Mission & History

Founded in 1965, the Voyageurs Conservancy (formerly known as Voyageurs National Park Association) represents a community of people committed to the future of Minnesota’s National Park. As an independent charitable organization, we work with the National Park Service to support recreation and conservation projects, advance education and public engagement, and protect the wild nature of the park for future generations. With your help, we do this by:

• Advocating for the park’s protection and ongoing stewardship

• Raising funds for conservation, preservation, education, and recreation projects

• Engaging volunteers and partners to bolster the park's limited federal budget

• Growing public awareness and community engagement to build a larger community of visitors, supporters, and advocates

MISSION

To connect people to Voyageurs National Park, enhance the visitor experience, and protect the park for present and future generations. 

VISION

Voyageurs National Park is a celebrated, ecologically and historically significant park where people can learn, explore, volunteer, and enjoy sustainable recreation, leaving its wild character unimpaired for future generations.

Values

Stewardship

We are passionate stewards of Voyageurs National Park and the vast cultural and natural resources it encompasses. We value preserving and protecting the wild character of the park in careful balance with human recreation and enjoyment. 

Inspiration & Connection

Human connection is an integral part of conservation. We work to connect people of all backgrounds through meaningful experiences to explore and share Voyageurs. We seek to inspire future park stewards and conservation leaders who will fervently protect Voyageurs National Park. We intentionally invest in programs to increase access, representation, inclusivity, and youth connection to the park.

Community & Partnership

We recognize that we protect this unique place for everyone and cannot succeed alone. The park is surrounded by a wealth of diverse communities and engaged friends of the park - knowledgeable and passionate individuals, from members to volunteers to staff, each holding a pivotal role in the stewardship of the park. We value caring for this rich community and welcoming new and diverse voices. We seek collaboration whenever possible because our work is better and stronger when driven by community and partnership.

Generational Thinking

We are forward thinking, always considering the impact of our work on future generations. We are innovative in advancing the mission of the Conservancy with responsibility and sustainability as our core lens.

HISTORY

The Voyageurs Conservancy was founded as Voyageurs National Park Association in 1965 by a group of passionate community leaders who recognized the need to preserve in perpetuity the lands and waters of the Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point Lakes region of northern Minnesota. The founders and early directors of Voyageurs National Park Association included former Minnesota Governor Elmer L. Andersen, Judge Ed Chapman, Wayne Judy, Martin Kellogg, Sigurd F. Olson, Wallace Dayton, and Wheelock Whitney. These individuals and others led the organization in its efforts to lobby local, state, and federal legislators and to inform and educate the public about the importance and reasons for creating the park.

Voyageurs National Park was established in 1975, preserving the unique history, geology, scenery and ecology of the region. Encompassing 218,000 acres, Voyageurs is one of the wildest, most scenic, geologically unique, and historically rich areas of Minnesota and the National Park system, enjoyed by over 240,000 visitors annually. Voyageurs is known for its amazing water-based recreation and camping experiences, pristine lakes and world-class fishing, boreal forests, calling loons, winter ice roads, and starry skies.

The Conservancy continues as an official nonprofit partner to the park, supporting recreation, preservation, public engagement, and land and water conservation. Advocacy, fundraising, partnership development, and community engagement are our core strategies. The Voyageurs Conservancy relies on financial support from individuals, businesses, and foundations who care about the future of Minnesota’s National Park. Thank you for helping make this work possible. With your help, we:

• Were presented with a National Park Service Director's Partnership Award and two National Park Service - Midwest Region Champion Awards in 2016 in recognition of a strong partnership with the park.

• Helped add 70 acres of boreal forest and pristine shoreline to the park since its establishment

• Empowered over 200 Minnesota high school students through the National Park Teen Ambassador program and connected thousands of other students to the park through field trip grants and classroom outreach

• ­Supported trail and recreation improvements like the Cruiser Lake Trail rehab project, new paddle launch docks, and the development of the new Mukooda Lake trail

• Helped launch a multi-year wetland restoration initiative that will help bring back native plant communities like wild rice and improve fish and waterfowl habitat

• Funded important science like a wildlife researcher and a hydrology study on the impacts of sulfide mine development in the park’s watershed

• Sponsored community listening sessions and a leadership retreat to develop Voyageurs National
  Park’s 5-year priorities

Voyageurs Conservancy’s Core areas of impact

WILD Voyageurs

Working to protect Minnesota's National Park through public outreach and education, land conservation, restoration and research work, partnerships with local and national organizations, and advocating to address policy issues and environmental concerns. Learn more

NEXT GENERATION

Our strong commitment to environmental education and community engagement inspires future stewards and increases youth accessibility to the outdoors. Learn more