2020 Annual Report
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2020 Annual Report Erik Fremstad FRIENDS OF VOYAGEURS, This spring, as we slowly emerge from the past year’s We are delighted to partner with you and the pandemic restrictions, I am especially eager to pack National Park Service in preserving the wild and head to Voyageurs National Park. In Deep character and unique experience of Voyageurs. We Woods, Wild Waters, Minnesota writer Doug Wood are grateful for your gifts to help sustain the area’s captures this anticipation, recalling a boyhood boating natural treasures and cultural heritage. This report experience in Voyageurs country: reflects what YOU are making possible! Thank You. “Looking down the lake I see more and more islands, each one another little world, the waters of Sincerely, Kabetogama touching them, holding all this beauty together. There are no words and no thoughts for it Jack Fistler all, only the experience.” Board Chair 2019-2020 Voyageurs Conservancy Even with the challenges of working remotely, our work continued on many fronts. Most visibly, from a major rebranding effort, becoming “Voyageurs Conservancy” signals our expanding commitment and vision for Voyageurs National Park. This marketing change will help us share our story in new and energizing ways as a leading National Park partner. Conservancy support for a first education coordinator enabled environmental education programs to shift online. Virtual programs for K-6 children and adults reached an audience of 2,000 households. The Conservancy also funded conservation youth crews to complete the new Mukooda hiking trail, the addition of 16 acres of land to the park, and continued support for wetland restoration and reseeding. To connect people to Voyageurs National Park, enhance the visitor experience, and protect the park for present and future generations. Tom Gable YOUR GIFTS AT WORK IN 2020 KEEPING VOYAGEURS WILD NEXT GENERATION VOYAGEURS INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WOLF PROJECT PARK CERTIFICATION The Conservancy In December 2020, provided grant Voyageurs National Park support to the obtained the prestigious Voyageurs Wolf International Dark Sky Project which Park certification from the continues to International Dark-Sky study the summer Association. The Conservancy predation and was a critical partner in reproductive habits making this a reality. They of wolves in the PROTECTING 16 ACRES funded data collection, Greater Voyageurs Through the assistance of the Voyageurs lighting fixture improvements Ecosystem. The Conservancy, the National Park Service to minimize excess light Voyageurs Wolf added two parcels of land to Voyageurs pollution, and necessary Project released National Park totaling 16 acres in 2020. education programs that groundbreaking, The sites are located on Rainy Lake and continue to pay dividends. nationally- Sand Point Lake. This land will serve as recognized protected habitat for wolves, black bear, publications moose, otter and eagles. Support for including novel these projects was made possible by the research on how Wallace C. Dayton Voyageurs National wolves alter Park Legacy Fund and the National Park wetlands. Foundation. WETLAND RESTORATION Voyageurs National Park, the Conservancy, and many other partners launched a 10-year plan in 2016 to restore cattail-invaded wetlands. In 2020, the project restored Having a partner like the Voyageurs approximately 25 acres of wetlands through Conservancy is huge. They raise the removal of invasive cattails and reseeding efforts. This important project is increasing money, it’s well spent. Whether it’s biodiverse habitats for wild rice, marsh birds, working on trails, introducing kids to the park, they’re at the forefront. native fish, and more. But the park needs care… All visitors need to become the partner of the Voyageurs Conservancy and help support their efforts for years to come. Bill Dougherty, Rainy Lake Houseboats owner, Voyageurs Conservancy member Photo credits: Allison Charnin, Matthew Moses, Colin Willemsen, Tom Gable, Andrea Hynes COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP & ENGAGEMENT LEAVE NO TRACE The Conservancy produced The Conservancy created a LOVE Park-it-at-Home resources ‘How to Camp in Voyageurs’ and virtual programs to video. This video educates connect individuals and campers on proper Leave No families to Voyageurs during Trace principles and reduces the pandemic. This included the their human impact. The video YOUR Night Sky Explorer educational has already been viewed over series which drew over 820 live 2,000 times, helping to protect attendees from across the nation the precious flora and fauna of and its recordings received the park as visitation rises. PARK hundreds of additional views. Jonathan Bayer NEXT GENERATION VOYAGEURS CLASSROOM INITIATIVE Cuts to the park’s environmental education program presented the opportunity for the Conservancy to step in and support the park with youth education in a much expanded way. Though the pandemic greatly limited youth trips to the park, the Conservancy shared education resources with teachers and families and developed both prerecorded and live virtual education programs to connect young explorers to the park’s ecosystems. These efforts reached over 2,000 children. To expand this work even further, starting in 2021, VC was recommended for $348,000 in funding over three years from the Minnesota Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund for the Voyageurs Classroom Initiative. Bruce McKee FIELD FELLOWS PROGRAM LAUNCHES The Voyageurs Field Fellows program offers stipend-paid internship opportunities for It’s really vital for National Park undergraduate and graduate students to Service sites, like Voyageurs 2020 develop professional experience in Voyageurs National Park, to have such a strong National Park. The Conservancy welcomed partnership with their nonprofit Acres of land protected its first Environmental Education Field Fellow partner. The VC, they’re really vital 16 in 2020 who enhanced National Park Teen in helping me do my job. They’re Ambassador programming and developed helping me get funds that we need Acres of wetlands restored new distance learning dark sky curriculum. to get kids in the park and to get 25 connected to youth in different communities in northern Minnesota Virtual programs attendees and even beyond. 915 Melissa Panter, Summer campsite reservations Voyageurs National Park (40% increase from 2019) Interpretive Ranger 2,050 Students served through the 2,116 Voyageurs Classroom Initiative YOUTH CORPS HELP BUILD NEW TRAIL Feet of new trail built The Voyageurs Conservancy sponsored two Student Conservation Association (SCA) 7,286 young adults crews. SCA members learned Park visitors trail-building and conservation skills within 263,091 the park’s boreal landscapes, while adding 2.7 miles to the Mukooda Hiking Trail. This new loop trail, accessed from Sand Point Voyageurs Conservancy’s 2020 Lake, weaves through a variety of landscapes including dense pine forests, rocky ridgelines, Annual Report available online: and alongside pristine waterways. Voyageurs.org/2020 Thank You 2020 Supporters $5,000 and above Porter Miranda Darling Kec’s Kove Resort Duluth Superior Rainy Lake Sportfishing Grabowski Joe & Joanne Kellogg Area Community Club Allan & Marnie Davisson Raymond Kent Foundation - Four Ann & Brad Randall Robert DeGross Georgianne Kornfuehrer Cedars Environmental KP Reilly Podrasky Family Delta Dental of Tom & Carol Kuelbs Fund Mary & Charles Sethness Minnesota Paul & Susan Labovitz Duluth Superior Area Charitable Foundation Dorothy Dolezal Ann Ladd Community Foundation Will Shafroth Stephen & Rebekah Greg Lais & Patti Thurber - Young Leaders Fund Scott Stein Dupont Don & Marlyce Lee F. Dallas Fogg Charles B. & Margaret L. Carlos Eberhardt Paul Lewis Doug & Karen Franchot Sweatt Family Fund EcoTrust Doug & Mary Logeland Jefferson National Park of the Minneapolis David & Alison Edgerton Nicholas Luciano Association Foundation Butch Eggen Wilderness Stephanie Malone Marshall N. Knudson Lillian Whayne Guide Service Kabetogama Township Family Community Fund Fred & Eleanor Winston Holly Fistler & Andrew Marty & Mary Marion The Minneapolis Greg & Monica Yoder Leung George & Caroline Foundation Jack & Amy Fistler Martin Minnesota Environmental $100-$999 Forrest & Lisa Flint Sara Martineau Fund Richard Allyn & Margo Forgotten Star Brewing Linda McCormick Mortenson Family Brownell Katie & Rick Fournier Jean & James McCurdy Foundation Michael H. Anderson Mark & Sonja Franchett Martin McHugh Matthew & Martha Anonymous Erik Fremstad David McKee & Lynn Mueller Claudine Arndt & Susan Gergen Naeckel National Park Foundation Michael McCloskey Maxwell Gessner Kevin & LuAnne National Park Trust Arnosti Family Fund Brady & Allison Gibbs McNichols Katherine & Stuart Nielsen Ash Trail Lodge Allen Gooch & Mary Dow Bill & Jane Meller REI Co-op Kathlene Audette-Luebke Ryerse Kate & Pat Miller H. William & Judy Walter & Christopher Luebke Peter & Mary Gove Susan Miller Catherine Bannister Jeff & Mary Kay Hardwig Robert & Marveen Minish $1,000-$4,999 Dori Bartelt Brian Harmon & Jackie La Robert & Ancy Morse Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Jay & Julie Bartkowski New Move It Real Estate Andersen Foundation Donald Beck Kerry & Carol Hausman Group Ranier Office Amy & James Arcand Ingrid Beyer Scott, Marianne & Paige Diane Mundt Arrowhead Lodge & Kathy Bizal Hausman Michael Murphy Resort Roger & Linda Boettcher Carter & Florence Chuck Nelson Jim & Susan Bizal Megan Bond Hedeen Don & Gerda Nightingale Bizal Built Diana Bond Nora Hertel & Benjamin Northern Lights Resort & Jeffrey D. Brown & Border