Daily Schedule

Daily Schedule

The Changing Northwoods: Up-close & Hands-on

August 25-September 1, 2012

Saturday

3-5:00pm - Registration and Check-in at Smitty's on Snowbank. The rustic atmosphere of the Main Lodge will serve as the perfect backdrop to the week’s meals. Lodging is just steps from the crystal clear waters of 4500-acre Snowbank Lake which surrounds the resort on its peninsula. The knotty pine paneled rooms offer views of Snowbank Bay from the dining room and of Rice Island Bay from the suite and cabin. Two-thirds of this lake is actually in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Main Lodge.

6:00pm - Welcome. Main Lodge.

6:30pm - Dinner. Unless otherwise noted, this will be the dinner hour throughout the week. Main lodge.

7:30pm - Introduction to the region. Located on the Canadian Shield, crystalline heart of a continent, this land was created in volcanic fire, endured the weight of repeated ice sheets, played home to some of man’s oldest North American cultures, and is now entrusted with the beauty of a boreal wilderness. Travel with us as we open our program with an overview over 2 billion years in the making.

Sunday

7-9am - Breakfast. Unless otherwise noted, you may eat at your leisure during these hours. Coffee will be served each morning beginning at 6 am. Main Lodge.

9:30am - Overview of the week’s activities

10:00am - The Boreal Forest. Two of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes, the eastern temperate and boreal forests, dance in transition in northeastern Minnesota. Here, glacially carved, pristine lakes serve as southern gateway to the majestic boreal forest, where it begins its circumpolar domination. This is the forest of the Ojibwe, the voyageur, author Sigurd Olson, and modern day polar explorers -- with all the legends they inspire. Beyond that, it is home to the largest population of gray wolves in the Lower 48, as well as moose, loon, and black bear. It attracts and captures outdoor adventurers and naturalists with its biodiversity, sheer vastness, and unparalleled solitude.

Noon - Lunch

1:00pm - Trees and Shrubs. The key to beginning the understanding of the forest is learning the basic components of its structure. We will be in the field with local naturalists indentifying the woody species of the various communities…ranging from upland pine assemblages to the quintessential north woods element: the bog.

4:00pm - Free time

6:30pm - Dinner

8:00pm - Those Who Came Before…New and ongoing research on Knife Lake, a magnificent border lake, seems to indicate that the first peoples to visit and utilize the resources of this region were here just after the last of the Pleistocene Ice Age glaciers retreated. They began the human tradition whose journey more recently included Ojibwe, French fur traders, internationally known naturalists, and miners and loggers. Some left faint footprints upon the land while others made major impacts. Tonight we will discuss man and the Great North Woods.

Monday

7-9am - Breakfast

9:30am - A Fire-Sculpted Forest. Fire is an integral part of the ecology of the boreal forest. A fast moving fire will sweep through, leaving old trees untouched while clearing the understory for new growth. Some species promote fire by having relatively low foliar moisture and high canopy density, as well as sap that is flammable. Fires such as Pagami Creek, although quite spectacular, are completely normal for this area, in terms of behavior and intensity. One of the leading fire ecologists in the country, Dr. Lee Frelich, will define and then join us in our afternoon exploration of the fire-sculpted forest.

Noon - Lunch

1:30pm - Paddle into Impacted Pagami Creek Fire Area. Spirit of the Wilderness guides will lead us into the burn area in canoes to survey the effects of a 100,000 acre forest fire. Experienced guides will assist with paddling basics so no experience required! This is a unique opportunity to visit a burn that went down in the history books! On just one day, in fact in just a few hours, this fire raced sixteen miles…

6:30pm - Dinner

8:00pm - Journaling. For many, the art of observation is a lost skill. Watch the deer, study the wolf, observe the hare….all are consistently in complete synch with their environment. Now think of yourself in the forest, how often do you experience total awareness? Journaling channels energy and thoughts into focusing upon that which you are writing about or illustrating. Journals will be provided.

Tuesday

7-9am - Breakfast

9:30am - Small Creatures of the Forest. While the majesty of the trees is the crown of a forest, it is the network of life that enables its survival. This region is blessed with rich diversity. Birds…Think great gray owl, boreal owl, snowy owl, northern hawk owl, barred owl, long- and short-eared owl, screech owl, saw whet owl, great horned owl…just a few of the 427 species of birds that have been documented in Minnesota. Insects…. A bog mat or forest opening can sometimes literally dazzle with the flit of newly minted dragonfly wings in summer sunshine. There have been over 80 species of dragonflies and damselflies reported from around the Ely area, which includes nearly 25% of the Odonate species known from North America. While only two species of snakes occur this far north, frogs and turtles rejoice in endless aquatic environments. This morning we will be in the field with naturalists looking for the little guys.

Noon - Lunch

1:30pm - Small Plants of Forest and Wetland. Of the 3600 species of lichens found in North America, 700 are found in the North Woods -- making it the most diverse lichen community in all of North America. A rich tapestry of wildflowers thrives in the short warm season including 42 species of orchids documented in the state. Bogs, with their unique acidic habitats, are supported by various species of sphagnum moss and graced by insectivorous plants including sundew and pitcher plant. We will be hiking this afternoon to explore this diversity.

3:00pm - Free Time. The small city of Ely has an incredible amount of amenities considering its size and relaxed atmosphere. The visitor’s center to the newly opened Kawishiwi Ranger District Headquarters is the largest USFS center east of the Mississippi River. Numerous outfitters support the major tourist industries of wilderness travel via canoeing and hiking, fishing, and winter sports. Local artisans join nationally known clothing stores featuring gear and keepsakes made right here in the north woods. Many fine eateries are waiting! The progressive town offers a well-stocked Farmer’s Market open early evening while later the music in the streets is extremely popular with both tourists and locals. Dinner is on your own tab tonight.

9:00pm - Campfire for anyone in camp

Wednesday

7-9am - Breakfast

9:00am - Mammals. The large fauna of this region is well known and studied. Both the International Wolf Center and the International Bear Centers are located in town. Moose, seven species of weasel, and beaver all frequent the region. A wildlife biologist will outline these creatures while we search for signs, sounds, and sightings. We can almost guarantee you will hear at least one howl of a wolf during your week on Snowbank Lake.

Noon - Lunch

1:00pm - Afternoon Expedition. Armed now with knowledge of what to look for, we will hike into a section of the Pagami Creek Fire and look for the return of life. The scouring effect of the fire will also reveal a primordial portion of Earth’s 4.5 billion years of history recorded in rocks at the surface, some over 2 billion years in age. Evidence of volcanoes, lava eruptions in ancient seas, and continental ice sheets over a mile thick etching their mark on the land, were all exposed by the fire. Artifacts of woodland Native American cultures have also emerged from their blanket of vegetation. This outing will be an adventure in discovery.

6:30pm - Dinner

Thursday

6:00am - Bird Walk. While nesting has been mostly completed, you are guaranteed to hear loons and see bald eagles as we search for avian life on a short stroll.

7-9am - Breakfast

9:30am - Fifty Years Out. While we have witnessed the effects of a wildfire just a year old, today we will look at an historic burn area to see how the forest has evolved.

Noon - Sack lunch in the field

6:30pm - Dinner

8:00pm - Entertainment

Friday

7-9am - Breakfast

9:30am - How Does Man Address Fire? Many questions and issues were raised by the historic Pagami Creek burn both in how fire behaves and how it should be managed in a wilderness area. Today, personnel from the US Forest Service Superior National Forest, of which the BWCAW is a part, will address those issues.

Noon - Lunch

1:30pm - The Majesty of the Mature Forest. As our final formal program, we will travel to a mature forest area to witness the ultimate majesty of forest unaltered by human hand. Many factors, fire, succession, habitat, network to create this constantly evolving community. The harmony and beauty enmeshed in this weave will spellbind the observer.

6:30pm - Dinner

8:00pm - Farewell program

Saturday

7-9am - Breakfast

9:00am - Departure