Collection
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: A Chronology
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) is a 1,090,000-acre (4,400 km2) wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in a northeastern part of Minnesota. A mixture of forests, glacial lakes, and streams, the BWCAW's preservation as a primitive wilderness began in the 1900s and culminated in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act of 1978. While a destination for canoeing, hiking, and fishing, it has also been a focus and debate for its resources in both the forest and mining industries.
Notable Minnesota figures tied to the BWCAW area include conservationist Sigurd Olson, resident Dorothy Molter ("Rootbeer Lady"), and outdoorswoman Justine Kerfoot.
112 Collection Items
- U.S. House passes bill to swap land inside BWCA
MPR’s Brett Neely reports on U.S. House passage of bill to swap land inside BWCA. The bill allows Minnesota to give 86,000 acres of school trust lands inside the Boundary Waters Wilderness to the federal government. In exchange, the federal government would give Minnesota lands currently controlled by the Forest Service in the surrounding Superior National Forest.
- Firefighters recount harrowing day during Pagami Creek fire
Superior National Forest officials have detailed the harrowing story of six wilderness rangers who were nearly burned to death in the Boundary Waters during the battle to contain the Pagami Creek fire last year. The rangers all survived uninjured, but the incident has forced the Forest Service to change its approach to wildfires.
- Elite fire crews learn to paddle canoes to work in BWCAW
MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on elite fire crews from southwestern U.S. needing a crash course in use of paddle canoes in order to fight Pagami Creek Fire in BWCAW. Segment includes interviews on the different strategy of fighting fires in designated wilderness areas.
- Fire in BWCA actually good for ecology
The Pagami Creek fire is the biggest fire the Boundary Waters have seen in more than a century...but historically, big forest fires used to be commonplace in that area. MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Lee Frelich, forest ecologist at the University of Minnesota, about the positive nature fire can offer, and the impact of climate change in the increase of fires.
- Pagami Creek Fire hits BWCA and Superior National Forest
MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on the Pagami Creek Fire in the BWCA and National Superior Forest. Segment includes comments from forestry official and local residents impacted by the the fire.
- The Magic of Portage - Greg Breining and Layne Kennedy discuss "Paddle North"
MPR’s Kate Smith interviews author Greg Breining and photographer Layne Kennedy about their book “Paddle North,” which explores the Quetico-Boundary Waters. The two discusse the method, madness and philosophy of paddling Minnesota's big lakes and small streams.
- Betsy Daub comments on rice rule
Betsy Daub, from environmental group Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, criticizes lawsuit filed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce against the Pollution Control Agency. Daub says it's an attempt to weaken environmental protections. The Chamber says a state rule governing sulfate pollution in wild rice waters is out of date and is not based on good science.
- Peter Smith wishes he'd saved an old robin he'd found in BWCA
Essayist Peter Smith reflects on a BWCA memory along the shore of Lake Agnes, and of an old robin he wish he had saved.
- Boundary Waters cell phone tower dispute
MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill reports on Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness suing to stop construction of a cell phone tower near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
- Companies exploring for minerals near BWCA and that's got people worried
There are six mining companies doing exploration work that could lead to mines near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness…and that's got a lot of people concerned. The companies are drilling deep holes, probing huge deposits of valuable copper, nickel, gold, platinum, and palladium. MPR’s Stephanie Hemphill visits the operation and has this report.