THUNDER BAY, ON - February 9, 2009 - The Superior National Forest is 100 years old this year.   The Superior boasts a unique and rich legacy that has been largely influenced by its boreal forest ecosystem and glacially-carved landscape with myriad inter-connected waterways.  

President Theodore Roosevelt signed a proclamation designating 644,114 acres within the original boundaries of the Forest on February 13, 1909.   The first Forest office was a rental space located over Fenske’s Store in Ely with a total of nine employees.

Quote from the first Forest Supervisor, Joe Fitzwater regarding his first impressions:  
“It was a wonderful backwoods country with nobody back in there.  Most of it had been logged and burned over.  It was mostly jack pine with very little white pine, and a few shrubs here and there.”

The wonderful backwoods country that Joe Fitzwater referred to in 1909 today hosts over 5 million recreation visits annually in a boreal forest landscape rivaled by few other landscapes in the United States.  The area is one of 100 globally important bird areas with a vast array of wildlife species including bald eagle, gray wolf, and Canada lynx; has one of the top ten hiking destinations in the United States running through it; and contains over 2,000 lakes (20% surface is covered by water).  National Geographic Society rates the Superior's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as one of the 50 greatest international places to visit.  In addition to being a highly desired vacation destination for tourism, the Forest also provides extensive economic opportunities in the form of pulpwood and saw timber for the forest products industry.  As the origin of the Forest Service Passport in Time (PIT) Program, there are more than 3,000 recorded heritage sites on the Forest representing human occupation for more than 10,000 years.  Forest lands continue to be intrinsically connected to native peoples who live their traditions through forest products and maintain spiritual bonds to the land, water, trees, and wildlife

"As we celebrate the accomplishments from the last 100 years, we can only imagine what the next century will bring to northeast Minnesota and the Superior National Forest" said Jim Sanders, current Forest Supervisor.

The Superior National Forest plans to celebrate their centennial with several events throughout 2009, including tree plantings, a kid's fishing day, interpretive programs, special hikes, a joint centennial commemorative cross-border ski/dog sled expedition with Quetico Provincial Park, art showings, and an international canoe expedition along the U.S. – Canada border in coordination with the Heart of the Continent Partnership.  In addition, each Forest office will hold a public open house beginning with the LaCroix Ranger District on February 12.   As dates for various events are confirmed, we will continue to add to the listing on our web site:  www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior

Changes over the past 100 years

The concept of replanting areas after logging, protecting streams and soils, and fire prevention were still relatively new in the early 1900’s.  During the first two decades, managers focused on restoration and protecting Forest resources from fire and from poachers.  During the 1930’the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps supported the Eveleth tree nursery, established extensive plantations and the basis for much of the infrastructure we enjoy today on the Forest.  Forest resources were valuable to the war efforts during the 1940’s then valued for recreation and for lumber during the post war boom.  The 50’s saw protection of the air space over the roadless areas which were renamed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and later became part of the congressionally designated wilderness.   Wide-spread environmental awareness and congressional actions brought about many new regulations and new management direction during the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s including the Wilderness Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, to name a few.  Over the past two or three decades the overall approach to forest planning and management has become much more holistic across disciplines and in collaboration with other landowners, as reflected in the 2004 Forest Plan.  Learn more on our Forest website:  www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior