Wild Rice Rally to Greet Governor
Environmental advocates will greet Minnesota governor Mark Dayton with a rally in support of wild rice protection when he visits northern Minnesota for the walleye fishing opening this weekend.
Hot Topics
Survey Seeks North Shore Impressions
Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program is surveying visitors and residents of Minnesota’s North Shore about the quality and quantity of public accesses along the coast.
Will Oil Spill Impact Loon Numbers?
With the ice now out on most Quetico-Superior area lakes, experts are wondering if the region’s common loon population will have been impacted last year’s Gulf of Mexico Oil spill.
Interior Secretary Announces Wolf Plan
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar formally announced his department’s plan to remove the eastern gray wolf from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act and return management of the animal to state and tribal governments by the end of this year.
Cell Tower Near Voyageurs Rejected
While a court ruling on an AT&T cellphone tower near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness awaits a judge’s decision, the Koochiching County Board rejected a request by the company to build a 350-foot tower near Voyageurs National Park.
Comments Sought on BWCAW Invasives Project
Managers of the Superior National Forest are seeking comments on a project that seeks to combat the spread of non-native invasive plants in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Chain of Lakes: No Quota Change
In the latest chapter of an on-going saga rankling local residents and outfitters, the U.S. Forest Service will not adjust permit quotas for motorboats on the Moose Lake to Prairie Portage chain of lakes leading into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely.
Old Photos Provide a Peek into BWCA History
By Alissa Johnson In our last issue, Wilderness News published photos from an album uncovered in an attic trunk. They once belonged to Big Bill Wenstrom, who was the last private …
Klobuchar Calls for Wolf Delisting
Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar wants gray wolves removed from the federal Endangered Species List, calling for the state, environmental groups, and others to work together on management of the predator.
Workshop to Explore Commerce, Nature
An international workshop hosted by the Heart of the Continent Partnership will explore the balance between commerce and nature at the organization’s International Communities Conference this fall.
Feds Again Propose Wolf Delisting
Federal officials will once again try to remove the gray wolf from protection under the Endangered Species Act, saying populations of the animal have recovered in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Sturgeon Research Headlines VNPA Event
Voyageurs National Park ecologist Steve Windels will offer insights into research on Lake Sturgeon at the Voyageurs National Park Association members and friends event on April 19 in Minneapolis.
Wolf Control Threatened by Funding Cut
Due to a cut in federal funding, a program that controls wolves preying on livestock and pets in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan could be in its final days of operation.
Cell Tower Trial Opens Today
A suit seeking to block construction of a 450-foot cellular phone tower at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely opens today in Minneapolis.
Open Houses Set for Prospecting Impact
The U.S. Forest Service will host three open houses next week for review and comment on its draft Environmental Impact Statement for mineral prospecting in the Superior National Forest.
New Stamp Features Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park will be featured on a new U.S. Postal Service stamp to be issued April 11.
Late Spring Prompts Fishing Closures
Due to anticipated late ice-out on several lakes and rivers along the Minnesota-Ontario border, some waters will be closed to fishing at the start of this year’s season to protect concentrations of spawning walleye from potential over-harvest, the Minnesota DNR has announced.
Voyageurs Moving to New Headquarters
In a move that reflects the warmed relations between Voyageurs National Park and its gateway community, park officials are set to move their headquarters to a new complex leased from the city of International Falls.
Sulfates Standard Change Proposed in House
Legislation to markedly roll back the allowable amount of sulfate in wild rice waters in Minnesota is being proposed in the Minnesota House where proponents say current standards are too strict and not based on solid science.
Officials Call Voyageurs Day a Success
Community officials from the International Falls area called this month’s Voyageurs National Park Day in Washinton, D.C. a success for raising awareness of the park and region among Minnesota’s federal lawmakers.