Pine Island WMA Update – A Successful Weekend!

From the SFBW Staff

During the summer of 2023, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters asked the question, “What else can we do for the region we love to hunt and fish so much?” We considered a number of projects around the Arrowhead region of Minnesota but, in the end, settled on adopting the Pine Island WMA on Lake Vermilion. Being less than a mile from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and needing access and habitat work, it was exactly the type of project we could get behind. After a year of working with the Minnesota DNR, onX Access and Stewardship Initiative, and Mark Kenyon’s Working for Wildlife Tour, we have just completed the first volunteer event of our new Stewardship & Habitat Initiative! 

Prior to holding the volunteer event, we wanted to accomplish some of the initial groundwork for the project, sourcing labor locally. The company Dutchman Tree Service out of Ely, Minnesota, was recommended and they were immediately a great fit for the project. SFBW contracted them for daylighting work to help open up the forest for natural regeneration and planting, and their team went above and beyond to accomplish this in just a few days. Following the contracted work, SFBW and DNR staff worked around the clock to ensure we had everything set for the volunteer event: boats, trees, tools, food, first aid, PPE, and the works. 

On August 24th, 2024, over 50 volunteers gathered at the Tower DNR office to go over the game plan and get a quick safety briefing. Despite the massive amount of work that lay ahead, we kept it short and made sure everyone had what they needed. 

Next, we strapped on PFDs and hauled everyone out to the Pine Island WMA on Lake Vermilion using a combination of pontoons and boats, making an amphibious landing on-site. Despite some tough conditions and a few problematic rocks, every volunteer landed safely, with only a few boots filling with water. 

Within a couple hours of arriving, volunteers already had a few hundred of the 1,000 trees we purchased in the ground, and we were well on our way to accomplishing everything we set out to do and more! As Lukas Leaf, our Executive Director, fired up venison chili dogs and brats, volunteers congregated and waited anxiously for a hard-earned lunch. 

Following lunch, volunteers set out for a final push of work. Boundary lines were cleared, signs were pounded into the ground, access trails were created, an invasive species kiosk was installed, and the last couple hundred trees were planted. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the group of volunteers that showed up from all over Minnesota and Wisconsin, as everyone kept a positive attitude and worked hard for the duration of the day! Even when a pontoon ran out of gas in the middle of the lake on the way back to the boat launch, spirits were high, and laughter was frequent. 

With over 400 volunteer hours knocked out in one fell swoop, the volunteers, DNR, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, onX staff, and Mark Kenyon rallied at The Grand Ely Lodge for an evening of food, drinks, raffles, and live music from Ely’s own Van and the Free Candies.

We were also graced by the presence of Richard Swenson and his family, the inventor of Sven-Saw and a terrific partner of SFBW. It was a soiree for the ages, and everyone agreed that a cold beer tastes better after a day of hard work for conservation. 

Looking to the future, SFBW has a few more tasks on the Pine Island WMA. This winter will tell the tale of how much work we’ll need to do in the Spring. First, we need to understand how well the trees we planted will fare between wildlife browsing and tough conditions. We fully intend to plant as many supplemental trees as necessary in the Spring.

Next, we’ll need to assess how recreators are using the land. Additional signage, trash pick-up, and repairs may be required. Our adoption is for two years, so rest assured if the WMA needs anything, we’ll be there to get it done!

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