“In today’s America, it turns out even our remote paddle, flanked by loons and trumpeter swans on pristine lakes, and blooms of colorful mushrooms, was shadowed by the politics of environmental regulation — and which will be affected greatly by the Trump White House.” thehill.com/opinion/ener...

Today we continue "Paddles & Pines: Boundary Waters Adventure!" 🛶🌲 In "Water as Habitat" we explore how species interconnect in this ecosystem with the Wolf & Bear Centers. All ages welcome! YouTube at noon CST ⬇️ www.youtube.com/@Expeditions... Photo: David Culver

foggy morning last week at table rock. BWCA, USA.

LAST DAY TO COMMENT! Keep the Roadless Rule. Comment here: www.regulations.gov/commenton/FS...

H.R. 4090 would make Trump's fast-track mining orders permanent law, threatening the Boundary Waters. But what's this REALLY about? Profits over Public Lands! @repstansbury.bsky.social Contact your reps NOW to oppose H.R. 4090. www.friends-bwca.org/get-involved...

When President Trump and Chilean billionaires come for the Boundary Waters, what will we do? Stand up and Fight!

Remember to stop by the @bwca.bsky.social booth at the Minnesota State Fair! ✅ Free sporks ✅ Register to win an REI tent ✅ Buy BWCA merch ✅ Mark your favorite BWCA spot on our map ✅ Chat with other outdoor enthusiasts ✅ Learn how to protect Minnesota forests & lakes from foreign mining corporations

New band name just dropped in the 4H building

The Minnesota State Fair is upon us🎡 How are we celebrating? Come by our tent between bites of fried foods and delights. We have sporks, merch, and a tent giveaway! Located near the Eco Experience, about 2 blocks from our previous spot! 👉 www.friends-bwca.org/event/minnes...

What a celebration! Our No Boundaries program brought 150+ students to the Boundary Waters this summer. Honored incredible Buoy Award winners & gathered families for canoeing, portaging & s'mores. Here's to more boundary-breaking adventures ahead! 🛶✨

Don't miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity to meet celebrated author Alex Kotlowitz next week at the Friends' office in Ely, MN! www.friends-bwca.org/event/ely-au...

NEW PODCAST: Bear attack survivor Alex Messenger shares life-saving wilderness tips. www.friends-bwca.org/podcasts/pod... Alex survived a 600-pound grizzly attack at age 17 during a remote Canadian expedition. Here, he relays the hard-won lessons that could save your life in the Boundary Waters.

HEARTBREAKING. The Trump administration is moving to open land near BWCA for copper-sulfide mining. Hidden in 2026 appropriations bill: provision reinstating Antofagasta's mineral leases at BWCA's doorstep. Contact Congress to say "Hands Off Boundary Waters!" www.friends-bwca.org/take-action-...

The Boundary Waters rewards those who come prepared! From sudden lightning storms to curious bears, the BWCA demands respect and preparation. Don't let poor planning turn your wilderness adventure into a survival story! www.friends-bwca.org/blog/8-safet...

The pristine lakes of the Boundary Waters — our nation’s most-visited wilderness — must be protected. Secretary Rollins put no thought, logic, or analysis into her decision to potentially expose the Rainy River watershed to highly toxic sulfide-ore copper mining.

Great news! Thanks for your work to protect these waters!

URGENT! Hidden in the Senate Budget Bill (sections 80131 & 80151) are provisions that would allow toxic mining next to the Boundary Waters — and prohibit legal review of this action. It's a corrupt giveaway, not budget policy! Please contact your Senator! www.friends-bwca.org/take-action-...

🛶Check out No Boundaries to the Boundary Waters program feature in Duluth News Tribune!🛶 We helped teacher Elina Gilsvik's "Exploring Outdoor Education" students get out on the water, "putting some of what they learned in class into practice"! www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/north...

Yesterday's Lunch with Friends featured U.S. Senator Tina Smith discussing the urgent threat to the Boundary Waters from a hidden provision that would be a giveaway to foreign mining companies near the BWCA. youtu.be/vdSfjeOx4f4

Rep. Pete Stauber and mining proponents claim copper sulfide mining is safe. But the evidence tells a different story. All it takes is one mining disaster to poison Minnesota’s clean water forever. Our clean water is not for sale. Take action - join us! www.friends-bwca.org/get-involved/

Join us for Lunch w/Friends next Wednesday, May 28th with Senator Tina Smith @smith.senate.gov She will be answering questions, and chatting about her plan to keep the Boundary Waters protected. Register via the link below! www.friends-bwca.org/event/bwca-p...

🚨URGENT - ACTION NEEDED 🚨In the middle of the night, the U.S. House passed the bloated Reconciliation Bill with a dangerous provision opening hundreds of thousands of acres around Boundary Waters to copper-sulfide mining. This bill also blocks any legal challenge to this land giveaway. 1/3

Join Amy Freeman for Lunch With Friends tomorrow, May 21st @ 12-1PM CT Amy recounts her and Dave Freeman's 12,000 mile journey across North America, with a powerful call to action to protect the natural places we cherish before they’re lost forever. Register via the link below! shorturl.at/J8aqC

Discover the best spots to canoe, kayak, and paddleboard right in the Cities! You don't have to go to the Boundary Waters to enjoy a peaceful day of paddling. In this article, you'll find rental locations, launch points, and hidden gems for your next adventure.🛶🛶 www.startribune.com/canoe-kayak-...

THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT! We're blown away! Our Open Water fundraiser raised over $325K (including $125K match). As promised, Wally the Walleye jumped into the icy Boundary Waters to celebrate. Thank you for helping us defend these treasured public lands! youtube.com/shorts/GsRuF...

"Minnesotans ought to be clear about who really benefits from Stauber gutting BWCAW protections." www.startribune.com/burcum-staub... Great questions & great piece! @jburcum.bsky.social @startribune.com

LAST CHANCE: Double Your Impact Today for the Boundary Waters! www.friends-bwca.org/openwater/?s... Last week, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced measures that threaten the Boundary Waters. These public lands belong to all of us—help us protect them!

Frosty moose breakfast in Superior National Forest

Yesterday, House Natural Resources Committee advanced measures threatening our public lands. Instead of budget discussions, they pushed Project 2025 and giveaways to corporations—with the Boundary Waters on their hit list.

New stickers! Get one free, when you donate to our Open Water campaign. www.friends-bwca.org/openwater/?s... Gifts are matched x2 up to $100K! MANY THANKS to those who've supported us so far!

Read more about new threats to Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters: www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0... We'll stand up and fight -- but we need your help. Donate during "Open Water", and have your gift matched today! www.friends-bwca.org/openwater/?s...

BREAKING: Trump fast-tracking Polymet-NewRange project. Today, there's been a flurry of activity by the Trump administration to undercut clean water protections and push through dangerous mining projects. 1/

A special offer for early donors to our Open Water campaign. Help us reach our next milestone of $50,000, and we'll send you a writeup of Boundary Waters fishing spots from Boundary Waters Journal editor and fishing guide, Stu Osthoff! PLEASE DONATE: www.friends-bwca.org/openwater/?s...

NOTE: YOU are a public land owner! Over a hundred years ago, our country had a great idea - some parts of our land should be protected, preserved, and belong to everyone.

"Blaming the permitting and environmental process is an attempt to obscure the reality that when projects are delayed, it is usually because they have serious and perhaps novel issues, not because the process itself is a problem." -- MCEA www.mncenter.org/our-water-is...

BWCA wilderness Trivia at Arbeiter Brewing TOMORROW - Wednesday at 7PM Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned canoeist, come hang out, make new trail friends. Just bring your enthusiasm for the Boundary Waters, your thirst, and your competitive spirit! 🔥🍺 www.friends-bwca.org/event/bounda...

This weekend Gov. Walz said Minnesota should follow the science on toxic mining near the BWCA. “You have to take it into the context of how special the place is,” Walz said. “Is the technology able to do it? I don’t think it is at this point in time.” www.startribune.com/walz-casts-d...

🌲 FREE THIS SATURDAY: Strib Unbound at Theodore Wirth Park Trailhead! Outdoor fun for the whole family. PLUS our SPARKS youth leaders showcase firebuilding & portaging skills. Food & music + expert presentations (9am-3pm)! tix.startribune.com/e/stribunbound

Heads up, Boundary Waters paddlers! Effective immediately Ely and Gunflint ranger stations will not be issuing BWCAW permits in person this year. Permits will need to be picked up in an outfitter or an alternate forest service office. paddleandportage.com/2025/04/24/r...

HAPPY EARTH DAY! 🌎 Celebrate with us - and mobilize!- today at the Capitol. www.friends-bwca.org/event/earth-...

🌌✨ It's International Dark Sky Week! And we marvel at the dark skies of the Boundary Waters—the second largest dark sky sanctuary in the world—where you can witness the Milky Way and dancing aurora borealis far from light pollution's reach. queticosuperior.org/dark-sky-wee...

Watch the recording of our conversation yesterday with Congresswoman Betty McCollum on what's happening in Washington, government agencies, and her connection to the environment and water. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlMp... "Water is something we in the United States undervalue." @mccollum.house.gov

What's happening in Washington with efforts to protect the Boundary Waters? Congresswoman @mccollum.house.gov will fill us in TOMORROW, April 16th at 12PM during our special "Lunch with Friends" webinar. SIGN UP! us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith introduced legislation to protect the Boundary Waters from toxic copper-sulfide mining! This Senate bill companions Rep. Betty McCollum's House legislation. Join a virtual "Lunch with Friends" with Rep. McCollum April 16 to learn more. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Seasonal jobs in Ely! 🌲 Education & Outreach Intern (PT/Temp): Inspire future wilderness stewards! Assist with school programs teaching outdoor skills to grades 6-12. 🗺️ Ely Office Host (FT/Temp): Greet visitors, provide BWCA info, assist with events. Apply today: www.friends-bwca.org/careers/

🌲Hands off the Boundary Waters!💧 Your public land is under threat from a Chilean mining conglomerate backed by the Trump administration. These waters belong to all of us, not billionaires. Watch our Executive Director Chris Knopf's speech and join the fight! WATCH youtu.be/KGHch3BVOCI

Remembering and celebrating the life of Jim Brandenburg, a Boundary Waters photographer like no other. He loved this land and its lakes, and he helped share it with the through his photography. A giant!

Photographer Jim Brandenburg passed away yesterday at the age of 79. He inspired so many outdoor photographers and Minnesotans. His loon shot in front of an island at sunset from his "Chased by the Light" collection is quintessential Minnesota. It doesn't get better than that.

Today, we commemorate the birthday of Sigurd Olson, a voice that still echoes through the wilderness he loved so dearly. His tireless advocacy protected the landscapes that shape us—preserving the Boundary Waters not just as recreation areas but as sanctuaries for the soul. Photo William Laine

BOUNDARY WATERS MOTIVATIONAL POSTERS We asked students who took their first wilderness trips through our No Boundaries to the Boundary Waters program - "How would you describe the Boundary Waters?" These were some of the best - and these student quotes are no joke!