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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Plans by Koochiching County to build a gasification facility which would use a plasma arc torch to vaporize garbage and other waste in order to produce energy is being scrutinized by environmental advocates since the facility would be a neighbor to Voyageurs National Park.
Fire danger is high across the Quetico-Superior region as agencies tighten burning restrictions and brace against ripe conditions for wildfires.
The public is invited to attend one of two forums to learn about and comment on the Park’s proposed fee and reservation system for interior lake campsites and boat rentals on the Kabetogama Peninsula as well as fees for tour boat programs. Voyageurs National Park Superintendent Mike Ward will host a presentation about the proposed changes, and will open the floor to public comments and questions…
University of Minnesota forest ecologist Lee Frelich will discuss the long-term future for vegetation in the Quetico-Superior region in a lecture kicking off the Heart of the Continent Partnership’s quarterly meeting later this month.
As anticipated, a suit to remove Minnesota wolves from the federal Endangered Species List and to return management of the animals to the state has been filed in federal district count.
Voyageurs National Park will celebrate its 35th birthday on Thursday, commemorating the April 8, 1975 date of its authorization by Congress as the country’s 36th national park. The northern Minnesota park will remember the anniversary on its birthday and throughout 2010.
Will record warm temperature for March in northern Minnesota translate into record ice-out dates on area lakes? In International Falls, last month was the warmest March on record.
Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Eighth District Congressman Jim Oberstar are working to solve a licensing issue that has proved cumbersome for small-boat operators and fishing guides in northeastern Minnesota and elsewhere.
Voyageurs National Park is inviting public comments on a reservation system and fee structure it is considering for the park’s interior campsites on the Kabetogama Peninsula. Park officials say a reservation system would guarantee campsite availability.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, has announced the locations along the U.S./Canada border in Northeastern Minnesota that will be closed to fishing in the early spring.
Investors in PolyMet Mining Corporation are showing caution over possible delays in the development of the NorthMet copper-nickel and precious metals mining operation near Babbitt after criticisms of the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement by the EPA.
The Minnesota House of Representatives is considering a bill to tighten the financial assurances required by mining companies operating in the state, even though a companion bill in the state senate has been withdrawn.