Along the Minnesota-Ontario border, in the days of voyageurs, tall trees were used as guideposts in the uncharted wilderness to help fur traders and explorers find their way through the maze of lakes and portages. Branches were cut, leaving the middle of the tree bare with branches above and below. Clifford and Isabel Ahlgren, two of the most knowledgeable ecologists of the area, use nine native trees to serve as lob trees for this book, an ecological history of human activity in the Quetico-Superior wilderness area.

Shows how the global story of logging, forestry, conservation, and resource management unfolded in northern Minnesota.

Lake Superior's windswept rock, clear water, and wooded shores create some of the most stunning landscapes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario. Over two years, sportsman, writer, and world traveler Greg Breining set out to circle this great lake by kayak, a means of travel that allowed him to visit the lake's places of rare beauty and solitude, experience its wildly varied moods, and see its remote historic sites and isolated communities. Wild Shore is a tale of outdoor adventure, odd characters, humorous stories, and quiet reflection.

Wild Forests presents a coherent review of the scientific and policy issues surrounding biological diversity in the context of contemporary public forest management. The authors examine past and current practices of forest management and provide a comprehensive overview of known and suspected threats to diversity. In addition to discussing general ecological principles, the authors evaluate specific approaches to forest management that have been proposed to ameliorate diversity losses. They present one such policy -- the Dominant Use Zoning Model incorporating an integrated network of "Diversity Maintenance Areas" -- and describe their attempts to persuade the U.S. Forest Service to adopt such a policy in Wisconsin. Drawing on experience in the field, in negotiations, and in court, the authors analyze the ways in which federal agencies are coping with the mandates of conservation biology and suggest reforms that could better address these important issues. Throughout, they argue that wild or unengineered conditions are those that are most likely to foster a return to the species richness that we once enjoyed.

The efficient management of trees and other woody plants can be improved given an understanding of the physiological processes that control growth, the complex environmental factors that influence those processes, and our ability to regulate and maintain environmental conditions that facilitate growth. Emphasizes genetic and environmental interactions that influence woody plant growth Outlines responses of individual trees and tree communities to environmental stress Explores cultural practices useful for efficient management of shade, forest, and fruit trees, woody vines, and shrubs

With more than 200,000 visitors annually, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is among the most alluring wilderness areas in the country, unique because it is most often explored by canoe. Comprised of more than one million acres, the BWCAW is an exceptional combination of expansive wilderness, abundant wildlife, and fascinating natural and human history. Exploring the Boundary Waters is the most comprehensive trip planner to the BWCAW, giving travelers an overview of each entry point into the wilderness area as well as detailed descriptions of more than one hundred specific routes—including a ranking of their difficulty level and maps that feature the major waterways, portages, and the designated campsites. The book is crafted so that readers can design their own route through the almost inexhaustible network of lakes and streams. Daniel Pauly, Boundary Waters expert, worked with the U.S. Forest Service, the Minnesota DNR, and local outfitters to collect and present crucial information here: instructions on about how to obtain a permit, the rules and regulations of the park, safety tips, and suggestions about how to help maintain the ecological integrity of the wilderness. As engaging as it is informative, Exploring the Boundary Waters not only contributes advice on the pros and cons of each route, but also brings the reader a natural and historical context for the journey by offering insight into the pictographs, mining sites, logging railroads, and ruins one may encounter on an expedition. With its accessible and personal style, Exploring the Boundary Waters is the perfect guide for anyone—novice or seasoned veteran—arranging a trip to the BWCAW. A companion Web site for this book, http://www.boundarywatersguide.com, presents useful information that can be downloaded for planning a trip, including gear lists, overview maps, and route updates.