October 9, 2024, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Collaborative met in Ely, Minnesota for an all-day meeting to discuss Wilderness character and how it impacts land management.

Seth Cohen and Isaac Merson, National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution, started the meeting with a discussion about building interconnections and purpose within the collaborative, and members shared updates for their areas of expertise and any lasting concerns from the past meeting. 

Christina Boston, Manager of the USDA Forest Service’s Wilderness Character Monitoring Program facilitated a discussion with members about what wilderness character means and how the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is managed for wilderness character. Members discussed how the Collaborative might engage and contribute to its preservation within the wilderness.

An update from Superior National Forest Supervisor, Tom Hall, discussed projects which impact wilderness management. He also shared updates on forest staff changes relating to the wilderness. The Collaborative Members and Forest Service employees discussed the following:

• The role forest orders and closures play in management
• Wildfire management policies within the wilderness and an update on recent fires
• Updates on several planned land acquisitions
• The Fernberg Corridor Landscape Management Project
• BWCAW Chapter of the Forest Plan Amendment

To close out the day, Collaborative members discussed current workgroup priorities and scheduling for future meetings.

“I’m very excited with the progress the Collaborative has made so far,” said Tom Hall, Forest Supervisor, SNF, “The meeting was productive and there is momentum building behind ways for the Collaborative to engage with management of the Boundary Waters. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the Collaborative to steward the unique character of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.”

Please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/BWCAWcollaborative  for more information about the Collaborative and notes from the October 9th Collaborative Meeting.

Contact the [email protected] regarding interest in the collaborative.

Seth Cohen, Senior Program Manager
John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution
Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
(520) 901-8542, [email protected]