Tucked along winding, remote roads throughout Minnesota’s Arrowhead region are five fabulous state forests. Together, these five forests tout nearly 1.6 million acres of recreational land where you can camp, paddle, hike, hunt, fish, picnic, and cross-country ski. And unlike the other wonderful places I mentioned previously, these hidden gems are lesser known and see fewer visitors.
New kiosks are appearing in ranger stations, state parks, and local businesses along Minnesota’s North Shore, making it easier for visitors to connect with the region’s cultural, natural, and environmental history.
The Forest Service anticipates budget cuts across the entire organization for 2025. The federal agency has requested $8.9 billion in funding but expects to receive significantly less. This reduction could negatively impact the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. As a result, visitors should prepare for potential changes.
Advocates for clean water warn that a mining project near Lake Superior could harm human health and the environment in the long term.
A third wildfire has started in the Superior National Forest. USFS crews discovered the Bogus Lake fire in northeastern Minnesota on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. The fire has burned approximately 45 acres and remains active. Firefighters from the Superior National Forest and MN DNR have responded with aircraft and personnel to assist with suppression efforts.
As the election approaches, we look to key politicians’ historical positions on mining and conservation, impacting places like the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Environmental groups urge voters to support lawmakers who advocate for continued protection.
Update: public comment period extended. State and federal agencies are collaborating to transfer 80,000 acres within the BWCAW to the federal government. “School Trust Lands” originally aimed to provide long-term revenue for Minnesota’s public schools, but wilderness protection measures have limited their ability to generate sufficient income. Groups see the move as a win both for wilderness and for public schools.
Heavy rainfall from severe thunderstorms caused extensive damage to roads and flooding within the Superior National Forest (SNF), including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). In response, the USFS – Superior National Forest has closed several entry points. As a result, individuals with BWCAW permits reserved through June 22, 2024, are being notified directly of the cancellation and refunded.
This trail is a delight year-round with raging water during the spring melt, wildflowers and berries in the summer, spectacular colors in the fall, and a wintery wonderland in the colder months. You’ll find the trailhead to the Vermilion Gorge Trail…
Berry-picking season has arrived! You can find all kinds of berries and mushrooms within the Superior National Forest and BWCAW. Foraging wild edibles is a highlight of summer adventures, connecting people to the land while adding flavor to camp meals.
There are growing concerns that loons will no longer summer in Minnesota as soon as 2080 due to the changing climate. Environmental and state organizations seek volunteers to help count loons.
Last week, Representative Pete Stauber attached five amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. These aim to overturn the 20-year mining ban near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). While four of those amendments were defeated, one remains under review.
Where does the water from Devil’s Kettle go? Hike to the mysterious waterfall that splits across ancient rock, tumbles down 50 feet and disappears into a giant pothole…
The Superior National Forest and stakeholders who care about the BWCA collaborate on topics including forest stewardship, visitor use, fire management, impacts and restrictions…
A 72-acre prescribed burn was in progress just south of the BWCA, and declared a wildfire when a spot fire started beyond the planned burn area.
The USFS has updated the regulations concerning food storage in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Hanging items in a tree or using approved bear-resistant containers has been a part of the regulations and rules, and now violations can bring penalties. Learn how to hang a food pack from a tree and travel safely through bear habitat.
A bill that could reverse the 20-year ban on mining leases near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) passed the U.S. House. It will soon move on to the Senate. Environmental advocates express concern over the reversal of mining leases that could impact watersheds in the region.
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.