After more than three decades of service, Superintendent Bob DeGross retired from Voyageurs National Park (VNP). Growing up in the Upper Midwest, DeGross developed a love for the outdoors early in life. He joined Minnesota’s only national park in 2016, inspired by early conservationists Sigurd Olson and Aldo Leopold. As he steps into retirement, he reflects on the challenges facing the National Park Service and emphasizes the vital role the park plays for both visitors and surrounding communities.
Decades of service
This year marks a couple of milestones for Voyageurs National Park as it celebrates its 50th anniversary and bids farewell to Superintendent Bob DeGross. Over his 36-year career, DeGross led numerous projects and initiatives. His work shaped the park’s future and strengthened its connection with surrounding communities.
One of these initiatives included securing the park’s designation as an International Dark Sky Park. This recognition highlights the area’s remarkably dark skies, which offer rare opportunities for scientific research and stargazing.
DeGross also prioritized connecting youth to the park’s unique water-rich environment. He helped thousands of students engage with the Voyageurs Classroom, an educational program created in partnership with the Voyageurs Conservancy. The initiative provides learning through on-site programming and a mobile classroom that explores the park’s natural, historical, and cultural significance. Additionally, he helped develop the Field Fellowships program, which offers paid internships to students and recent graduates. This program gives participants the opportunity to assist in creating park programs and gain hands-on field experience.
He also played a role in the Voyageurs Wetland Restoration Project. Through this project, crews improved wetland bottoms to better support plants and removed invasive cattails. They also conducted ecosystem health monitoring and research.
Most recently, DeGross helped to facilitate the effort to launch the new Crane Lake Visitor Center. “There are people in Crane Lake who’ve worked on this for decades, and to be able to work collaboratively with them in a manner that actually sees that project come to completion…it means a lot,” he told the Timberjay. The center opened on June 6. It is part of a broader development project that includes new RV hookups and a campground within the park.
Cultivating a legacy
DeGross began his National Park Service career as a seasonal interpreter at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. His career then took him to Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve.
Eventually, he returned to the North and began his role at VNP. He focused on preserving the park’s natural resources and fostering long-term stewardship while building relationships with surrounding communities. He commented that he hopes his efforts have laid a solid foundation for future conservation and community collaboration.
He credits the park’s progress to the dedication of his team. “The entire park team here at Voyageurs National Park is committed not just to the National Park Service, but to this park specifically,” he told the Timberjay. “I’m so proud of the people I work with.”
While he remains hopeful about the future, DeGross acknowledges the challenges facing the National Park Service. He stresses the economic importance of parks. In an interview, he commented that the amount of earnings national parks generate significantly exceeds their operating budget. He hopes officials in the NPS and the Department of the Interior acknowledge the economic benefits parks have to local communities.
Looking back, he hopes the progress made during his tenure represents the best he could offer in service to the land and its people. “It has been an honor to serve this incredible park and to work alongside a dedicated NPS team, passionate communities, and supporters,” said DeGross. “Together, we have fostered a deep appreciation for the natural world, and I am proud of the strides we have made in conservation, education, and visitor engagement.”
In honor of Bob, Voyageurs Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Voyageurs National Park Employee Association will host a retirement celebration at Thunderbird Lodge on June 12. More information and registration can be found online.
Voyageurs National Park was establishedin 1975. Its name commemorates the French fur traders who traveled its waters by canoe during the 18th and 19th centuries. Located near International Falls, the park spans 218,000 acres, one-third of which is water. It remains a place of remote beauty, where visitors enjoy dark skies and forested campsites.
More info:
- Voyageurs Superintendent Bob DeGross’ Retirement – Voyageurs Conservancy
- DeGross says goodbye to Voyageurs – The Timberjay
- Voyageurs National Park