I Visited Some of Our Federal Public Lands in Minnesota to See How They’re Doing – This Is What I Learned

When I set out to write this article, I intended to do so as a follow-up to the recent budget cuts and political decisions that had eliminated positions and frozen hiring at the agencies tasked with overseeing our federal public lands. I had written about these issues more broadly, but I was particularly interested in learning how the cuts had affected the public lands in my home state of Minnesota.

However, by the time I sit down to start writing, several courts had blocked the administration's moves to fire employees at the respective agencies, which resulted in some workers returning to work, others being placed on paid administrative leave, and a general sense of confusion about what would happen next.

So, how are our public lands in Minnesota doing?

Minnesota is home to five National Park Service units - Voyageurs National Park, Pipestone and Grand Portage National Monuments, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, and several hundred miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail. In addition, you'll find the Chippewa and Superior National Forests and 13 national wildlife refuges in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The NPS units and wildlife refuges fall under the Interior Department; national forests are overseen by the Department of Agriculture. None of these areas I've mentioned includes public areas overseen by other agencies, like the Army Corps of Engineers.

The fact that so much is in limbo right now, as our public lands gear up for the state's busy summer season, makes it difficult for staff to plan ahead. With respect to Voyageurs and Minnesota's two national monuments, this could mean reductions in ranger-led programs, visitor center hours, and park maintenance. National wildlife refuges would likely experience similar reductions, along with cuts in research and outreach.

However, the biggest question mark looms over our two national forests, Superior National Forest in particular. On March 1, 2025, the administration enacted an executive order directing the "immediate expansion of timber production." This will most certainly increase logging in both the Chippewa and Superior National Forests in the near term.

In Minnesota, more forest service personnel are at risk for job loss than park service or fish and wildlife employees. Not only does this mean a shortage of firefighters to combat blazes during peak fire season, but it also compromises the safety of folks recreating in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness - more than a million acres lying within Superior National Forest - as there will be fewer rangers to offer advice, issue and enforce permits, and perform rescue operations.

This, likewise, will have a direct impact on the North Country National Scenic Trail, as significant portions of the footpath traverse the Superior National Forest, the Boundary Waters, and the Superior National Forest. Forest Service employees are typically tasked with trail and campsite maintenance on the trail, especially within the Boundary Waters, which will fall to the wayside if permanent positions are cut and too few seasonal workers are hired.

The BWCA faces the most peril, not from the potential cuts, but from a bill introduced by Representative Pete Stauber that would permit nickel and copper mining at the Boundary Waters' doorstep. The proposed mining could release an incredible amount of toxins into the pristine wilderness area, which under the Wilderness and Clean Water Acts, should be protected from such danger.

However, as I learned on my recent visits to our federal public lands in Minnesota, nothing is certain anymore - especially when it comes to sustainability and preservation.

Bottom line: Our public lands are in peril. If this is something that matters to you, you should definitely contact your elected officials and let them know.