Traditional Landscape

Traditional Landscape. . , Centuries of fire helped shape the forest we enjoy today. Scientists examining sediment cores from lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness found pollen and charcoal dating all the way back to the retreat of the glaciers. They noted that fire occurred regularly, and that fire has been an important factor in determining the composition of the forest for at least the past 10,000 years. , Forests are important to the people of Minnesota, in ways that seem to transcend economics and aesthetics. There is a growing body of research showing the benefits of forests for the physical and emotional well-being of all people. , Traditionalists among Minnesota's Ojibwe people note a spiritual significance, a connection, with natural forest lands, fostering a sense of stewardship that is considered a personal commitment to conserve and protect forest resources for future generation. , Fire has been used as a land management tool by Native Americans for centuries. Over the years, anthropologists have documented over 70 different uses of controlled fire, including clearing travel routes, pest control, and enhancement of harvestable plants. Fire was used to both drive and attract game herds. Zebulon Pike wrote of witnessing this practice along the Mississippi River in 1805. , Back in the 1800s, Ojibwe harvesters were observed burning a rocky ridge on Basswood Lake, on the northern border of Minnesota, to improve blueberry production. Members of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe inform us that this form of fire management has been practiced around here for generations as well. , From the 1700s to the present, Ojibwe families have traveled the lakes and harvested a bounty of food, medicine and other resources from the forests and meadows of central Minnesota. Knowledge of harvest skills and locations, as well as fire management philosophy and practice has been handed down through generations. , Clean Water . Healthy Forests . Diverse Recreation.