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Voyageurs Program Will Discuss Ojibwe Traditions

A program sponsored by the Friends of Voyageurs National Park will discusses Ojibwe traditions and life growing up in the north country. Presenter Ida Mainville will explain how the voyageurs and the Ojibwe people interacted and influenced each other.

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Lake Vermilion Park Deal Finalized

The dream of a Lake Vermilion State Park is now a reality after the State of Minnesota and U.S. Steel Corporation signed a deal yesterday that put 3,000 acres of company land along the picturesque lake under state ownership.

Loons Could be Gulf Spill Victims

Common Loons, birds emblematic of the Quetico-Superior region, could face survival problems due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Many of the loons that nest on Minnesota and Ontario lakes in summer, winter along the Gulf Coast.

Bear Cub Abandoned Again

Hope, the most famous black bear cub in North America, has been abandoned again by her equally famous mother Lily. The latest separation comes just a week after the pair first became separated but were dramatically reunited.

Forest Advisory Committee to Convene

An advisory committee intended to to enhance local community collaboration with federal officials who manage the Superior National Forest will convene for the first time on June 11, the U.S. Forest Service announced recently.

Lost Bear Cub Found, Reunited with Mother

The bear cub known as Hope, which was separated from its mother over the weekend and feared dead, was found yesterday, hiding in a tree in Eagles Nest township west of Ely. Researchers were able to successfully reunite the cub with its mother.

Well-Known Bear Cub Lost

An Ely area bear cub whose birth last winter was shown world-wide by a remote web-camera focused on its mother’s den is missing. The North American Bear Center, which has been following the cub and its mother since the birth, reported that mother and cub had separated on Saturday.

Ely Mayor Sentenced in BWCAW Case

Ely mayor Roger Skarba was sentenced yesterday for riding his snowmobile in a federal wilderness area and entering the wilderness without a permit. Skarba received a $3630 fine, 40 hours of community service, and two years of probation.

Eagle Nests Prompt Voyageurs Restrictions

Voyageurs National Park announced the closure of three developed campsites and three undeveloped areas due to the presence of active bald eagle nests. The restrictions come under the auspices of the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Management Act.

Book Review: Our Neck of the Woods

As essay collections go, Our Neck of the Woods is more of a confessional than a nature tale. Up and down the state, and via every outdoor pastime (fishing, hunting, skiing, canoeing, camping), writers confess to a love of Minnesota …

Gypsy Moth Fight Begins Anew

Minnesota’s battle against the gypsy moth is ready to resume. The state’s Department of Agriculture is about to set 23,000 traps for the moths across the eastern border of Minnesota to note where new outbreaks of the invasive pest are occurring.

2010 Warmest Early-Spring on Record

The early-spring of 2010 was the warmest on record in the Quetico-Superior region according to data from the International Falls weather station, which has observed conditions longer than any other station in the area.

Campfire Restrictions Relaxed

While continuing to deem the fire danger in northeastern Minnesota “high,” the U.S. Forest Service has relaxed some of the restrictions put in place earlier to reduce the likelihood of wildfire starting Superior National Forest.

The Future of Moose in a Warming World

A combination of challenges threaten Minnesota’s sensitive moose populations – warming temperatures, changes in precipitation, increased varieties of diseases and parasites, and changes in predator populations. Are we watching the end of moose in Minnesota?

Bracing for an Historic Fire Year

Although weekend rains may have lessened the immediate fire danger in the Quetico-Superior region, wildland fire experts say this year could shape up to be one of the worst fire years in a generation.

Gubernatorial Debate to Highlight Green Expo

A debate among the state’s candidates for governor will highlight the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy’s Living Green Expo tomorrow and Sunday at the State Fair Grandstand in St. Paul.

Rains Should Lessen Fire Danger

Rain predicted for later today should lessen the extreme fire danger that has accompanied the earliest and driest spring on record in Northeastern Minnesota. Yesterday, despite high winds and dry air, firefighters were able to control new fires and keep others contained.

Fire Danger Still High

Despite some light showers over the weekend, wildfire danger in Northeastern Minnesota is still high according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Fire Restrictions to be Tightened

Fire restrictions will be tightened on Friday in the Superior and Chippewa National Forests as continued dry weather raises the risk of wildfire. The Minnesota DNR is also tightening fire regulations.