Encompassing 2 million acres of land in Northern Minnesota and Ontario, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and Quetico Provincial Park are some of the last true wilderness areas left in the world. With unique wildlife and serene landscape, one can only dream of visiting such places. But this pristine wilderness is under attack.

For the last year, the BWCA has been struggling to win a battle over sulfide mining. Sulfide mining is the extraction of sulfide ores and other metals out of the ground which leads to hazardous waste that contaminates lakes, rivers, groundwater, fish, other wildlife and damages the multiple ecosystems there.

The BWCA contains a variety of valuable ecosystems such as boreal forests and wetlands. It also affects human health by contaminating the food and fish people eat as well as the water that those who live and visit there drink.

There are many reasons why sulfide mining in the BWCA should not be permitted, but some will say that it’s a good thing. The addition of sulfide mining would greatly help the iron ore industry, therefore creating many jobs for those living in Minnesota. It has been argued that the two companies fighting to mine there (Twin Metals and PolyMet) will improve their tactics and awareness while mining in the protected wilderness.

However, Nevada, New Mexico and Montana have all dealt with the harmful effects of sulfide mining, as seen in their polluted streams, lakes, rivers and mercury contamination in fish and wildlife. If they started sulfide mining near the BWCA, the harmful waste would be irreversible and the cleanup efforts would take years. In addition, the cleanup would be very costly.

Every year, the BWCA attracts over 250,000 visitors, including students from LT. For the last two years, I have had some of the best experiences while in the BWCA.  Like most, I fell in love with the BWCA the moment I laid eyes on it. Both trips were with my dad and brother. They enjoyed the long days paddling through marshes and across serine lakes, just as I did. The only method of travel in the BWCA is by canoe, and there are no buildings or cell towers. This leaves much of the land untouched and unspoiled, enhancing the experience.

The best part about my trips up to the BWCA was the solitude and lack of stress that everyday life brings. I believe it brought out the best in my dad, brother and I and it brought us closer together by connecting us with the wilderness and temporarily being self-reliant. I hope others are able to have the great experiences I have had in the BWCA, but the risk of sulfide mining will continue to threaten unless we join together to save the BWCA by opposing sulfide mining. Sign the petition against sulfide mining here- https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/