Bugs are a fixture of the northern Minnesota landscape, chasing bare-legged campers into their tents as the sun sets. As early as March, they can begin to appear, starting with ticks. By June, black flies, gnats, and mosquitoes are common. Find our top tips to beat the bugs or at least co-exist safely with them.
A local company is using trees damaged by wildfire on state and federal lands to make lumber, pallets, and other products. As crews open areas, the Forest Service will restore some of the fire-impacted land with new tree seedlings and seeds.
In an effort to restore state land affected by wildfires or windstorms, crews with the Minnesota DNR will plant almost 2 million tree seedlings on state-owned land this spring. This will include over 2,000 acres in the northeastern part of the state.
Smelt season has officially arrived in Duluth. From the flickering headlamps of Park Point to the late night pulls of the seine nets, the annual spring run is more than just fishing—it’s a North Shore tradition 70 years in the making.
There is now evidence that cougars, which used to be native to Minnesota, are reproducing in the state again. A recent video shared by the Voyageurs Wolf Project caught a female cougar and three kittens on one of their trail cams.
Spring in the Boundary Waters offers unmatched solitude and the first signs of life, but the beauty hides a deadly risk: water temperatures that linger in the 40s and 50s long after ice-out. An experienced guide shares tips to help stay safe, warm, and prepared for the unpredictable conditions of a BWCAW shoulder-season adventure.
In a narrow 50-49 vote, the U.S. Senate passed H.J. Res. 140, effectively overturning a 20-year moratorium on mineral leasing in the Superior National Forest. The move clears a major federal hurdle for the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine.
Each spring, the Forest Service plans prescribed burns throughout the Superior National Forest. The work is expected to begin this month and, depending on conditions, will go through June. This is done annually to help safeguard communities from wildfires and reduce fuel loads. See which areas are scheduled for burning.
Experience Minnesota’s dark skies during International Dark Sky Week, April 13-20. Minnesota is home to two certified dark-sky sanctuaries – the BWCAW and Voyageurs National Park.
The U.S. Forest Service recently announced that it will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah. The move is part of a broader restructuring of the agency. Closer to home, two research and development facilities in Ely and Grand Rapids are slated for closure. We reached out to the Superior National Forest to learn what this may mean for the national forest.
When the ice will be out on Boundary Waters lakes? Using scientific and historical data, an online thaw tracker provided by the Minnesota Sea Grant helps estimate when ice will disappear from Minnesota lakes.
Moose populations continue to be stable, according to the most recent survey by the Minnesota DNR. The state, along with tribal, federal, county, and other partners, plans to implement a new, long-term plan to improve moose habitat across three counties and 50,000 acres.
Sax-Zim Bog in Minnesota is a unique place where species thrive that you won’t find elsewhere in the U.S. In spring, myriad birds seek varied habitats to nest or rest briefly during migration. Visitors can come and witness this spectacular seasonal movement.
“We really are being welcomed into the hospitality of a community of earth, plants, and animals…” Step into the changing seasons with a new book by Mary Casanova and read our exclusive Q&A with Duluth artist Jordan Sundberg on finding inspiration in the forest.
Most people think of Quetico as a paddler’s paradise with over 1 million acres to explore. But the land has played an important role in the lives of the Anishinabeg people for thousands of years, as they lived, hunted, and travelled in the region, and continue to do so.
For decades, wildlife biologists assumed that because the snowshoe hare population was down in Voyageurs National Park, it was unlikely any lynx were reproducing in the area, until now. In trail cam footage, researchers spotted two lynx kittens being trailed by their mother. This sighting is encouraging as it means that the rarely seen animals are finding prey in the southernmost areas of their range.
A recent analysis of lake trout and walleye from the EPA’s Duluth laboratory reveals a rare environmental bright spot: PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish have declined significantly since the late 2000s. While Lake Superior can take almost two centuries to ‘flush,’ this study suggests the biological food web is responding much faster to industrial phase-outs than previously thought.
The Minnesota DNR is seeking public comment on the state’s Lake Superior Coastal Program. They have provided a draft plan that evaluates the program’s effectiveness and suggests priorities for future improvements. …
The Trump administration and Rep. Pete Stauber are using the Congressional Review Act in an unprecedented effort to undo a 20-year mineral leasing withdrawal in the Superior National Forest. Critics warn the move sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the Boundary Waters watershed.
To promote diversity and support the reforestation of Minnesota forests, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources urges individuals to collect black spruce cones this winter. Foresters at the State Forest Nursery will receive some of these cones, extract seeds, and grow seedlings.