From the National Park Service, 11/7/11:

Have you always wanted to make your own snowshoes or perhaps finish a pair you have started?  Here is your chance. Join Laurentian Environmental Center’s Senior Naturalist Jim DeVries as he guides you through a full day of instruction on how to lace snowshoes on Saturday, February 4, 2011 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Pre-registration and a fee are required. Fees range from $110.00 to $140.00 depending on the type of snowshoe. Participants need to bring a sack lunch. The deadline to reserve a seat is Saturday, January 7, 2011. Call (218) 286-5258 for more information.

This class is recommended for ages 13 and up.

For detailed information about the park go to www.nps.gov/voya. Plan your visit today!

Photo by the Laurentian Environmental Learning Center.

The International Community Congress is the 2010 centerpiece of the Sustainable Gateway Communities Initiative, the Heart of the Continent Partnership’s long-term strategy for promoting efforts that help build healthy communities and sustainable public lands. The Heart of the Continent Partnership is a Canadian/American coalition of land managers and local stakeholders working together on cross-border projects that promote the economic, cultural and natural health of the lakes, forests and communities on the Ontario/Minnesota border. The partnership is seeking to develop a common identity and sense of belonging to the larger cross-border area. Voyageurs National Park Association is a member organization and fiscal agent of the Heart of the Continent Partnership. VNPA and Voyageurs National Park are two of the many groups participating in this event.

Those looking to participate in the International Community Congress should contact the planning team co-leads, Lisa Radosevich-Craig (lisa@heartofthecontinent.org) or Paul Danicic (paul@heartofthecontinent.org), and fill out an application on the ICC’s webpage. Each community team will consist of roughly 5-8 people, and applications must be sent by the April 29th deadline.

Click here for the application/website

Join Voyageurs National Park Association for a social gathering and discussion of Voyageurs National Park experiences and news. Hear from Steve Windels, PhD, about his extensive knowledge of the Lake Sturgeon in the Namakan River, and how the Association is working to protect this important habitat.

Click here to download the PDF invitation.

Voyageurs National Park Association Annual Members & Friends Event
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Humphrey School of Public Affairs – Room 180
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455
(MAP)

Suggested donation: $10

Learn more about Voyageurs National Park Association at www.voyageurs.org.

Located in Minneapolis, Midwest Mountaineering hosts more than 70 outdoor adventure exhibitors and 100 presentations. Plan your adventures to new places, discover the latest outdoor equipment, and learn new skills. Everything at Midwest Mountaineering will be on sale. Voyageurs National Park Association will have a booth all weekend, and give two presentations on visiting Voyageurs. Plan your summer vacation! Stop by to chat and pick up the 2011 edition of the Park’s visitor resource guide. New campsites, visitor destinations, and updated listings of nearby resorts and outfitters are featured. We hope to see you there! Visit www.outdooradventureexpo.com for more information.

Below is additional information on the VNPA presentations at the Expo.

Finding the Way To and For Ontario’s Namakan River

Friday, April 15th, 6:00 pm

University of Minnesota – Hanson Hall, Room 104

Presenter: Stephen Challis, President of the Rainy Lake Conservancy.

The Namakan River lies in Ontario at the heart of the borderland’s parks region between Quetico Provincial Park, Voyageurs National Park, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  It is the largest free-flowing river of its type left in central North America.  Since the announcement in November 2005 that a set of major hydro-electric developments have been proposed along this pristine river, Stephen Challis and other conservationists have closely followed the regulatory and science processes for these proposals.  Challis has also researched the Namakan’s long history of travel and use.  His presentation will broadly cover these points, and will touch on some of the logistics for travel to and on this historic fur-trader’s canoe route.

Exploring Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Sunday, April 17th, 3:30 pm

University of Minnesota – Hanson Hall, Room 102

Presenter: Kari Volkmann-Carlsen, Advancement Director at Voyageurs National Park Association.

Get an expert’s orientation of Minnesota’s best-kept secret: Voyageurs National Park.  Located roughly 5 hours north of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Voyageurs National Park encompasses 218,000 acres near the Minnesota-Ontario border.  Discover the Park’s remarkable wild nature, rich cultural history, and its abundant recreational opportunities … boating, kayaking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and fishing, just to name a few.  Make your trip to Voyageurs an unforgettable adventure.

In early March, Voyageurs National Park Association’s Executive Director Cory MacNulty and Board Vice-Chair Ann Ladd traveled to Washington for the 2nd Annual Voyageurs National Park Day at the Capitol.

The Association was joined by community officials from St. Louis County, Koochiching County, the City of International Falls, and Destination Voyageurs National Park. Each organization had important items on the agenda mutually supported by the group as a whole.

One of the opportunities high on the partners’ priority list was emphasizing the importance of Voyageurs National Park to the quality of life and economy of the Park’s neighboring communities.

Those economic benefits are clear when considering that the Park stimulates, through tourism and employment, an estimated $11 million in spending annually and 200 jobs. Superintendent Michael Ward said of Voyageurs National Park, “In these small communities, the Park serves as one of the primary employers and the reason for which most private businesses exist [in the smaller gateway communities of Ash River, Kabetogama, Crane Lake, and Orr, and larger International Falls].”

“We were fortunate to meet personally with Congressman Cravaack for nearly three-quarters of an hour,” MacNulty explained. “Rep Cravaack is the new House representative for the district that serves Voyageurs National Park, and it was important for us to be able to introduce him to our work at the Association, as well as the economic benefits that the Park provides for its communities and the state of Minnesota.”

Another of VNPA’s top priorities was to advocate for full support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). VNPA’s Land Preservation Initiative seeks to help Voyageurs National Park acquire the more than 50 private properties within Park boundaries from willing sellers.  LWCF is essential to including these properties in the Park’s public lands to increase visitor access to the Park’s lakeshores, preserve critical wildlife habitat and prevent new development inside the Park. The LWCF is funded by a percentage of revenues from offshore oil and gas development, and is the source from which National Parks receive funding for land acquisition. Historically, money has been diverted from LWCF, but the President’s 2012 Budget request restores full funding for LWCF.

Currently, the President’s 2011 and 2012 Budget requests include funding for land acquisition inside Voyageurs National Park.  While Voyageurs is high on the National Park Service land acquisition list for both years, whether or not LWCF money is available for these acquisitions will be determined in Congressional federal budget discussions in the coming months.  Senator Klobuchar, Senator Franken, and Congresswoman McCollum have all supported full funding for the LWCF and acquisition of the Park’s top priority land acquisitions.

While the LWCF funding remains uncertain, MacNulty was happy with the event, saying, “This year was even better than last. So many members of Minnesota’s delegation and their staff showed up to learn about Voyageurs National Park and the important role it plays within its gateway communities.”

Among those elected officials present at the Capitol Hill reception were Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Congressman John Kline (R-MN02), Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN03), Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN04), and Congressman Chip Cravaack (R-MN08). Representatives from the offices of Senator Al Franken (D-MN), Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN01), Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN05), Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN06), and Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN07) also attended. In addition, Mr. Will Shafroth, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks joined in at the reception.

Voyageurs National Park Association thanks all of the elected officials, staff members, and agency officials who joined the discussion about Voyageurs National Park. We also want to thank our partners—the City of International Falls, St. Louis and Koochiching Counties, Destination Voyageurs National Park, and representatives from  Lockridge Grindal Nauen Federal Relations Group—who helped plan this event and shared in our success.

Additional coverage on this event
“Trip to Washington viewed as fruitful,” Laurel Beager, International Falls Journal.
“Officials Call Voyageurs Day a Success,” Wilderness News Online.

Features:

• Annual Members and Friends Event: April 19th, 5-7 pm at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Minneapolis. Hear from Voyageurs’ Terrestrial Ecologist, Steve Windels, PhD: “Ancient Freshwater Giants: Lake Sturgeon in the Namakan“
• VNPA selected as 1 of 3 local nonprofits to participate in Patagonia of St. Paul’s VOICE Your Choice campaign: Going on now from March 10-31. Cast your vote in store to help us win a grant up to $2,500!
• Outdoor Adventure Expo at Midwest Mountaineering, Minneapolis: Join VNPA April 15-17 at the expo for special presentations and more than 70 exhibitors—plan your summer adventures.

Do you want to join our email newsletter list? Click HERE.

Alien species, also called exotic, non-native, or invasive species, are living things not found naturally in Voyageurs National Park. Become a CSI agent and assist ranger naturalist Lisa Maass in solving the case of alien invaders in Voyageurs National Park. As a detective, you will discover what alien invaders look like, where they live and the “crimes” they have committed. Find out how you can prevent future alien invasions!

Meet at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on Sunday, March 20, 2011. The program runs from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is recommended for ages 10 and up.

This program is sponsored by Voyageurs National Park Association. No fee or registration is required to attend.

Visitors are encouraged to come early to browse through the museum, check out the winter displays in the interactive area, and go snowshoeing or skiing.

Image: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Spiny water flea is an invasive species currently found in some lakes of Voyageurs National Park.

Meet at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center on Sunday, February 27, 2011. The program runs from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is recommended for ages 7 and up.

This program is sponsored by Voyageurs National Park Association. No fee or registration is required to attend.

Visitors are encouraged to come early to browse through the museum, check out the winter displays in the interactive area, and go snowshoeing or skiing.

Voyageurs National Park is proud to announce the 8th Annual Kids Art Contest in honor of National Park Week.  Children from pre -school through sixth grade are invited to enter the contest by creating a new painting or drawing that illustrates the theme: The Park After Dark.

First, second, and third place prizes will be awarded in four age groups based on creativity, skill, and theme.  The age groups are pre-school – kindergarten, first – second grade, third – fourth grade, and fifth – sixth grade.

For all age groups, artwork should be no smaller than 8 x 10 inches and no larger than 18 x 24 inches. Please write the child’s name, grade, school, teacher, and family contact information on the back of each entry.

All art entries will be on display at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center.  The park will host an awards ceremony from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center to celebrate National Park Week (April 17 – 23).  Fun nighttime activities for the whole family are planned around the awards ceremony.  Artwork may be picked up after the awards ceremony at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center.

Prizes for the art contest are sponsored by Voyageurs National Park Association. 

To enter the contest, drop off artwork at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center between 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, or mail entries to:

Kids Art Contest
Voyageurs National Park
3131 Highway 53
International Falls, MN 56649

The deadline to enter the contest is Friday, March 25, 2011.

National Park Week is proclaimed each year by the President of the United States to recognize and celebrate our national parks.  America’s National Park System contains living examples of some of the best things our nation has to offer—magnificent natural landscapes and places that reflect our heritage.

HEART OF THE CONTINENT PARTNERSHIP MEETING
Connecting Communities and Public Lands: New Ideas, New Tools, New Insights

February 24-25, 2011 – Eveleth, Minnesota

The Heart of the Continent Partnership’s February 2011 meeting will provide local community leaders and public land managers with the opportunity to discuss ‘what more can we do as public lands & communities working together?’

Thursday Evening Session: Sharing ideas and tools for helping communities & public lands connect. Feb 24, 2011, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Iron Range Resources Conference Room; 4261 Hwy 53 S Eveleth, MN 55734

Friday Session: Discovering usable, big picture insights to more effectively address local issues of communities and public lands connecting in ways that benefit the economics and social needs of local communities. Feb 25, 2011, 8:30 am -3:00 pm. Iron Range Resources Conference Room; 4261 Hwy 53 S Eveleth, MN 55734

As always, the personal and working connections we make with new and old colleagues from around the region continues to be an important and lasting benefit of our Heart of the Continent meetings. We look forward to a good turnout, and seeing you there.

1. Detailed Agenda

Thursday, February 24, 2011
Presentation and discussion: Sharing ideas and tools for connecting communities and public lands. 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm;   Location: Iron Range Resources Conference Room

Panel presentations followed by dialogue addressing the questions: How do the local community economies and public lands connect? What are the possibilities and efforts you’re involved with –or would like to see– that connect gateway community economies to public lands in a win/win situation?

Presenters
1. What exists currently: Jim Sanders of the Superior National Forest
2. Resources available for communities: Mary Somnis, Iron Range Resources; Holly Larson, Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service; and Andy Hubley, Arrowhead Regional Development Council.
3. Ideas for future projects and new, collaborative efforts that might be ripe for development: Robin Reilly of Quetico Provincial Park.

Discussion
Sharing ideas in both small and large groups on, “How can communities & public lands take that next step – working together to benefit the economies and social needs of the communities while using neighboring public lands in a sustainable fashion?”

This evening will provide the chance to gain insight to your neighbouring public lands and address your local issues in new ways—and work with new partners to do so. The panel and resulting discussion is also designed to help community leaders begin to consider developing a team and participating in the International Community Congress (Oct 24-27, 2011 in Grand Portage and Thunder Bay). The discussion will also spark ideas for projects that teams can develop at the Community Congress–specifically, projects that will connect local communities and public lands.
—————-
Friday, February 25th, 2011
General Meeting: Uncovering usable, big picture insights to more effectively address local issues. 8:30 am -3:00 pm. Location: Iron Range Resources Conference Room

8:30 – 9:00 Welcome and Updates
We’ll share the latest details on HOCP’s International Community Congress, set for October 24-27, 2011. We’ll also bring new information and support materials on how to form a community team from your area to attend the Congress.

9:00 am – 3:00 pm Guided Workshop
The bulk of the Friday general meeting will include small and large group work, in a workshop guided by the Boreal Forest & Community Resilience Project Team from the University of Minnesota. The primary goal of the workshop is to explore key issues in our local communities and landscapes (primarily public lands), making some connections between social issues, economies and the environment. Reflecting on these “maps,” we discuss how to focus efforts to benefit our communities moving forward.

Noon – 1:00 pm Lunch on site ($15 per person, collected on-site, see registration)

2. Logistics

Meeting Room: both Thursday and Friday
Iron Range Resources: Iron Range Resources Conference Room; 4261 Hwy 53 S Eveleth, MN 55734

On Feb 24 or 25, feel free to contact Iron Range Resources 218-735-3000 for any last minute questions on finding the venue.

Overnight: Participants are expected to find their own lodging and breakfast.
Some nearby towns with hotels include Eveleth, Virginia, Aurora or Hoyt Lakes.  Please secure your lodging soon, as there is a hockey tournament at the same time. 

Friday Lunch: Box lunches, catered into meeting. $15.00 per person. If you can, please RSVP on reservation form to help us order the right amount.

Costs: there is no charge to attend any of the sessions. Donations to support the work of  HOCP are gratefully accepted. Thanks.

____________________________________

Voyageurs National Park Association is a member organization and fiscal agent of the Heart of the Continent Partnership.