Legislation making mining easier in northern Minnesota moves forward in Congress
Two bills seeking to speed up the Twin Metals and PolyMet mine proposals are being voted on this week in Washington, D.C.
TOP STORY:
Scientific research released on connections between mining pollution and wild rice
State-sponsored studies sought to improve understanding of the complex ways sulfate harms the iconic plant.
Minnesota’s Arrowhead region has notably dark night skies
Cook County encourages visitors to come see the Milky Way and the northern lights in its pitch black sky.
Canoe building: A life-changing experience
Canoe builder Ken Koscik points to a canoe hanging in the rafters and says, “We’re going to build that.” Some students shake their heads. Some don’t believe it. He reassures them: it’s easy. “I have told hundreds of people that if you can tie your shoes, you can build this canoe. And that is the truth,” he says.
Scientists: Northern Minnesota’s rising deer population to blame for dwindling moose numbers
Extensive studies of moose mortality show parasites carried by whitetail deer are killing many of Minnesota’s remaining moose.
Report: Robots are replacing miners around the world — could automation affect Minnesota jobs?
Automation is revolutionizing the mining industry, quickly reducing employment and the potential economic impact of proposals in northern Minnesota.
Minnesota governor announces support for PolyMet mine proposal
Mark Dayton tells newspaper he believes the economic benefits and environmental risks can be balanced.
Wildlife managers worried as moose numbers decline in Ontario
The iconic animals appear to be following in the footsteps of Minnesota’s as their habitat is degraded and the climate warms.
Ely’s mining debate featured in the New York Times Magazine
Writer profiles the long-lasting conflict between wilderness proponents and mine workers.
Remote lakes on Isle Royale are turning toxic and we don’t know why — yet
Scientists recently discovered more harmful algae blooms at the National Park in Lake Superior, a surprising problem for pristine waters surrounded by unbroken forests.
Paddlesongs: How one country songwriter married his love of music and canoeing
In 1994, Nashville singer-songwriter Jerry Vandiver, whose song “It Doesn’t Get Any Countrier Than This” had just been recorded by Tim McGraw, portaged a behemoth of an aluminum canoe across a rocky and root-filled portage. He was no stranger to paddling; he’d moved that canoe from his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, to Nashville when he set out to see if he could make it in the country music business. But this was his first trip to Quetico Provincial Park, and lugging that canoe over such a challenging portage inspired him
Rising deer numbers in northern Minnesota mean more wolves
The latest estimate of the wolf population has increased significantly due to more and more whitetail deer living in wolf territory.
New book from couple who spent a year living in the Boundary Waters
Freemans publish account of their headline-grabbing adventure during all four seasons in the threatened wilderness area.
Paddling Into the Past on Rainy Lake
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 …
Book: Beavers have big impact on boreal forests in Voyageurs National Park
The return of beavers to the Kabetogama Peninsula has altered water flows, changed the tree composition, and brought back other plants and animals.
Minnesota proposes new standard to protect wild rice from mining pollution
After years of debate, scientists recommend a complex equation to calculate how much sulfate is safe to discharge into waters where wild rice grows.
Minnesota lawmakers attempt to stop Superior National Forest mining study
The bipartisan effort was met by bipartisan opposition as Congress wrestled with proposal to withdraw lands in the wilderness watershed from mineral exploration.
Sawbill Canoe Outfitters: The family behind the legacy
There is an outfitter at the end of the Sawbill Trail where customers and staff return year after year, a network of people connected to the place and the family at its center. The Hansens, and now the Shirleys, have been running Sawbill Canoe Outfitters since 1957, where annual traditions, lifelong friendships and marriages have been born.
Veteran forester selected as new chief of U.S. Forest Service
Tom Tooke takes over the top job after a long career with the Forest Service, and with important issues facing National Forest lands in northern Minnesota.
Mondale calls for protection of Boundary Waters from mining
Lifelong statesman and environmentalist argues canoe country is too precious to risk polluting with mine runoff.