Small Fire Burning in BWCAW
A small forest fire is burning south of the Gunflint Trail in a remote section of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the general vicinity of Long Island Lake.
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Parks Movie Nominated for Regional Emmy
Minnesota’s National Park Legacy, a film made in collaboration with Voyageurs National Park Association and the state’s seven National Park units and produced in partnership with Twin Cities Public Television has been nominated for an Midwest Regional Emmy Award.
Voyageurs Eagle Nesting Areas Re-Opened
Three campsites in Voyageurs National Park that were off-limits due to blad eagles nesting in close proximity have been re-opened, the Park announced recently.
Tettegouche Arch Falls into Lake Superior
The scenic Tettegouche stone arch on Lake Superior’s North Shore collapsed into the lake in recent days. The arch was a popular feature of Tettegouche State Park.
Voyageurs Seeks Volunteers for Native Plant Garden
Voyageurs National Park is seeking volunteers to join Park staff on Friday and Saturday, September 10 and 11 to plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers that have cultural and medicinal significance in Ojibwe tradition.
Lake Vermilion Cormorants Dying
Disease is suspected in the recent deaths of more than 50 young double-crested cormorants residing on Lake Vermilion’s Potato Island.
Lost Hiker Found in Voyageurs
An inter-agency search using boats and planes was deployed to successfully locate a hiker lost overnight in Voyageurs National Park earlier this month.
Lake Vermilion Park – a Development Challenge
Start with the locale’s rock, wetlands, and topography; add an adjoining state park; then throw in the wishes of local residents and it’s no wonder Lake Vermilion State Park poses a developmental challenge to DNR planners.
AT&T Suspends Tower Construction Until Trial
In an agreement hammered out in a Minneapolis courtroom, AT&T has agreed to suspend construction of a controversial cell phone tower at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness until a trial determines its ultimate fate.
Invasive Spiny Waterfleas Discovered Near Boundary Waters
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed that spiny waterfleas were discovered by anglers in Burntside Lake near Ely last week. Burntside Lake is a popular entry point into motorless …
New Trends in Visits to Quetico-Superior Wilderness
Fewer visitors are spending the night in the Quetico-Superior region’s wilderness areas compared to 15 years ago, but visits by day-trippers may be on the rise.
Forest Service May Demolish Historic Buildings
A Depression-era complex of log and stone cabins near Ely may be razed by the U.S. Forest Service, contending that while they may have historical significance, the buildings are too expensive …
Lake County Responds in Cell Tower Dispute
Lake County filed a “friend of the court” brief in Hennepin County District Court this week siding with AT&T Mobility in the cell tower suit brought against the company by Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. The advocacy organization objects to the 450-foot tower due to its impact on scenic beauty in the Boundary Waters.
Friends of Quetico Park Feels Financial Strains
A year after celebrating the centennial of the park it promotes as well as its own 25th birthday with a storefront presence in Atikokan, the group Friends of Quetico Park is featuring a scaled-down profile in 2010 due to tough financial realities.
Gypsy Moth Caterpillar Found in Minnesota
Minnesota’s first gypsy moth in caterpillar form was found recently in Duluth, confirming that the exotic pest which can defoliate wide swaths of forest is reproducing in Minnesota.
Petition Asks for Continued Wolf Protection
A petition by the Center for Biological Diversity asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue endangered species protection on wolves in the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountains until the predators have expanded their territory to more of the United States.
Cell Tower Suit Spurs Discussion
The lawsuit by the advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness to halt construction of a 450-foot=high cellular communications tower near Ely has recently prompted commentary from those who hail and oppose the effort.
VNPA to Celebrate 45th Anniversary
The Voyageurs National Park Association will celebrate its 45th anniversary with Le Fete du Voyagers on Tuesday, July 27th. The “Celebration of the Voyageurs” will also commemorate Voyageurs National Park’s 35th year of existence as a National Park.
PolyMet Impact Statement to be Rewritten
State and federal agencies will rewrite the the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining’s proposed copper-nickel and precious metals mine near Babbitt. The rewrite comes after the federal Environmental Protection Agency deemed the initial Draft EIS “Environmentally Unsatisfactory-Inadequate.”
Museum Tells Gunflint Trail Story
A former fishing camp on northeastern Minnesota’s Gunflint Trail has reopened as a museum telling the story of the natives, voyageurs, miners, loggers, and recreationists who played a role in the region’s rich history.