RELEASE: Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters teams up with MeatEater’s Working for Wildlife Tour on Lake Vermilion Pine Island WMA

For Immediate Release:

August 15th, 2024

Press Inquiries:

Matthew Schultz, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters

Email: [email protected] Phone: 507-316-7465

Jessica Holmes, Area Wildlife Manager MN Department of Natural Resources

Email: [email protected] Phone: 218-300-7861

Jack Flatley, onX Maps

Email: [email protected] Phone: 516-554-4044

Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters teams up with MeatEater’s Working for Wildlife Tour on Lake Vermilion Pine Island WMA

Through support from onX’s Access and Stewardship Program, the Tower Area MN DNR & MeatEater, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters is working to create, conserve, and restore wildlife habitat and access in the Northwoods of Minnesota.

This summer, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters (SFBW) has adopted Pine Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on Lake Vermilion. The Pine Island adoption is the first project of SFBW’s Stewardship and Habitat Initiative, a program SFBW is excited to implement in multiple spheres in and around the Boundary Waters with partnering agencies, conservation organizations, and outdoor industry leaders.

On Saturday, August 24th, the SFBW staff will join forces with Mark Kenyon of MeatEater’s Working for Wildlife Tour and the Tower Area DNR to work with volunteers and tackle a large chunk of the restoration work on Pine Island via one huge effort. The volunteer crew of more than 50 people will carry out tasks ranging from tree planting to brushing, trail creation, and helping repair the unit’s signs.

“We are excited to be working with MN DNR, onX, and Mark Kenyon’s Working for Wildlife Tour this year on the Pine Island WMA. Collaborations between local communities, businesses, state agencies, non-profits, and willing volunteers are what drive these kinds of projects,” said Matthew Schultz, Development & Policy Coordinator at SFBW. “We’re thrilled with the amount of support we’ve seen for this event and how excited people are to volunteer their time for conservation.”

After the work is done for the day on August 24, SFBW is hosting a community event at the Grand Ely Lodge in Ely, MN, from 5 to 9 p.m. Enjoy live music from Van and the Free Candies, remarks from Mark Kenyon of MeatEater and Ben Brettingen of onX Hunt, plus an onsite raffle, door prizes, silent auction items, yard games, a BBQ buffet, drinks, and more!

“Projects like this give you a sense of hope because today you did something. You took a step today that made a positive difference and made the world a little bit better. And that gives people energy. It gives them a sense of empowerment,” said Mark Kenyon of MeatEater. “Incredible examples like that of all these folks coming together and really creating habitat that wildlife needs, improving our public lands that fish, wildlife and human recreators can all benefit from these landscapes.”

“At onX, we understand the importance of protecting and conserving the places we hold dearest,” said Ben Brettingen, onX Regional Marketing Manager. “As a native Minnesotan, I know the North Woods represent an iconic part of the Minnesota and American landscape, and onX is proud to be a part of its restoration and conservation.”

“MN DNR Tower Wildlife Staff are excited about this project and the continued support for our Wildlife Management Areas. The Adopt A WMA program is a fantastic tool used to create partnerships that complete much needed habitat work,” said Jessica Holmes, MN DNR Area WIldlife Manager. “We are grateful for Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters’ willingness and dedication to the enhancement of Pine Island WMA, and we want to thank onX and Mark Kenyon for making this event possible. We look forward to what the future holds for Pine Island WMA.”

Project Background: 

Pine Island WMA is just under 40 acres and sits within 1 mile of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, with several thousand acres of public land plots directly to its west. This region is heavily used by deer, grouse, waterfowl, black bears, and various non-game species that help make Northeast Minnesota the beautiful place it is. 

As a part of the adoption, SFBW hopes to accomplish the following: Create access for a difficult-to-reach WMA, create and improve a series of Hunter Walking Trails, plant white spruce and red oak trees to improve White-Tailed Deer wintering habitat, clear canopy to allow for regenerating long lived conifer species to grow and thrive, replace and repair WMA signage at landing spots, install an informational Invasive Species Kiosk, install fishing line collection tubes, clear/brush/chainsaw the WMA boundary line, install boundary signs, and manage the upkeep of the WMA during the adoption.

This project aims to improve an existing ecosystem without dramatically changing users’ impact on the landscape. One of the first things we’ll be doing on the site is thinning undergrowth, or “daylighting.” This practice is vitally important, especially in areas that haven’t experienced burns in a long time, because it promotes the regeneration of the native coniferous species. Thankfully, Dutchman Tree Services out of Ely, MN is working with us to accomplish this goal, as they are a conservation minded business that does exemplary work.

With more light able to penetrate the canopy and reach the forest floor, we’re hoping to see native white pines flourish, as well as the trees we’ll be planting for wintering habitat. This approach, combined with the planting of climate-resilient species such as red oak and the establishment of Hunter Walking Trails, will create an ecologically diverse ecosystem that will support wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts for generations to come.

About the sponsors:

Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters: Founded in 2015, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters works to conserve the land, water, and wildlife that make the BWCA an iconic place to hunt, fish, camp, and explore. The organization’s mission is to protect the integrity of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its watersheds for huntable and fishable populations of fish and wildlife, now and forever, through advocacy and education.

onX Maps: Funding for the Pine Island WMA is provided by the onX Adventure Forever Grants program – onX believes everyone has a right to experience nature and the recreational opportunities it provides. In light of that, onX founded its Access and Stewardship program, which allows onX to leverage positive impact and drive change. This program inspires communities to pass on responsible recreation ethics, enables land access, and promotes healthy ecosystems.

MeatEater’s Working for Wildlife Tour: The Working for Wildlife Tour launched in 2023 as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the many volunteer events put on across the country by conservation organizations, bringing hunters and anglers together to volunteer their time to improve wildlife habitat, restore ecosystems, and clean up public lands and waters.

Minnesota DNR Tower Area Wildlife Office: The MN DNR Adopt A WMA Program was established in 2011. Its purpose is to encourage and recognize citizens to assist with the maintenance of Wildlife Management Areas. The foundation of the program is to establish informal agreements with volunteer individuals or groups to provide maintenance services on certain WMAs.

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