2021 Spring Newsletter
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SPRING 2021 NORTHERN WAKE VOYAGEURS CONSERVANCY’S NEWSLETTER EXPLORE IT. SHARE IT. KEEP IT WILD. LEARN MORE AT VOYAGEURS.ORG Mandy Fuller The Voyageurs Conservancy is the official nonprofit partner of Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park. In partnership with the National Park Service, the Conservancy works to preserve the wild character and unique experience of Voyageurs by funding projects and programs that will sustain it for generations to come. LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The changing world around us has given us time to reflect on the work we do in partnership with the National Park Service and our member community. To reflect our expanding vision and commitment to the park, we underwent a major rebranding effort in 2020 to become the Voyageurs Conservancy. This change helps us grow our collective of park advocates. Now, more than ever, we must engage new voices, new Larry Sang Jr. visitors, and the next generation in the Debra Bernard SUMMER 2021 stewardship of our lands and waters to ensure a vibrant and sustainable National Park. LETTER FROM VOYAGEURS PARK PROGRAMS & FACILITIES 2021 PHOTO CONTEST CHECK OUT VOYAGEURS.ORG/EVENTS FOR THE This year brought unique challenges as NATIONAL PARK SUPERINTENDENT Voyageurs experienced monumental LATEST CONSERVANCY EVENTS & PROGRAMS The annual Voyageurs Photo Contest we navigated a global pandemic and, as We’ve heard it often over the last year, but assistance and cooperation, we achieved visitation numbers in 2020 and that trend opens in June! Submit your photos a result, unmatched visitation numbers. I will state it again... What an unprecedented Dark Sky Park certification in December 2020. is expected to continune with the public The Voyageurs Conservancy is developing safe and engaging and favorite Voyageurs memories time. At the park, our goal has been to assure Our partners Quetico Provincial Park and the ways to connect individuals and families to Voyageurs Our community stepped in as a dynamic seeking nature and outdoor recreation to earn exclusive prizes, and help and forward-thinking organization, the health and safety of our team, neighbors, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness more than ever. Park campsite reservations, National Park. The Conservancy will be offering outdoor, protect and support your national and visitors. We did a pretty good job, even also achieved dark sky area recognition. Due lodging, and houseboat accommodations socially distanced events at the park, as well as virtual park. Learn how to enter and find responding to the ever changing needs with a large increase in visitation. We expect to this collaborative effort, Voyageurs is now are filling up for the 2021 season at record learning opportunities. Check the website and sign up for our more information at of our park. Through virtual programs, this trend to continue as more families and a part of one of the largest dark sky regions pace. e-newsletter to learn more. voyageurs.org/photocontest. the Conservancy connected individuals individuals find solace in our natural spaces in the world. This has been an outstanding and families across the nation to this summer. In turn, the National Park Service opportunity for us to share with the world one For the most up-to-date information on park Voyageurs National Park. Members will continue to prioritize the health and of our spectacular resources - an unhindered operations this summer, please visit nps. of the Voyageurs Conservancy helped safety of our communities. As pandemic and natural night sky. The Voyageurs Conservancy gov/voya and voyageurs.org/visitorinfo. vaccination trends allow, we plan to increase was essential in obtaining this certification support environmental education, our visitor access to public facilities by by funding park lighting modifications and Subject to change, visitor centers will be dark sky preservation, land and water reopening visitor centers, providing services hosting public education programs required open at 25% capacity with masks required. conservation, and more. Additionally, at the Kettle Falls Hotel, and offering limited for the application. Limited-capacity boat tours will be offered the Conservancy worked internally to tour boat opportunities. Additionally, the pandemic required us to at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center beginning evaluate how our organization can better In 2020, overnight camping reservations rapidly evolve our education programming. June 23 through August 25. Boat tours increased by close to 40%. Due to its To connect people to the park we offered will not be offered at the Kabetogama Lake promote equity and inclusion within our staff, leadership, and volunteers. It expansive waters and isolated campsites, remote distance learning opportunities in Visitor Center this summer. Reserve your people recognized Voyageurs National cooperation with the Conservancy, even tour at www.recreation.gov. is our responsibility to promote equity Park as a refuge to recreate in the outdoors serving students out of state for the first time. in opportunity and access to nature, while social distancing. With the increased Many of these students may never visit the Additional outdoor ranger programs, learning, and enjoyment in Voyageurs visitation, we also saw more human-caused park, but now through distance learning, they including night sky programs, will be National Park. In turn, we will continue impacts on park resources. As park stewards, have a better appreciation and understanding offered, with a full schedule at nps.gov/voya. Ryan Hunter to build authentic relationships and an our main philosophy should be, “leave no of why Voyageurs is protected for everyone. trace.” In essence, leave the place better than With the Conservancy’s support, several inclusive community. We have a long you found it so the next visitors can enjoy the historic preservation and trail maintenance way to go, but are committed to the same untouched beauty. I’m confident we can projects will be completed by working with VOYAGEURS SPRING THAW RAISES FUNDS FOR VOYAGEURS CONSERVATION & EDUCATION work and the journey. Thank you for your all do better this year. youth organizations this summer. These Thank you to everyone who was able to join the Voyageurs Spring continued support as we listen, learn, act As always, I want to thank the members projects provide a platform for young adults Thaw! Together on April 8, we (virtually) celebrated the park’s Dark in innovative ways, and partner with new of the Voyageurs Conservancy for their to be exposed to conservation careers, an Sky Park certification and raised funds for environmental education, communities. dedicated support. Through your generous experience that could have a major impact on land and water conservation projects, trail work, and more. their relationship with public lands. Our generous Conservancy community - over 300 households May the waters, skies, and It is an unprecedented time. During times from over 30 states and Canada - helped us raise $50,000 to sustain forests of Voyageurs bring you joy like this one thing is clear for many, nature priority projects at Voyageurs National Park. Thank you to everyone this summer! provides us solace, escape, and a place to who purchased a Park Pack, participated in our silent auction, Thank you, decompress. I hope you continue to find that donated, or purchased a bottle of Voyageurs Five Grain Whiskey escape at Voyageurs National Park. from our partner Tattersall Distilling. In addition to Tattersall Distilling we would like to thank our other lead park champion Christina Hausman Rhode sponsors REI, Delta Dental of Minnesota, Room & Board, Bizal If you missed the live program with Diana Pierce and special Executive Director Bob DeGross Built, Fredrikson and Byron P.A., Miir, David & Debra Strike, Janette speakers Dr. Kevin Hainline and Dr. Anton Treuer, we encourage Voyageurs Conservancy Superintendent Sweasy, and Caroline Pflueger. you to watch the recording at voyageurs.org/springthaw Voyageurs National Park YOUR GIFTS AT WORK IN 2020 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 KEEPING VOYAGEURS WILD Cuts to the park’s environmental education program VOYAGEURS INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY presented the opportunity for the Conservancy to WOLF PROJECT PARK CERTIFICATION step in and support the park with youth education in The Conservancy In December 2020, a much expanded way. Though the pandemic greatly provided grant Voyageurs National Park limited youth trips to the park, the Conservancy support to the obtained the prestigious shared education resources with teachers and families Voyageurs Wolf International Dark Sky and developed both prerecorded and live virtual Project which Park certification from the education programs to connect young explorers to continues to International Dark-Sky the park’s ecosystems. These efforts reached over study the summer Association. The Conservancy 2,000 children. To expand this work even further, predation and was a critical partner in starting in 2021, VC was recommended for $348,000 reproductive habits making this a reality. They in funding over three years from the Minnesota of wolves in the PROTECTING 16 ACRES funded data collection, Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund for the Greater Voyageurs Through the assistance of the Voyageurs lighting fixture improvements Voyageurs Classroom Initiative. 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.