2011 BWCAW Permit Lottery Now Open
The lottery for 2011 permits for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is open until January 15, 2011 for BWCAW visitors who hope to assure themselves of permits for specific entry points on specific dates.
boundary waters
Book Gathers Boundary Waters Writing
A new book — The Firegrate Review: A Canoe Country Chapbook — published by the wilderness advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, gathers the BWCA experiences of 19 writers in a collection of stories, essays, and poems.
Petition Filed Over Taconite Plant Emissions
Five environmental advocacy groups including the Voyageurs National Park Association and the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness have filed a petition with the federal Environmental Protection Agency objecting to an air pollution permit granted to the United Taconite processing plant in Forbes, Minnesota.
Ruling Against Sierra Club Upheld
A ruling by a lower court dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club against the Forest Service over the Superior National Forest management plan has been upheld.
Group Finds Mine Pollution near BWCAW
The advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness claims that sulfide mine pollution is occurring at a 36-year-old mine site off of Spruce Road near the South Kawishiwi River just miles from the limits of the BWCAW.
Presentation to Discuss BWCAW Archaeology
A presentation sponsored by the advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness will discuss the discovery of several siltstone quarries on the BWCAW’s Knife Lake which are believed to date to paleolithic times. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 19 in St. Paul.
The Changing Forest of the Quetico-Superior Region
Last year we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Quetico Park and Superior National Forest. In reality, this anniversary commemorated the 100-year fight to protect this patch of earth. Throughout the twentieth …
Small Fire Burning in BWCAW
A small forest fire is burning south of the Gunflint Trail in a remote section of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the general vicinity of Long Island Lake.
AT&T Suspends Tower Construction Until Trial
In an agreement hammered out in a Minneapolis courtroom, AT&T has agreed to suspend construction of a controversial cell phone tower at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness until a trial determines its ultimate fate.
Lake County Responds in Cell Tower Dispute
Lake County filed a “friend of the court” brief in Hennepin County District Court this week siding with AT&T Mobility in the cell tower suit brought against the company by Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. The advocacy organization objects to the 450-foot tower due to its impact on scenic beauty in the Boundary Waters.
Cell Tower Suit Spurs Discussion
The lawsuit by the advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness to halt construction of a 450-foot=high cellular communications tower near Ely has recently prompted commentary from those who hail and oppose the effort.
AT&T Temporarily Halts Tower Construction
The communications company AT&T Mobility has agreed to temporarily halt construction of a 450-foot-high cellular communications tower near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness until a court hearing in early August.
$1 Trillion in Metals Buried Near BWCAW
With an estimated $1 trillion worth of copper and other precious metals buried beneath the surface along the South Kawishiwi River near the southern border of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the tangle over mineral development and natural resource protection appears likely to continue well beyond those surrounding the PolyMet copper-nickel mine in nearby Babbitt.
BWCAW Reservations Down in 2010
Reservations for overnight stays in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness this summer were down as of late-May, adding more credence to concerns about a fall-off in visitation to the nation’s most-visited wilderness area.
Friends of the BWCAW Sues Over Cell Tower
The wilderness advocacy group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness filed suit on Tuesday to halt construction of a 45-story cell-phone tower on a ridge close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely. The group says the AT&T tower, which will be lighted, will be visible from within the BWCA.
Campfire Restrictions Relaxed
While continuing to deem the fire danger in northeastern Minnesota “high,” the U.S. Forest Service has relaxed some of the restrictions put in place earlier to reduce the likelihood of wildfire starting Superior National Forest.
Bracing for an Historic Fire Year
Although weekend rains may have lessened the immediate fire danger in the Quetico-Superior region, wildland fire experts say this year could shape up to be one of the worst fire years in a generation.
A Deal for State Lands in the BWCAW?
Might a deal between the State of Minnesota and the federal government be in the making to transfer State-owned land within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the feds?
BWCAW Lottery Registration Open
Registration for the lottery drawing for permits to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is underway until January 15, officials at the Superior National Forest have announced. The drawing opens registration for the 2010 BWCA season.
Ely Mayor Charged with BWCA Violations
Ely Mayor Roger Skraba has been charged with three counts of federal wilderness violations in the BWCA. He is accused of entering the wilderness area without a permit, possessing a motor vehicle within the wilderness, and removing property.