The 10 Public Lands We’re on the Verge of Losing

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in Minnesota is a 1 million-acre pristine boreal forest surrounding glacial lakes and streams. It is the traditional homeland of the Anishinaabe people and a popular wilderness destination. However, the BWCAW is under threat from a proposed copper-nickel mine by Twin Metals, a subsidiary of Chilean mining company Antofagasta. In January, the House of Representatives voted to overturn the Biden administration's 20-year mining moratorium on 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest near the BWCAW. This clears the way for Twin Metals to re-apply for state and federal permits to operate the mine, which could pollute the watershed and impact the wilderness area. The campaign group Save the Boundary Waters is leading the fight to protect the BWCAW from this mining threat, using political advocacy, science, education, and litigation. If the mine is approved, it could create a path of toxic pollution from the mine site downstream through the BWCAW, north to Voyageurs National Park, and into Canada. The consequences would be devastating for the region's ecosystems, wildlife, and local communities that rely on the wilderness for recreation and sustenance. Conservation groups and local advocates are urging the public to get involved and speak up to protect this iconic American landscape.