Journalism professors call for clearer communication about Isle Royale wolf reintroduction
Minnesota and Michigan-based academics say the decision to transport new wolves to the Lake Superior site was based on incomplete information.
Environment/Ecology/Nature
First wolves in reintroduction effort could be brought to Isle Royale National Park this week
Project begins to restore predator population on popular island in Lake Superior, as managers seek to balance natural forces.
Several minor wildfires burn across canoe country
Lightning has started a handful of blazes on both sides of the international border, though the fires remain relatively small.
Officials withdraw change to wild rice protections, will restart work on sulfate standard
After being ruled too vague to protect rice or provide certainty to industries, state scientists will try to come up with a clearer way to implement research findings.
Voyageurs National Park undertakes study of invasive cattails
Imagine boating in Voyageurs National Park and seeing what appears to be an island on the move. It is over six acres in size, composed primarily of cattails and pockmarked by shrubs and small trees. Unanchored, this vegetative mass moves freely—a navigational hazard, a danger to docks and property, and spreading invasive species.
Scientists say bird species in northern National Parks could be much different in 30 years
New study predicts that an average of 25 percent of bird species in America’s National Parks will change due to global warming.
Moose find a friend in fire: burned areas host highest numbers
New research shows how moose prefer the type of forest habitat that is created by forest fires.
National Park Service proposes reintroducing wolves on Isle Royale
Managers respond to disappearance of wolves from the wild island in Lake Superior, letting moose population explode with
Uncovering the secret lives of wolves
Imagine a wolf kill, and the remains of an ungulate—a hoofed animal like a moose—probably come to mind. Yet scientists have known for some time that wolves also eat smaller prey, like deer fawns and beavers. This is particularly true during summer, when wolf packs primarily hunt and travel as individuals or pairs.
Annual Minnesota moose census finds numbers low but stable
The latest estimate is about one-third of their peak population, but has quit shrinking over the past several years.
Listen: Interview with Gunflint District Ranger about ShokoShoe forest management project
Major new logging and burning project will seek to diversify forest habitats for moose and other wildlife.
Research explains connections between wolf and moose populations in northern Minnesota
Growing wolf populations reduce moose calf survival, while fewer moose mean hard times for their primary predators.
Federal government says Canada lynx numbers safe, proposes to remove protections
Fish and Wildlife Services says recent studies show sustainable populations, and initiates process to take them off the list of endangered species.
State report: Headwaters region in northern Minnesota has ‘exceptional’ water quality
Multi-year study finds the Boundary Waters and surrounding area have clean and healthy lakes and streams.
Remote lakes on Isle Royale are turning toxic and we don’t know why — yet
Scientists recently discovered more harmful algae blooms at the National Park in Lake Superior, a surprising problem for pristine waters surrounded by unbroken forests.
Rising deer numbers in northern Minnesota mean more wolves
The latest estimate of the wolf population has increased significantly due to more and more whitetail deer living in wolf territory.
Book: Beavers have big impact on boreal forests in Voyageurs National Park
The return of beavers to the Kabetogama Peninsula has altered water flows, changed the tree composition, and brought back other plants and animals.
Minnesota proposes new standard to protect wild rice from mining pollution
After years of debate, scientists recommend a complex equation to calculate how much sulfate is safe to discharge into waters where wild rice grows.
Volunteers invited to collect seeds, combat invasive cattails at Voyageurs National Park
Annual volunteer weekend at Voyageurs will contribute to wetland restoration efforts.
Ten Years After the Ham Lake Fire: A Forest Regenerates
In May 2007 an out of control campfire off the Gunflint Trail grew into a wildfire that burned 75,851 acres. Ten years later, the forest is at a turning point…