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Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation: The Boundary Waters Project
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Join
us this summer as we explore the lakes and forests of the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness and the Chippewa National Forest, a region supporting extensive
road-less areas and an unparalleled wolf population. This expansive northern forest and lake
environment provides us with an excellent opportunity for studying the
interactions between wildlife, plant communities and aquatic ecosystems. 
The
Boundary Waters Canoe Area and surrounding forest land contain the largest
population of wolves in the lower 48 states, and the greatest contiguous track
of wilderness remaining in the Midwestern and eastern U.S. with thousands of
acres of old-growth forest. This region
serves as a great natural laboratory for field investigations of wolves, moose,deer and beaver and their interactions with their environment, as well as the
importance of fire, wind, and introduced insects on forest ecosystems. While our primary focus will be on the
cascading effects of wolves and other large mammals on ecosystem dynamics, our
explorat
ions will allow us to examine a wide range of issues including sustainable
forestry, water resources management and climate change.
THE PROJECT
Large mammals including wolves, deer, moose and beavers have a profound influence on ecosystem dynamics, shaping plant community composition and even effecting water quality and stream characteristics. We will investigate how key mammals shape their environment through grazing, predation and other interactions in wilderness areas and working forests such as the Chippewa National Forest, where land is managed primarily for forestry. Interactions will be examined in the context of key natural resource issues, including: wolf and deer management, forestry practices and water resources impacts. Despite its vast size, numerous threats to northern forest ecosystems exist today: the invasive Emerald Ash Borer threatens to kill off thousands of acres of trees, increased deer density degrade plant communities, climate change is expected to alter water levels and forest health, and vacation homes spread into the woods. A better understanding of the interactions among animals, plants, humans and the ecosystems they live in is critical to protect and manage forested watersheds in future decades.
With the northern Boundary Waters Canoe Area - Gunflint Trail area as our base, we will embark on field studies in the Superior region, the Chippewa Nation
al Forests and the North Shore of Lake Superior to conduct our ecological investigations. This will include research from basecamps, treks through black ash wetlands and canoe accessed studies across backcountry lakes. Our hands-on field activities will be augmented by discussions with wildlife experts and forestry researchers as we explore the ecology of the northern forest and the complex science, management and restoration issues surrounding them. Upon completion of the project, team members will have gained firsthand experience in research methods and management issues involving wildlife, plant community and water interactions in northern forests and lakes.
Read the Full Project Description
PROJECT LEADER
CHRISTIAN LENHART has conducted ecological research and taught university courses since 1997, focusing on ecological facets of hydrology. He is currently a research professor with the University of Minnesota, leading various research projects in and around the state.