June 20th, 2008 | by Arthur | published in Environment, Wildlife
If you’ve been out in the Northwoods this year you may have noticed it’s a little easier to catch a glimpse of black bears (hopefully not while the’yre eating your food). While they aren’t as thick as mosquitos, the black bear population is at an all-time high. A study done by Timothy Van Deelen, a […]
June 18th, 2008 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Environment, North Shore, Voyageurs, Wildlife
Recent heavy rains have caused flooded basements and washed out roadways, making things rather difficult (if not disastrous) for human-types in far Northern Minnesota. So, how are the wood-folk handling the high waters?
This article details which fish and wildlife species are struggling, and which may serve to actually benefit from the changes. Most of those […]
June 6th, 2008 | by Andy | published in Bushcraft, Environment, Outdoor Living, Survival Skills
I just listened to an interview with Norm Kidder, VP of a non-profit that teaches primitive technologies (as in stone tools, adzes, bows and arrows. etc). He discusses why primitive tool-making still has a place in our modern world. The highlight, though, comes when he points out the problem with the ‘leave no trace’ ethic.
The […]
May 1st, 2008 | by Andy | published in Environment, Gear, Kayaking
Necky has begun to produce several lengths of their ‘08 Manitou kayaks, using 100% post-industrial plastic. Better still, according to their site, these materials have stronger properties than their standard Manitou models. Awesome!
I also like that 1% of their gross sales are donated to the Waterkeeper Alliance, a non-profit that works to preserve our […]
April 21st, 2008 | by Andy | published in Environment, Resources
I recently got a taste of Canada’s beautiful wilderness, from the presentations at the Far North Symposium. I’ve never been in those parts, so I found it incredibly inspiring. One of the presenters in particular urged us all to visit these vast waterways and woods soon. His reasoning: Many of the rivers had radically been […]
April 4th, 2008 | by Andy | published in Art, Environment
I’ve seen this kind of work cropping up a bit lately on the Innertubes, and I want to see lots more! Using clods of transplanted moss and a handful of household tools, artists like Edina Tokodi, Helen Nodding and Jesse Graves use public spaces as canvases for their art. Using organic materials (Graves’ preferred medium […]
March 27th, 2008 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Environment, North Shore
When I recently learned of the Department of Agriculture’s plan to treat 85,000 acres along the North Shore this year to fight gypsy moth infestation, I had two questions.
The first was, “Whoa, just how big an area is that?” It certainly sounded alarming. I really wanted to see a visual; some way to better understand […]
March 17th, 2008 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Environment, Hiking, Resources
It’s the perfect getaway plan: Simultaneously a way to give back to the BWCAW, and a valid excuse to squeeze in one more trip up north this summer. The American Hiking Society has posted their 2008 Volunteer Vacations schedule. Join a small crew to help maintain trails for about a week in August, paddling and […]
March 14th, 2008 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Environment
Well, not quite. But I’d choose this over High School Musical any day: An original drama portraying events leading to the passage of the BWCAW Act, was a noted entry at a History Day competition held at UMD last weekend. “An Environmental Conflict: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Compromise.” was produced and performed by […]
February 29th, 2008 | by Andy | published in Environment, Wildlife
As today’s Duluth Tribune reports, Minnesota is among several states under consideration for more designated critical habitat lands for the Canada lynx. How much more? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is wanting as many as 8,266 square miles. This, up from 317, as proposed in 2006.
Furthermore, these areas would cover much of the […]
February 27th, 2008 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Environment
When’s the last time you got to plant 150 red and white pines along the Gunflint Trail, to enjoy them decades later with your great-grandchildren? That’s right, you never have, but you’ll get that chance on May 2-4. From the organizers of the Gunflint GreenUp:
The residents, resort owners and outfitters realize that while we are […]
February 27th, 2008 | by Andy | published in Art, BWCAW, Environment, North Shore, Quetico, Wildlife
A collaboration between artists, scientists and educators, “Paradise Lost: Climate Change in the North Woods” does more than spread awareness about climate change. On exhibit through April 11 at the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, it’s inspiring as much as it is, sobering. And in a more digestible format than Al […]
February 24th, 2008 | by Andy | published in Environment, Wildlife
The Star Tribune covers a renewed effort this year to determine why the state’s moose are dying off at an alarming rate. Parasites? Global warming? So far, there are no clear culprits nor pat answers. I’ve read about these concerns before, but the numbers in this article are rather disconcerting.
February 23rd, 2008 | by Andy | published in Canoeing, Environment
In a move that’s sure to win points with everyone from Greenpeace to the Vatican (I’m pretty sure that’s an historical precedent), a UK man is giving up carbon emissions for Lent. Among other eco-friendly changes of routine, he’ll endeavor to canoe whenever he might normally use his car. You can follow this pilgrim’s progress […]
February 22nd, 2008 | by Andy | published in Art, Environment, Wildlife
In her series, Domesticated, photographer Amy Stein creates commentaries on the tensions between mankind and wildlife, who increasingly share the same spaces. So why the “pseudo-wildlife’ label? Stein uses borrowed taxidermy as the subjects of her shots.
Within these scenes I explore our paradoxical relationship with the “wild” and how our conflicting impulses continue to evolve […]