Wild Voyageurs
Preserving Voyageurs National Park’s wild habitat and landscapes for future generations
Human impacts from both within and outside the park boundaries continue to increase pressure on Voyageurs wild habitats and landscapes.
Voyageurs Conservancy works with the National Park Service and community partners to restore key wetland habitats, bolster wildlife research and monitoring, prevent private development within the park, and combat the spread of invasive species and other threats to water quality in our watershed.
Current Projects
Wetland Restoration
The Wetland Restoration Initiative aims to restore the biodiversity of 500 acres of key wetlands –removing invasive cattails, creating better habitats for fish and waterfowl, and bringing back wild rice.
Voyageurs Conservancy supports restoration, research and monitoring of wetlands in partnership with the National Park Service and others to maintain the pristine quality of our state-designated Outstanding Resource Water and to protect our aquatic ecosystems.
Land Protection
The Land Protection Program helps add critical habitat and prevent development within Voyageurs National Park.
Voyageurs Conservancy works with willing landowners to develop mutually beneficial agreements to protect land and add it to the national park for all to enjoy.
Dark Sky Initiative
Voyageurs Conservancy and National Park Service secured International Dark Sky Park certification for Voyageurs in 2020.
Today, the Dark Sky Initiative is a joint effort to preserve light pollution-free habitats for the species who call the park home, as well as efforts to expand business engagement and public education around the natural and cultural significance of Voyageurs National Park’s dark, starry skies.
Aquatic Invasive Species
In Summer 2021, invasive zebra mussel larvae were detected in Rainy Lake, just outside of Voyageurs National Park’s borders. These invasive species eliminate native mollusks and reduce available food for native fish, including the beloved walleye.
Voyageurs Conservancy is helping fund the National Park Service’s efforts to prevent the spread of invasive zebra mussels in the park, including funding decontamination stations and water quality monitoring efforts.
Wildlife Research
Voyageurs Conservancy grows research and monitoring efforts on native plants, keystone species, like wolves and walleye, and water quality impacts.
Voyageurs Conservancy provides funding for the Voyageurs Wolf Project - a research project studying the summer ecology of wolves. Additionally, we sponsor Voyageurs Field Fellows - young adults conducting critical research in the park including aquatics & fisheries, wildlife, and wetland monitoring.
Support this Work
Your gift to Voyageurs Conservancy supports high priority needs such as land and water conservation, environmental education, historic preservation, wildlife research, & more.
