Agate

Wonders of the Near North

Wonders of the near north.
  • Home
  • About Agate
  • Archive
  • Donate

Working with fire, traditionally

By Stephanie Hemphill | October 3, 2021 |

A new short film, Oshkigin: Spirit of Fire, shows the traditional controlled burning practices of the Anishinaabe people. These small burns help prevent wildfires from getting out of hand.

Filed Under: An Agate Original, Forestry, Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Nature, Photography, Policy, Resource Management, Science, wildlife Tagged With: Nature, Northern Minnesota, policy, resource management

Book Review: Sustaining Lake Superior by Nancy Langston

By Stephanie Hemphill | March 28, 2018 |

Recent history offers lessons about how to clean up and protect the Greatest Lake.

Filed Under: Agate Book Review, History, Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Resource Management Tagged With: Lake Superior, resource management

“Indian Country is clearing its throat”

By Stephanie Hemphill | November 1, 2017 |

Winter on the St. Louis River. Photo by Ivy Vainio

Tribes are working on many fronts to push Minnesota to do a better job of protecting the environment.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Resource Management, Science, Water quality Tagged With: conservation, environmental review, Lake Superior, mining, Nature, Northern Minnesota, policy, resource management, rivers, St. Louis River, tribes

Adaptation as Acceptance: Toward a New Normal in the Northwoods

By Meredith Cornett, Director of Conservation Science, The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota | September 26, 2017 |

In northern Minnesota, most tree planting takes place in the early spring. Here, quaking aspen are surrounded by white spruce and balsam fir. Photo ©2017/Christian Dalbeck Photography

The inside view from a conservation biologist

Filed Under: Climate Change, Forestry, Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Resource Management Tagged With: conservation, forestry, Nature, Northern Minnesota, resource management

Diary of a mad tree planter

By Stephanie Hemphill | July 8, 2017 |

Planting a mix of young trees in anticipation of losing our black ash.Photo by Stephanie Hemphill

Northern Minnesota landowners prepare for the arrival of the Emerald ash borer.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Insects, Resource Management Tagged With: conservation, forestry, Nature, resource management

Book Review: The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan

By Stephanie Hemphill | May 21, 2017 |

A vivid history and sober analysis of the many threats the Great Lakes face.

Filed Under: Agate Book Review, Fish, Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Research, Resource Management, Water quality Tagged With: Great Laks, Lake Superior, resource management

Dueling lawsuits over Minntac permit

By Stephanie Hemphill | February 22, 2017 |

Minntac mine. Photo courtesy wikimedia commons by Bjoertvedt

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is at the center of lawsuits over a long-delayed water quality permit for the Minntac taconite mine.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Resource Management, Water quality Tagged With: environmental review, mining, Northern Minnesota, resource management, rivers

Minnesota tweaks wild rice rule

By Stephanie Hemphill | August 7, 2016 |

Seeding wild rice in the St. Louis River. Photo by Cheryl Katz. Used with permission.

Minnesota adjusts a formula designed to protect wild rice waters from sulfate pollution.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Research, Resource Management, Science, Water quality Tagged With: Northern Minnesota, resource management

Minnesota puts taconite mine permitting “on pause”

By Stephanie Hemphill | May 9, 2016 |

U.S. Steel's Minntac mine near Virginia, MN has a permit that expired in 1992. Photo: Creative Commons.

As the federal government investigates whether it should take away Minnesota’s authority to regulate industry, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says it has put most mining permit activities “on pause.”

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Regional Environmental News, Resource Management, Water quality Tagged With: Economy, environmental review, mining, Northern Minnesota, policy, resource management

Efforts to restore wild rice in the St. Louis River face challenges

By Stephanie Hemphill | April 25, 2016 |

A healthy stand of wild rice, Zizania palustris, at harvest time. Ojibwe people call this important activity “manoominike.” The standing partner uses the “gaandakii’igan” (push pole) to get around and the seated partner uses the “bawa’iganaakoog” (knocking sticks) to collect the rice. Photo by Cheryl Katz.

Efforts to restore wild rice in the St. Louis River estuary face potential challenges from carp, Canada geese, and sulfate pollution from upstream taconite mines.

Filed Under: Homepage Bottom Features, Homepage Top Feature, Issues, Resource Management, Uncategorized, Water quality Tagged With: Lake Superior, Northern Minnesota, resource management, St. Louis River, tribes

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Welcome

A magazine about nature, science and conservation in Minnesota and the surrounding Great Lakes Region.

Getting Acquainted

Take our Reader Survey

Subscribe By Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Agate and receive notifications of new posts. Subscribing is free.

Please Support Agate

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in