Three campsites in Voyageurs National Park that were off-limits due to bald eagles nesting in close proximity have been re-opened, the Park announced recently.
The Sexton Island campsite on Namakan Lake, the Skipper Rock Island campsite on Rainy Lake, and the Sand Bay South houseboat sites are now open to visitor use. Voyageurs National Park has a total of 239 campsites spread across the 218,000 acre park.
The closures were necessitated by the park’s obligation to follow the conservation management actions of the federal Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Management Act. Each year since 1992, the park has temporarily closed to visitor use the land and water areas around active bald eagle nests during their critical nesting periods.
Voyageurs National Park biologists found 34 occupied bald eagle nests within the park boundary this breeding season. Adults were observed incubating at 33 nests compared to 38 in 2009, 29 in 2008, 30 in 2006, 26 in 2004, and 2005, and 20 pairs in 1999.
Active incubation occurred at 13 park nests on Kabetogama, 11 on Namakan, 2 on Sandpoint, 1 on Crane and 6 on Rainy Lakes. Twenty six young fledged from 20 park nests. Four young fledged from the three nesting areas temporarily closed in May.
Read Voyageurs full media release on the re-openings HERE.