50 Reasons for 50 Years of Voyageurs National Park
Support Voyageurs Conservancy on Give to the Max Day 2024
Give Minnesota’s national park a brighter future for the next 50 years. This Give to the Max Day on Nov. 21, 2024, your gift to Voyageurs Conservancy, the official nonprofit for Voyageurs National Park, will help safeguard our national park for generations to come.
Every dollar you give will be matched to double its impact. Contributions will fund vital programs, protect this incredible wilderness, and preserve its beauty and biodiversity. Thank you for honoring Voyageurs National Park and investing in its legacy. Together, we’re ensuring its wonders endure for years to come.
Voyageurs Conservancy is also gearing up to celebrate the park’s 50th anniversary in 2025 and has 50 reasons to help us reach a $50,000 fundraising goal this Give to the Max Day.
Celebrate Voyageurs National Park’s Legacy
1. Voyageurs’ 50th Birthday Celebration – This year we celebrate 50 years of Voyageurs National Park’s establishment. We reflect on a half-century of parkhood and the Indigenous peoples that stewarded the land before us. We take in the present day wonders of the park—big lakes and dark skies. And we look to the future, envisioning a park that is protected and accessible for generations. A future that we can only ensure with your help. Voyageurs Conservancy will host a series of events and programs to come together to celebrate and steward our National Park and create a vision for the next 50 years together.
2. Minnesota’s Dark Sky Park – In 2020, Voyageurs earned International Dark Sky Park Certification from DarkSky International. It’s no wonder that Voyageurs is consistently ranked a top destination for “The Best Northern Lights Viewing in the Lower 48.” Your support protects one of the park’s most magical, awe-inspiring natural resources and all of the measures that help us maintain this Dark Sky Park certification.
3. Voyageurs’ All-New Crane Lake Visitor Center – The park is opening a new visitor center in 2025. That means new educational installations, a new park store, recruiting volunteers, and a new facility at the Crane Lake gateway to Voyageurs National Park!
Foster Community Connection and Involvement
4. Community Engagement Programming – Guided hikes, Park After Dark programs, Junior Angler Programs, and more! Your contributions support events for the Voyageurs community to connect to their park and gather across the state.
5. Teen Ambassador Program – For over 10 years this award-winning program has brought youth into the park for overnight experiences. This year, Voyageurs Conservancy worked with local Indigenous communities to bring teens and elders into the park for a multi-day overnight experience in the park.
6. Member Events – Our annual Member Breakfast, community meet-ups, and more! We’re planning gatherings for our supporters across the state for our 50th anniversary in 2025.
7. Ranger Programs – You help provide funds for ranger-led programming and public engagement, like guided hikes, fishing experiences, and geology lessons.
8. Voyageurs Annual Star Party – Our annual three day astronomy festival is gaining national recognition with attendees all the way from Texas and Puerto Rico last year. In 2025, contributions will help our Star Party shine bigger and brighter than ever before as we celebrate Voyageurs 50th anniversary.
9. Volunteering – Provides ways for individuals, communities, and businesses to give back by joining with hands-on conservation projects and events.
10. Artist-In-Residence Program – In 2024, Voyageurs National Park hosted an artist-in-residence to help tie our public lands with the arts. The artist hosted several in-park events and plans to debut his symphony piece in celebration of the 50th anniversary.
11. Park-After-Dark Programs – Led by a Conservancy Dark Sky Expert, the Conservancy hosts night sky community education programs every week in the summer months.
12. Annual Photo Contest – Voyageurs Conservancy shares beautiful photos across our website, social channels, and other promotional materials thanks to talented visitors and photographers who enter our contest.
13. Adventure Tourism – Our park supports and promotes safe, enjoyable opportunities for boating, paddling, camping, fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and more.
Bring Our National Park to a New Generation
14. In-Park Field Trips – This year, the Conservancy hosted nearly 1,000 local students in the park for field experiences, allowing them to explore Voyageurs National Park in a new way and learn new skills like snowshoeing and animal tracking.
15. Voyageurs Mobile Classroom – Debuting in 2023, Voyageurs Mobile Classroom has reached thousands of students in Northeast Minnesota. This year, help drive our efforts further by expanding to the Twin Cities and beyond.
16. Field Fellows Program – This program provides a paid opportunity for future leaders to break into the conservation field and make an important contribution to our public lands. The Conservancy funds dozens of Field Fellows to work on important park projects like environmental education, aquatic ecology, the Voyageurs Wolf Project and more.
17. Education Livestreams – Our livestreams have already brought Voyageurs National Park to 50,000+ students across the nation. Help bring our park to even more schools.
18. Teacher Workshops – Voyageurs Conservancy provides retreat opportunities, workshops, and professional resources for educators to encourage them to bring Minnesota’s National Park into their classrooms.
Protect Woods, Waters, and Skies
19. Vital Wildlife Habitat Restoration – Conserve vital habitats for threatened species like moose, wolves, fish, and migratory birds.
20. Biodiversity Protection – Contributions help protect the diversity of native flora from invasive species and human impact. Conservancy-funded field fellows have helped NPS restore hundreds of acres of wetlands and wild rice beds.
21. Wildlife Research – Support groundbreaking wildlife studies on animals like wolves and walleye that help us understand species behavior, ecosystem health, and future management.
22. Scenic Beauty Preservation – Keep Voyageurs National Park one of the most picturesque and unique places in the country.
23. Fisheries – The Conservancy's summer field fellows worked on important fish population surveys to gain a better understanding about the health of the park's interior lakes.
24. Minnesota’s Unique Backwoods – Your contribution makes one of Minnesota’s wildest places thrive. Help preserve the park’s ecosystem for a safe and accessible experience.
25. Aquatic Invasive Species Control – From invasive cattails and zebra mussels, Voyageurs Conservancy works with the National Park Service to remove and prevent invasive species in the park.
26. Eagle Protection – Eagles are a species that our country nearly lost in the 1960’s – our Voyageurs Field Fellows help with eagle banding and research to ensure they are never threatened again.
27. Backcountry Preservation – Voyageurs National Park safeguards some of the most unique, remote, and untouched areas that are critical for wildlife and solitude.
28. Water Quality Protection – Voyageurs National Park protects 84,000 acres of pristine waters, including five large lakes, 26 interior lakes, and other wetlands throughout our water-based national park.
29. Biodiversity – Voyageurs National Park safeguards diverse ecosystems, from swampy wetlands and large lakes to boreal forests, your support helps us keep them all pristine.
30. Environmental Policy – Voyageurs Conservancy advocates for policies that protect the park and the environment.
Connect with Communities and Culture
31. Indigenous Education – The Conservancy and National Park Service engage with Indigenous communities ensuring a future where our education programs and park interpretation are more inclusive of Ojibwe stories past and present.
32. Diverse Voices – From “Women in Science” programs to bringing Indigenous Communities to the park, Voyageurs Conservancy is proud to promote park access for all people.
33. Tribal Community Collaboration – Our staff works with both American and Canadian Indigenous communities to help manage and make decisions about the future of our public lands.
34. Voyageurs’ Local Gateway Community Support – Voyageurs Conservancy works with local communities and businesses to promote sustainable tourism, economic benefits, and community engagement.
35. Local Conservation Partnerships – Voyageurs Conservancy collaborates with fellow non-profit organizations, government agencies, and Indigenous tribes to expand our conservation impact. We serve as a voice on a regional and national level for collaboration.
Invest in the Future
36. Wildfire Preparedness – As the threat of wildfires spreads across the country, help keep Voyageurs National Park safe by investing in healthy forests.
37. Climate Change Mitigation – Help implement climate-smart, resilient practices within the park.
38. Accessibility Improvements – Help us work toward making the park facilities and events safe and accessible for people of all abilities.
39. Voyageurs Conservancy Staff – Your aid allows the Conservancy to recruit and maintain our amazing team. We’ve grown a lot in the past few years, and we want to keep it that way!
Invest in the Future Access and Visitor Experience
40. Recreation Access– Help keep hiking, boat launches, winter trails and backcountry accessible for year-round adventure.
41. Sustainable Infrastructure – Contribute to eco-friendly developments, such as investments in solar power, waste management, and sustainable building.
42. Historic Preservation – From Kettle Falls and the Jun Fujita Cabin to Ellsworth Rock Gardens, NPS and Voyageurs Conservancy help preserve and restore historic sites and artifacts within the park.
43. Visitor Experience – Your support improves amenities, boat launches, visitor centers, trails, campsites, houseboat sites and day-use sites for a better park experience.
44. Land Protection – In 2024, the Conservancy helped add 51 more acres to the 218,000 acre national park. Protecting land through acquisition leaves a lasting legacy for our park.
45. A Voice for the Park – Conservancy acts as a watchdog and advocate, ensuring the protection of the park for future generations.
46. “Leave No Trace” Ethics – Both Voyageurs Conservancy and the National Park Service aim to educate visitors on responsible recreation practices.
47. Night Sky Protections – Voyageurs Conservancy monitors light levels and prioritizes dark-sky friendly infrastructure to minimize light pollution.
48. Mental Health – National Parks all over the country promote healthy outdoor activities for both mental and physical wellness.
Create a Legacy for the Next 50 Years
49. Your Own Legacy in the Park – Supporting Voyageurs Conservancy is a way to contribute to a lasting legacy in conservation for future park stewards.
50. Wild Spaces for Future Generations – Help Voyageurs Conservancy ensure Minnesota’s national park remains a sanctuary for the next 50 years and many more generations to enjoy.
Join us in celebrating 50 years of Voyageurs National Park next year in 2025, and investing in our park’s future. Together, we can continue to protect, connect, and inspire for many years to come.
Have a story or memory to share from the past 50 years? Email us at fifty@voyageurs.org – we’d love to hear how Voyageurs has made an impact on you!
