Army Corps of Engineers Funding Moves Voyageurs Sewer Project Forward

Great news for the communities and waters of Voyageurs National Park! The final piece of funding for the Island View Sanitary Sewer Extension Project fell into place on Wednesday when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers committed $4.5 million to complete the project that will prevent untreated wastewater from seeping into Rainy Lake.The Island View effort is estimated at $17 million in total. The project is part of the larger Voyageurs National Park Clean Water Project that additionally includes separate sewage systems on Lake Kabetogama, Ash River and Crane Lake.

The interconnected waterways of Voyageurs National Park provide an unparalleled opportunity to explore the north woods lake country. Unfortunately, those waters are being negatively affected by human impact such as wastewater from existing developments throughout the region. Currently it is estimated that somewhere between 41% and 84% of existing septic systems neighboring Voyageurs are unreliable due in large part to the area's rocky shorelines that prohibit traditional systems from properly filtering wastewater.

The new system will pipe wastewater directly from homes, cabins and resorts into a central treatment plant, much like urban treatment facilities.

A letter co-signed by U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Al Franken, and U.S. Reps. Rick Nolan, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Collin Peterson and Tim Walz sent a letter to the corps urging it to support the effort. This federal funding provides the final piece of the puzzle; combined with state and local funds, it will allow construction on the Rainy Lake portion of the Voyageurs National Park Clean Water Project to begin as early as this summer. Work has moved ahead on Crane Lake and is about to begin on Kabetogama.

Acting Superintendent Bill Carlson commented, "The park very much appreciates the great amount of time and effort that the Voyageurs National Park Clean Waters Joint Powers Board has put into this project. It will not only be a benefit to the gateway communities from an economic standpoint, the project will also enhance visitor enjoyment through improved water quality within the park. This has been a rather unique collaboration involving several public and private entities to bring this important project to fruition."

Bemidji Pioneer: "Voyageurs sewage project gets Corps cash: Final $4.5 million will help build Rainy Lake project east of I-Falls"

International Falls Journal: "Federal money moves IV sewer forward"

"National Parks Adventure" IMAX film comes to St. Paul

"National Parks Adventure" opens March 4 at the Science Museum of Minnesota Omnitheater. Get tickets here.

Narrated by Academy Award® winner Robert Redford, “National Parks Adventure” takes audiences on the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation's awe-inspiring great outdoors and untamed wilderness. Immersive IMAX® 3D cinematography takes viewers soaring over red rock canyons, up craggy mountain peaks and into other-worldly realms found within America’s most legendary outdoor playgrounds. Join world-class mountaineer Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they hike, climb and explore their way across America’s majestic parks – including Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, and Arches – in an action-packed celebration that will inspire the adventurer in us all, and highlight how important it is that we protect these treasured landscapes.

Winter in Full Swing at Voyageurs National Park

February 12, 2016 Winter is in full swing at Voyageurs. Get outside and explore your park with a range of winter activities.

Always check the park's website for the most up-to-date winter ice and trail conditions.

Every Saturday February 13 through March 19, park rangers will lead guided snowshoe hikes from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. These 2-hour hikes will begin at 1:00 p.m. Saturdays through March 19th and are a perfect way to explore the park with family and friends! Afterwards, you can warm up with complimentary cocoa and explore the visitor center. Bring your own snowshoes or borrow a pair. No reservations or fees required.

All of the park’s snowmobile trails are open and staked as recent weather conditions have laid down enough snow and ice for riders to explore. Now is the perfect time to come and ride some of the most iconic snowmobile trails in the United States.

It's the season of the ice highways at Voyageurs National Park. The ice roads on both Rainy and Kabetogama are open. Recently, the Park Service added a new loop to the Kabetogama Ice Road around Sphunge Island to provide access to the Sphunge Island Sledding Hill.

Did you know Voyageurs National Park has an official sledding hill? The Sphunge Island Sledding Hill is open and accessible from the Kabetogama Lake Ice Road complete with picnic tables and a fire ring. The sledding hill consists of a small hill for younger children and a larger hill for older children and adults. This is the perfect place to spend a sunny winter afternoon with the kids.

The Tilson, Echo and Black Bay Ski Trails are open, packed and tracked and the Kab Ash Trail is open as well!  Trails in Voyageurs and the surrounding area offer cross-country skiers marvelous scenery and solitude. Skis can be borrowed free of charge from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center.

Inaugural Heart of the Continent Science Symposium Will Share Canoe Country Research

A cross-border scientific conference will debut in March in International Falls, Minnesota. The meeting will offer an opportunity for researchers from throughout northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario and from several fields to share their findings with colleagues and the public. The symposium, organized by the Heart of the Continent Partnership, seeks to improve understanding of natural and cultural resources; raise awareness of threats and management challenges; and promote collaboration among scientists, managers, and other stakeholders.

The event will take place over two days after the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum. The evening of Thursday, March 10, there will be a social gathering and poster session. The next day will feature plenary speaker Dr. Erik Beever and several short presentations, about 8-10 minutes each, with time for questions and answers.

Dr. Beever is a research ecologist for the U.S. Geological Society’s Rocky Mountain Research Station in Bozeman, Montana. He will present “Understanding How Ecological Disturbance Influences Biological Diversity in Protected Areas: The Rules Aren’t What They Used to Be!” Beever has worked throughout the western United States investigating how humans and land interact.

People interested in presenting or including a poster should send their contact info, title, 250-word abstract, oral or poster to: HOCPScienceSymposium@gmail.com. The submission deadline is January 18, 2016. For more information, visit the symposium website or Contact Steve Windels (steve_windels@nps.gov; 218-283-6692), Pooja Kanwar (poojaskanwar@fs.fed.us; 218-626-4354), or Chris Stromberg (hocp@heartofthecontinent.org) for more information.

Click here to learn more http://www.heartofthecontinent.org/heart-of-the-continent-science-symposium/

Voyageurs National Park Winter Ice and Trail Conditions Report

Trail crews have been finding adequate ice to mark additional trails this week. The remainder of the green trail from Ash River to Crane, the blue trail on Sandpoint, and the purple trail from Rainy to Kettle are now open and staked. The yellow trail from Ash River to Kettle Falls will not be staked quiet yet due to a couple of beaver ponds that do not have sufficient ice. There is a barricade placed at Kettle for the yellow trail until we open that trail. Trail conditions along the lake surfaces are rough with little to no snow. Several pressure ridges have formed on Kabetogama Lake. These pressure ridges have been marked and are safe to cross at designated crossings along the trail system. There is also a 200-yard section of frozen, yet broken-up ice on the east end of Kabetogama Lake where caution signs have been placed.

Throughout the park, there is slush forming in the bays so please use caution.

This winter season, the most up-to-date information regarding Voyageurs’ ice and trail conditions will be posted each Wednesday to the park’s Facebook page (VoyageursNPS) and on the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/winter-ice-and-trail-conditions.htm.

Future winter ice and trail condition press releases will be issued only during major changes in trail conditions.

IRA Charitable Rollover is back – Permanently

Did you know you can donate to Voyageurs National Park Association through your IRA? IRA owners over 70 ½ again may make direct transfers from their IRAs to qualified charities including Voyageurs National Park Association. Congress and the President late last week enacted tax legislation making the IRA rollover permanent. IRA charitable rollovers – direct transfer of up to $100,000 per year - are tax-free and not included in adjusted gross income. An IRA rollover may fulfill part or all of your required minimum distribution (RMD). The rollover provision is retroactive for all of 2015; any direct transfers made during this year qualify. There is still time for a 2015 transfer – you need to act soon.

Thank you for your generous support!

Monarchs and Milkweed

By Justin Olson How far would you travel for your family? Every September, monarch butterflies begin their arduous journey from the North Woods of Canada and Voyageurs south to over-winter in Mexico. These tenacious insects with a wingspan of only 3 ½ to 4 inches will fly nearly 3000 miles. While the fall journey is undertaken by just a single generation of monarchs, the spring journey is much more involved. It will often take 3 to 5 generations of monarchs to reach the North Woods. Unfortunately, this difficult trip is becoming even more so, due to the loss of milkweed – their sole food source – along their migration corridor.

Mature butterflies will lay eggs in the spring on available milkweed plants, then over a period of 4-5 weeks, these eggs will hatch, caterpillars will grow significantly while eating milkweed, metamorphosis will occur, and the butterfly will continue north. Pesticides have taken a toll on milkweed growth throughout this corridor. This decline of milkweed is directly correlated to the decline of monarchs, nearly 90% over the last couple decades.

Many organizations, communities, and individuals have taken it upon themselves to help stop this decline, by planting milkweed in their own lands and gardens. At Voyageurs, we have seen a resurgence of milkweed in our own Ethno-botanical Garden. In 2013, this garden, dedicated to native plants, had a few milkweed plants successfully grow. This number increased in 2014, and significantly increased this year. And with this growth in milkweed, we have been excited to see an increase in monarch caterpillars and butterflies in our garden.

Sometimes in our travels, we can all use a little bit of help. With the continuing success of native plants in the Ethno-botanical Garden, Voyageurs is doing its best to help the monarch’s annual journey.

How Do Wolves and Beavers Interact in Boreal Ecosystems?

By Steve Windels, PhD, Voyageurs National Park Wildlife Biologist Voyageurs National Park is unique in that our park maintains a very high density of beavers in addition to white-tailed deer and moose that wolves like to prey upon.  Beavers are generally a ‘safer’ food source for wolves than deer or moose which can kick or gore an attacking wolf.

However, beavers have evolved behaviors to protect them from predation by wolves and other predators, such as constructing lodges with underwater entrances.  Given the importance of both wolves and beavers to Voyageurs National Park, how do these two species interact throughout the park and over the course of the year?  How do changes in the abundance of one species affect the other, and consequently affect other parts of the ecosystem like moose or beaver-created wetlands?

Voyageurs National Park staff in cooperation with Northern Michigan University (NMU) initiated a study in 2015 to answer some of these questions.  Tom Gable, a masters student at NMU working on the project, has been logging many hours this summer investigating wolf kill sites and collecting wolf scat as a means to understand wolf diet throughout the season.

Austin Homkes is a volunteer working closely with Tom.  Together they have collected more than 2000 wolf scats this summer - that is a lot of poop!  But the information they glean from these ‘scats’ and other information they get from kill sites will tell us a lot about how wolves hunt beavers, the role of wolves in regulating beaver populations, and the importance of beavers to wolf diet throughout the spring-summer-fall period when beavers are most vulnerable to wolves.  As part of Voyageurs National Park's wolf monitoring program, we plan to continue the work into the future to examine this fascinating and important dynamic.

Watch as a park researcher walks through a wolf-killed beaver site (only small traces of the beaver remain), discussing its significance. To date, 22 wolf-killed beaver sites have been located in the park area.

Land and Water Conservation Fund Revived - But Only for 3 Years

Critical funding for the conservation of public lands was restored recently when Congress reinstated the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) as part of the omnibus appropriations bill passed on December 16, 2015. This action will reinstate LWCF, a 50-year-old conservation funding mechanism for the next three years. While this extension is welcome progress and illustrates bi-partisan support in the House and Senate, it is by no means the long-term solution conservation groups were seeking nationwide - permanent reauthorization of LWCF with reliable full funding at $900 million a year. The LWCF is a vital funding source for the Land Preservation Initiative at Voyageurs National Park. Since its creation in 1965, the fund has allocated a small portion of the revenue generated from offshore oil and gas drilling leases to protect parks, wildlife refuges and recreation areas at the local, state, and federal level.

It is essential for Voyageurs and conservation efforts across the U.S. that we push for a permanent authorization of LWCF.  With your support, Voyageurs National Park Association will continue to be a voice for the park in these efforts.

About the Land and Water Conservation Fund

The Land and Water Conservation Fund is America’s most important conservation program, responsible for protecting parks, wildlife refuges and recreation areas at the federal, state and local level. For 50 years, it has provided critical funding for land and water conservation projects, recreational construction and activities and the continued historic preservation our nation’s iconic landmarks from coast-to-coast.

LWCF does not use any taxpayer dollars – it is funded using a small portion of revenues from offshore oil and gas royalty payments. Outdoor recreation, conservation and historic preservation activities contribute more than a trillion dollars annually to the U.S. economy, supporting 9.4 million jobs. LWCF benefits every state in the nation. Its many accomplishments include:

• Protecting more than 100 national battlefields in 42 states

• Supporting more than 40,000 parks and recreation projects in every state and nearly every county

• Protecting 2.2 million acres (1.7 million football fields) within our National Parks (including 65 acres at Voyageurs National Park)

Read the Land and Water Conservation Fund 50th Anniversary Report.

Voyageurs National Park Launches Special History Website to Share Park Stories

Voyageurs National Park recently launched a special history website that share stories, photographs, and maps of the region from the 1880s to 1927. The written content for the website was completed in 2014 through a contract between the National Park Service (NPS) and the Mundus Bishop Architectural Design Firm from Colorado.

Staff from Voyageurs National Park examined aerial photographs taken in May 1927 and recorded several hundred features within the park area. Mundus Bishop then highlighted 19 sites within the park using significant information existing from oral histories, maps, photographs, and more. Park Archeologist and Integrated Resource Technician, Andrew LaBounty, took Mundus Bishop’s information one step further by using Esri ArcGIS Online to produce the website.

Today, visitors can use the special history website, which focuses on eight related aspects of the park’s history to learn more about: the logging industry, tourism and recreation, historical Ojibwe people, commercial fishing, conservation, gold mining, homesteading, and prohibition.

To visit the website, visitors may go to: http://arcg.is/1NJyYnB or it is also available through: http://www.nps.gov/voya/. Complete citations and reference materials are also available online.

www.nps.gov

Voyageurs National Park Staff Member Recipient of the National Park Service’s Director’s Award

Dr. Steve Windels, Wildlife Biologist at Voyageurs National Park, is the recipient of the 2014 National Park Service’s Director’s Award for Natural Resource Research. The Director’s Natural Resource Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals in understanding, protecting, and managing park natural resources. Award winners were chosen from an elite pool of regional submissions for their remarkable achievements.

Dr. Windels has been at Voyageurs since 2003. The award is in recognition of the contributions he has made in managing a complex and comprehensive wildlife management and research program at Voyageurs that is recognized as one of the most dynamic, science-based programs in the Midwest Region. Winners were presented with a certificate and an original bronze bison sculpture at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 21.

www.nps.gov

Snap. Share. Win. Photo Contest Winners Announced

Thank you so much to all the photographers who submitted their photos and stories to our 2015 Snap. Share. Win. Photo Contest!  All were wonderful reminders of how amazing Voyageurs National Park is.

The final votes (likes on Facebook) have been tallied. Congratulations to Emily Gedde, Edith Jenkinson, Stacey Roy, and Diana Pierce for your winning photos! Your photos were ALL inspiring and a wonderful reminder of the beauty and value of Voyageurs National Park.

We also had a few honorable mentions to hand out including Scott Bemman, Dee Kuder, Todd Maddison, Barry Hoveland, Andrew Smith, Diane Michaud, Mike Thiele, Thomas Gable, and Chad Johnson.

Grand prize winners will receive gifts from one of our photo contest sponsors: Hard Water Sports, Patagonia St Paul, The North Face Minneapolis, and Joe's Sporting Goods. Thank you to our photo contest sponsors!

You can see all the photos at our Facebook page. Can't wait for next year's contest.

VNPA Supports Park Wildlife Research Position

By Joshua Smith

The wildlife research position funded through Voyageurs National Park Association allowed me to spend time in Voyageurs National Park and the surrounding area. Hiking and cross-country skiing around the park gave me a greater appreciation for the landscape and natural resources that VNPA has played a crucial role in preserving for future generations. I spent a weekend in October working with Dr. Steve Windels and others, checking beaver traps and scouting for active lodges, while observing for signs of wildlife including marten, wolf, and lynx. It was early October, so the leaves had just begun to change and presented a phenomenal backdrop as we journeyed around the lake. As part of our successful trip, we captured three beavers, saw mound and bank-type lodges, hiked around one of the islands, and experienced some of the logistical challenges associated with long-term research projects.

Prior to this position, my knowledge of beaver ecology was skewed by my perceived knowledge. Getting into the field provided clarity in context as I began working with several datasets associated with beaver population dynamics in the park. Through the project, we sought to address how changes in the 2000 rule curves for water level management regimes impact various aspects of beaver ecology. To date, we have found that water level is an important factor in lodge site selection at multiple spatial scales, and these effects are influenced by basins (e.g., Rainy versus Namakan Reservoirs) where flow regimes tend to differ. Next we intend to investigate similar effects on age- and sex-specific survival, productivity, and body condition.

We have also looked at the effects of equipping transmitters to beavers to study survival and movement patterns. Comparisons of survival, changes in body condition, and reproductive output of transmitter-equipped beavers to beavers equipped only with ear-tags showed no significant difference. Our goal is that this analysis will assist others in implementing best practices when tagging other semi-aquatic species.

I would like to thank VNPA and its supporters for funding this position. I enjoyed my time working on the project because endeavors such as this fill a much needed void in research. With fiscal deficits and government shut-downs, our natural resources and the agencies charged with protecting them take significant budgetary cuts.  Research projects such as this and partnership support go a long way in the promotion and protection of the resources of Voyageurs National Park.

Help Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Please Take a Few Minutes to Help Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund

On September 30th, for the first time in more than 50 years, Congress allowed the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to expire. Called America's most important conservation program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund does not use any taxpayer money; it is funded entirely by oil extraction profits from offshore drilling. Since 1963, LWCF has provided funding for protecting and enhancing our country's most beautiful and important national parks, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, monuments, as well as state and local parks. It also helps ensure all Americans have access to quality outdoor recreation.

In Voyageurs National Park, the LWCF Federal Land Protection Program has been vital to land conservation efforts by Voyageurs National Park Association and the National Park Service. Just last year, LWCF made it possible for us to protect an additional 61 acres within Voyageurs National Park.

The expiration of the LWCF significantly impacts VNPA’s ability to protect and preserve the lands and waters we all cherish. Please call your representative today and urge them to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund now.

Despite this inexcusable lapse by our elected officials, some in Congress are continuing the fight to protect our nation’s public lands. Our best chance to include LWCF in legislation is to ask representatives and senators of both parties to continue pressing this case with their party's leadership. It is vital that our representatives include LWCF in a legislative package before the end of the year - and those packages are being negotiated now.

If you'd like to learn more about the Land and Water Conservation Fund, there is a wealth of information on the LWCF Coalition website.

Buoy Removal And No Hunting Reminders In Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs National Park staff will be conducting hazard marker and regulatory buoy removal within the park starting October 1, 2015. In addition, Voyageurs National Park reminds visitors - hunting and trapping of any type or manner is prohibited on Federal lands and all waters within the boundary of Voyageurs National Park. This includes the removal of animals that have entered the park boundary after being shot outside the park.

Park rangers enforce hunting and trapping laws under Federal regulations. These regulations carry a maximum penalty up to $10,000 and/or 6-months in jail for misdemeanor violations and $20,000 and/or 5-years in jail with forfeiture of hunting equipment for felony violations.

Park officials remind hunters to know where they are hunting. Maps showing the park boundary and area information are available at visitor centers, boat launch kiosks, and at park headquarters (218) 283-6600.

www.nps.gov

Voyageurs National Park Announces Fall Visitor Center Hours and Fall Color Update

Voyageurs National Park visitor centers begin new fall operations this weekend. The Kabetogama Lake and Ash River Visitor Centers will be closed for the season beginning Sunday, September 27, 2015. Both visitor centers will reopen in late-May 2016.

The Rainy Lake Visitor Center will have the following fall and early winter hours:

• Open daily, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm through October 17.
• Closed Sunday and Monday starting October 18.
• Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, beginning Tuesday, October 20 through Saturday, December 26, 2015.

Fall Color Update for the week of September 20th

As days grow shorter, and nights grow longer and cooler, leaves are starting the process of changing colors. The recent warm weather has delayed the change a little, but the color palette is definitely starting to change from green to a hint of yellow and red peeking through. Be sure to follow the Voyageurs National Park Facebook page for the latest updates on fall colors.

Voyageurs National Park staff encourages you to come out and explore the park this fall and enjoy the colors of North Woods.

2015 Volunteer Rendezvous Recap

By Cameron Giebink

For the tenth straight year, Voyageurs National Park Association members gathered at Voyageurs National Park and worked with NPS staff to maintain the park’s natural splendor and visitor resources. This year’s event was attended by 28 volunteers from around the Midwest who participated in two days of group activities in service of Voyageurs.

On day one, volunteers planted over 300 native grasses, shrubs, and trees from the park's native plant nursery along the new Rainy Lake Recreation Trail. In order to ensure the preservation of the park’s native flora, park staff collect seeds from plants within the park, cultivate them in their own greenhouse and plant nursery, and then replant the developed native plants into areas altered by use or development. In all, 16 volunteers spent a total of 96 hours planting native species in order to ensure the integrity of the natural ecosystem to be enjoyed by visitors along the recreation trail.

After wrapping up the day’s planting, volunteers hiked with park staff at the “Ghosts of Voyageurs” program. The theatrical tour along the Oberholtzer Trail introduces visitors to past spirits of the Voyageurs region - French-Canadian voyageurs, gold miners, resort owners, and more.

The planting crew from day one was bolstered by reinforcements on Saturday as 12 additional volunteers arrived to clear the Black Bay Ridge Trail.

The Black Bay Ski Trail system is a 8-mile collection of loops covering various terrain (ponds, bogs, ridges, cedar swamps, pine forests). Because of limited resources, the northern most section, known as the Ridge Trail, had grown in with small trees, heavy vegetation and windfall. Large portions of this 2.5 mile trail had become nearly impossible to locate. Over the last three years, numerous volunteers and park staff have persisted to locate the original trail. The 2013 Volunteer Rendezvous was dedicated to working on clearing the trail and then again this year, one day of the event was dedicated to clearing trail.

The 28 volunteers that came out to the trail hiked over the rugged terrain and cleared about 0.4 miles of the heaviest vegetation found along the trails length. Based on a 10' wide trail corridor, this equates to nearly a half acre! Their enthusiasm for hard work was matched only by the wonderful weather. In total, volunteers logged 196 service hours clearing the Black Bay Ridge Trail circuit; meaning that for the first time in years, visitors will be able to complete that section of trail this winter.

Ranger Pete Sweger led Saturday’s charge through the brush and afterwards said, “Only in my wildest dreams would I have thought that we would have cleared as much trail as we did today.”

The event concluded with a dinner aboard the Voyageur tour boat. As the sun set over the picturesque waters of Rainy Lake volunteers and park staff were able to relax, mingle, and enjoy the beauty of Voyageurs National Park.

Chuck Nelson from Minneapolis summed up the experience of working with his fellow volunteers, “Working with this group of people whom I have met on one or two occasions is like being with old friends.”

Thank you to all our volunteers!

Click here to see all the Volunteer Rendezvous photos.

Bald Eagle Work at Voyageurs - Thirty Years of Longevity and Perseverance

By Steve Mazur, NPS Ranger Pilot Longevity, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: 1) a long duration of individual life, 2) the length of life, and/or 3) the length of time that something or someone lasts or continues.

Longevity can be quite remarkable given the life of any one individual depending on their exercise regime, food intake, and their genetics.

What is remarkable at the National Park Service is Voyageurs National Park’s longevity in conducting one of the longest, consecutive running bald eagle surveys in the lower forty-eight states - more than thirty years. What is also remarkable is the same park biologist, Leland Grim, has conducted the surveys since 1973.

“What are you doing?” came over the park radio. “The annual spring aerial eagle survey with Lee Grim, of course,” I replied as we got ready for another quick pass over an eagles nest on Rainy Lake.

The annual spring bald eagle survey is just one of many aircraft surveys conducted within Voyageurs National Park. The eagle surveys run every year from April through June and involve many hours of intense flight activity. It just may be one of the park's most technically demanding flight missions. The eagle surveys require special weather conditions due to the low-level flying involved and special safety equipment worn by both aircraft crew members. The aerial portion of the survey is followed by a ground-based eagle banding where biologists band newborn eaglets and collect valuable blood for DNA studies.

Perseverance, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: 1) the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult, 2) continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

What makes eagle flight surveys technical is the same thing that makes them enjoyable – the challenge. This is due to altitude, wind, terrain, sunshine, temperature, and duration of the flight. The altitude for eagle surveying is low – sometimes tree-top level. This allows biologists to see whether nests are occupied and to count the number of nesting eagles and their young.

Eagle surveys have been conducted within the area know known as Voyageurs National Park since 1967. When the park was established in 1975, the National Park Service continued the surveys to gather a better understanding of bald eagle longevity and perseverance.

See more photos of eagle research in Voyageurs National Park

Teen Ambassadors Explore and Grow in Voyageurs National Park

By Cameron Giebink

The National Park Teen Ambassadors have just wrapped up the second in a pair of national park camping trips that had them paddle both Voyageurs National Park's Kabetogama Lake as well as the Mississippi River. For many of the high school students, selected from both the Twin Cities and Voyageurs' neighboring communities, this was their first experience in a wilderness setting and they took full advantage as they continue to tell the story of these national parks through photography, video, and journaling.

The program, developed by Voyageurs National Park Association in partnership with the National Park Service and Wilderness Inquiry, is free of charge and aims to introduce environmental careers, national parks, and outdoor adventure to high school students. Voyageurs National Park serves as an optimal natural classroom where park rangers lead instruction in subjects ranging from geology and ecology to local history and National Park Service career opportunities.

"In order for the next generation of park visitors to be invested in Voyageurs, they first need to understand the park and its resources. Giving Teen Ambassadors a chance to assist with a wildlife research project helps show them the importance of what we do and allows them to connect to the park in a unique way," commented Lisa Maass, Voyageurs National Park Wildlife Technician.

After their return from Voyageurs, the Ambassadors reconvene in the Twin Cities where they launch their canoes from the historic Fort Snelling for another three days of adventure and discovery. During their time on the river, the teens explore the importance of environmental stewardship and discuss what their time in the wilderness has meant to them.

While education and enjoyment are certainly high priorities for the staff associated with the Teen Ambassadors, the real crux of the program is providing space for personal exploration and growth. How each student was affected was influenced largely by their own personal geographies, what places and people have shaped their lives. One particularly poignant insight came from Eh, a St. Paul high school student entering her junior year.

“The first joyful moment was lying on the rock, look[ing] up to the sky, listen[ing] to the sound of the water and the sweet singer [songs] of different kinds of birds. It reminds me of the place when [where we] lived in Thailand. It makes me missing [miss] the place very badly…It reminds me of my childhood life. When I was little I used to play together with my best friend and sibling on a big rock and listen to the birds song.”

Other students, such as Faiza, who is entering her junior year at a Minneapolis high school, were affected by the vast setting and how it called them back to a pervious era, one which existed long before themselves.

“That’s another thing that is amazing to me about this park, it makes you feel connected with history in a more meaningful and profound way. We got the privilege to camp, sleep, eat, converse, laugh at the same spot where the natives of this land used to be. It makes me more curious, it makes me want to learn more.”

Of course the scenery and wildlife were memorable and Ambassadors expressed the wonder associated with experiencing the heart of the continent in its natural splendor.

“The landscape is absolutely beautiful, like something off a post card, and the water feels amazing when swimming. At night the moon shines clearly and you can see the stars.” – Lilly from Apple Valley

“National Parks like this one are some of the most beautiful things in life.” – Jake from St. Paul

“The scenery is beautiful in the picture but in the eyes is bigger.” Madonna from Minneapolis

“It surprised me how many animals I can see in a National Park in just a few days, like a bald eagle, loons and a mink and a couple more.” – Victoria from Brooklyn Center

The program’s goals of providing a space where kids can discover their own capacity to push beyond what is comfortable in order to create and realize their own goals, and fostering environmental stewardship, were summed up by a pair of Ambassadors from International Falls who wrote that:

“I learned I can push myself to the mental limits” - Joseph

“I care more about the park now because sometimes I took it for granted because I’m from International Falls and it’s like my backyard, but after seeing all the other people care so much about what I see every day made me rethink of how important the park is.” - Gage

All the while, the Ambassadors did not fail to enjoy themselves during their pair of wilderness adventures, a point articulated up by Richard, a junior from St. Paul.

“Group activities were fun, eating together was fun, meeting new people was fun. Would I recommend a camping trip like this? Yes!”

Support the Ambassador program today by making a gift here.

Voyageurs National Park Welcomes 4th Grade Students Through Every Kid In a Park Initiative

New National Program Encourages Families and Classes to Visit National Parks International Falls, MN – Voyageurs National Park invites all 4th grade students to visit the park as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting today, 4th grade students can now go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

“As we celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial, we want everyone to get to know their national parks,” said Superintendent Mike Ward. “We are excited to invite Minnesota fourth graders and their families to visit Voyageurs and experience all it has to offer, whether as returnee or for the very first time.”

Voyageurs National Park offers a variety of activities that fourth graders and their family can enjoy year-round. During the winter, the Rainy Lake Visitor Center provides a place to warm up and borrow snowshoes or cross country skis. Come summer, they can explore the waterways on a guided canoe trip or boat tour, take a ranger-led hike, or work on one of park’s three junior ranger books.

To receive their free pass for national parks, fourth graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park pass. Fourth graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry to national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from September 1st, 2015 through August 31, 2016. The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

In addition to providing every fourth grader in America a free entry pass for national parks and federal public lands and waters, fourth grade educators, youth group leaders and their students across the country will also participate in the program through field trips and other learning experiences.

This September, at Voyageurs National Park, students in grade 4 will be able to participate in a hands-on learning experience aboard the Voyageur Tour Boat. This is made possible by a National Park Foundation Grant from the Ticket to Ride program supported in part by Coca-Cola, Inc. During the winter, grade 4 students can look for animal tracks while snowshoeing at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. And coming in the spring of 2016, Falls Elementary 4th graders will spend a full day experiencing the park at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center.

The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect 4th graders with the great outdoors and inspire them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come. The program is an important part of the National Park Service’s centennial celebration in 2016, which encourages everyone to Find Your Park.

Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

www.nps.gov