Prescribed fires on Superior National Forest cancelled to protect virus victims and firefighters
Federal agency calls off all spring burning plans as officials seek to reduce connected risks of fires and health.
Feeling separated from canoe country? Ways to connect with wilderness from a safe distance.
Stay-at-home orders and social distancing recommendations mean that most of us can’t head ‘up north’ right now, and uncertainty hovers over the next few months. How do we stay connected ‘virtually’ to the places we love?
Flashback: A New Yorker tried to mine copper inside the Boundary Waters
George St. Clair’s efforts to exercise mineral rights he had inherited set off battles in the courts, the newspapers, and legislative bodies from St. Paul to Washington, D.C.
Numerous lakes and streams in northeastern Minnesota available for citizen monitoring
Volunteers are vital to measure how clear lakes and streams are, providing valuable information to track long-term health.
The Wilderness of Voyageurs and What it Means to Me
“When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds…”
Coronavirus in canoe country: pandemic precautions affect public lands
While local residents follow social distancing outdoors in the wilderness, the public is asked to not travel to the Quetico-Superior region, as facilities close due to infection prevention measures.
Minnesota court rejects air permit for proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine
Judges order state to consider if PolyMet actually plans a much larger mine than the company told regulators when applying for an air pollution permit.
Federal court upholds Twin Metals mineral leases
Major blow to wilderness protection comes as judge rules in favor of reversal, restoring leases to company seeking to mine at edge of Boundary Waters.