U of M Experts Predict “Savannification” of Northern Minnesota Forest
University of Minnesota forestry experts recently published findings predicting the transformation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to Oak Savanna.
boundary waters
Groups Request More Action to Reduce Haze in National Park and Wilderness Areas
Last week several environmental groups asked federal agencies and the state of Minnesota to take a more active role in preventing air pollution that contributes to haze over Voyageurs and Isle Royale National Parks and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Quetico Visitor Numbers Down Again
Despite 100th anniversary activities, the number of people visiting Quetico Provincial Park is down some 10% this year. It’s the second straight year that Quetico visitor numbers have declined.
Forest Service Taking Comments on South Fowl Trail
The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the development of a new snowmobile trail from McFarland Lake to South Fowl Lake in far northeastern Minnesota. The new trail was necessitated by the closure of the Tilbury Trail which crossed land included in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Minnesota’s Regional Haze Plan Open to Public Comment
A regional haze plan developed by the Minnesota Pollution Control agency seeks to address visibility impairment and haze in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park. The plan is open for public comment until September 3.
Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters Reviewed
Betty vos Hemstad’s new book “Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters: Hking Through the Seasons” is more than just a lovely coffee table book, according to one reviewer who found the book to be “an invaluable resource.”
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Last spring, the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness welcomed new director Paul Danicic. Paul recently shared his thoughts on the state of the wilderness and the Friends’ role in protecting it with Wilderness News contributor Alissa Johnson. Originally published in part in the Summer 2009 issue of Wilderness News, read the full interview here.
Dorothy Molter Museum Remodeled
Ely’s Dorothy Molter Museum got a $16,000 facelift recently, thanks to an $8000 grant from Minnesota Iron Range Resources, the and matching private donations. The museum that recognizes the last person to live in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area now has a remodeled interpretive center.
Paddle the Heart Reaches Crane Lake
The first Canoe the Heart trail reports are in! View photos and learn more about this expedition across the heart of the continent.
Remembering the Blowdown of 1999
Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the famed Boundary Waters Blowdown. On July 4, 1999 a huge storm packing 90-mile-per-hour winds ripped through the BWCA, uprooting trees, blocking portages, and stranding campers. In all 370,000 acres in the BWCA were affected by the storm.
Mineral Search Reaches BWCAW Border
Exploration for copper and nickel resources in Northeastern Minnesota has reached the borders of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of the Superior National Forest. While prospectors hope to find useful and valuable minerals, environmental advocates worry about impacts on the wilderness.
New Book Spotlights BWCA Wildflowers
Betty Vos Hemstad’s new book spotlights Boundary Waters area wildflowers in a new way. “Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters: Hiking Through the Seasons” depicts northern Minnesota’s wildflowers in various stages of development — from bud, to flower, to seed.
Sentence Upheld in BWCA Incident
A three-year prison sentence for Boundary Waters terrorizer Jay Andrew Olson was upheld by the Minnesota Court of Appeals this week. Olson was one of six men convicted of participating in a drunken shooting spree that frightened campers on Basswood Lake in the BWCA in August of 2007.
The State of the Wilderness 30 Years After the BWCAW Act of 1978
On the thirtieth anniversary of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act of 1978, Wilderness News set out to assess the current state of the wilderness and its management. We uncovered a transformation in the challenges facing the region. Where issues like motor use once topped management concerns, they are giving way to increasingly complex challenges that defy man-made boundaries and may have significant implications for how we think about — and manage — the Boundary Waters.
The 100th Anniversary of the Quetico Superior Region
2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the initial formation of what would become Quetico Provincial Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. What started as a long and jagged process of preservation and restoration resulted in a huge, roadless and protected forest being celebrated today.
ATVs: Revving Up for More Controversy
Management of All-Terrain Vehicle riding in Minnesota, especially in the north, continues to rev as an environmental and recreational issue. Despite a compromise law initiated by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2003, …