The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently implemented a Draft Recovery Plan to strengthen habitat protection and support breeding populations of the Canada lynx. In Superior National Forest, the population has maintained healthy numbers for the past decade; however, it could change.
“Forests die fast and grow slowly,” says Lee Frelich, a forest ecologist with the University of Minnesota. In response to warming conditions, researchers in northern MN are planting trees normally suited for southern regions of the state. The USFS initiated an assisted migration plan to ensure the future of healthy forests.
This spring, the USFS conducted aerial reseeding over hundreds of acres as part of ongoing efforts to restore a previously pristine area. The Greenwood Fire burned over 26,000 acres in the Superior National Forest (SNF) and earned the title of the most extreme wildfire event of 2021.
The administration recently announced a goal to protect 30 percent of lands and waters throughout the United States by 2030. This includes protection from mining impacts near wilderness areas such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).
National parks around Lake Superior have executed long-term, sustainable options against carbon emissions. Recently, the National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation (NPLSF), in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) took bold steps against climate issues. Grand Portage National Monument and Isle Royale National Park are two of the locations implementing changes.
Springtime marks the return of migratory birds to northern Minnesota. In 2003, the Superior National Forest was listed under the National Audubon Society’s Important Bird Area Program. Encompassing 3,900,000 acres, the forest shelters the largest number of nesting birds of any national forest.
Minnesota’s moose population continues to be stable, according to a recent survey. Learn more about the findings from the MNDNR report and the ongoing conservation efforts in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
Wildfire is a normal part of healthy ecosystems in the Superior National Forest. However, USFS personnel are warning that this spring could see a higher incidence of wildfires due to low snow cover and precipitation. As a result, they encourage those who live and recreate in the Quetico Superior region to be watchful.
Green Bridge Metals and Encampment Minerals are set to launch drilling exploration for copper-nickel and other metals near Lake Superior. Healthcare providers communicate concerns over the long-term impact of sulfide mining near the BWCA.
On July 4, 1999, the sky fell. Or so it seemed. On that day the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was hit by a historic storm unlike anyone had ever seen.
More than a century of lumbering in northern MN didn’t just remove trees, it upset an entire ecosystem. The Rajala Woods Foundation pledged to plant three million seedlings across 30,000 acres of land as a living memorial to Jack Rajala, longtime northern Minnesota lumberman and community leader.
Two new podcasts explore hot topics from Superior National Forest, the Boundary Waters and Quetico. In-depth interviews and key experts talk about everything from the challenges of wind and wilderness tripping, to this year’s ‘go-live’ day for BWCA permits.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report finds examples of MN DNR misusing federal funds to facilitate logging in Wildlife Management Areas. They say the effort to increase logging was detrimental to public lands and wildlife.
New management plans for all National Forests in the US seek to ensure mature and old-growth forests are maintained and even expanded.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks to stabilize population in face of climate change and other threats.
Forest Service seek to create firewall between the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and help protect private property.
Minnesota’s northern forests are changing with a warming climate, and Superior National Forest and partners have a plan to adapt.
Logging, roads, and residences all affect where wolves look for favorite prey.
Wildlife biologists say new research reveals important information about birds.
Video captured in Voyageurs is only the second time that behavior has been filmed.