Tuesday Group

Tuesday Group presentation on forest fire behavior and tree mortality from Lee Frelich in Ely, Minnesota on October 5, 2012. Lee Frelich is the Director of University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology and an Institute on the Environment Fellow. Crown fires kill almost all trees, while surface fires may kill trees by scorching them at the base of the trunk, or by scorching the foliage. Using boreal forests of the BWCAW as examples, we will see what factors determine crown versus surface fire, how surface fires sometimes scar or kill trees, and how fire behavior interacts with and influences the tree species composition of forests.

Senator Kunesh is the co-chair of the Minnesota Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Taskforce. In a Tuesday Group presentation on October 12, 2021, Senator Kunesh provided information about the task force results and recommendations as well as the magnitude of the issue in Northeastern Minnesota, the Midwest and the entire nation. Thumbnail artwork by Shaun Chosa.

October 26, 2021 Tuesday Group: Understanding the current public comment period regarding mining on federal lands around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Becky Rom, National Chair of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, presents on a recent Biden administration announcement that it has filed an application for a 20-year ban on sulfide-ore copper mining on federal public lands in the watershed of the BWCAW. Becky will also explain a current 90-day public comment period on the proposal to ban mining on federal lands around the Boundary Waters.

Tuesday Group on November 2, 2021 featured John Bennet, who presented Creating Welcoming Communities: Bringing in new residents is vital to ensure the future of our rural communities in northeast Minnesota. Recruitment of residents is especially important in a tight labor market. It’s not sufficient to show new potential residents the job, they must envision their life there. John's presentation focused on activities and methods that the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality has been tackling over the past decade in communities all across the state. The talk highlights recent research on community development, economic development, and tourism that demonstrate that communities need to think about why creating welcoming communities is critical for the success of our towns and regions. This presentation includes an introduction by David Miller, as well as comments from two new northeastern Minnesota residents -- Rachelle and Sully, who recently moved to Makinen from northern California. About John Bennett: John has been providing Community Economics programming for the Center for Community Vitality since 2007. John has a background in public finance, community development and city and regional planning. As a Community Economics Educator, John delivers programs that address technology adoption, business and industry climate, food access, economic impact analysis, tourism issues, market and consumer analysis, public finance, and Internet literacy. In addition, he is involved with several collaborative economic development initiatives in the Arrowhead region in northeastern Minnesota.

This Tuesday Group presentation addresses local responses to climate change. Visitors from St. Anthony Park, a St. Paul neighborhood, discuss how how their community is fostering a transition from fossil-fueled systems to more sustainable ways of life. Transition Town - All St. Anthony Park (TransitionASAP.org) is part of a worldwide network of communities that are thinking globally and collaborating locally to mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects. Their motto: Smaller footprint, stronger community. Speakers include Tim Wulling, a retired from an engineering career and a founding participant in Transition ASAP. Marilyn Benson is a mostly retired spiritual director and pastoral psychotherapist whose concern for her grandchildren and all children motivates her participation in Transition Town. Mindy Keskinen is a freelance editor who also manages communications for the Transition Town ASAP group.

Tuesday Group on January 4, 2022 featured Cindy Smyka, Executive Director of the Ely Area Tourism Bureau. Cindy has a Bachelors degree in Tourism & Hospitality, as well as a Masters degree in Sustainable Tourism Development. In her presentation she provides an overview of the mission and work of the tourism bureau, as well as insights into new initiatives.

Laura Kiniry is an an award-winning freelance journalist specializing in travel, food, and culture, and the writer behind Smithsonian's "Best Small Towns to Visit 2021" -- which, you may recall, included our beloved Ely. Though based in San Francisco, CA (and originally from New Jersey), Laura finds stories all over the globe: from tracking down the diehard fans of the former East Germany's beloved Trabant automobile, to delving into the Sami Tradition of Reading Snow. She writes regularly for Smithsonianmag.com, Condé Nast Traveler, BBCTravel, and various AAA publications, among many others. Occasionally, she also harvests olives in southern Italy. In her Tuesday Group presentation, Laura discussed how Ely became one of Smithsonian's Best Small Towns 2021, and other insights from her experience as a travel writing pro.

Lori Linkous of the Behavioral Health Network spoke to Tuesday Group on January 18, 2022 to inform us about the Ely Public School District Behavioral Health Literacy Curriculum currently being implemented within grades 6-12. Lori reminds us that mental health is health. The Behavioral Health Network is a group of organizations that work together to help the community focus on mental health and resources; it is a program initiated by the community care team. The Behavioral Health Network falls under the umbrella of Wellbeing Development, and is housed in the lower level of the former bowling alley building on Camp Street in Ely, Minnesota.

Tuesday Group on January 25, 2022 featured Jeff Forester, Program Manager of the Civic Coalition to Prevent Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Spread into the BWCAW. You may also recognize Jeff as the author of the book The Forest for the Trees: How Humans Shaped the North Woods. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) Coalition was formed to discover, design and maintain a comprehensive plan to prevent additional Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) from flowing into the BWCAW through the Rainy River Headwaters access points. The Coalition grew out discussions between BWCAW recreationalists, sportsmen/anglers and active members of area lake associations. Outside of the governing members, representatives of the DNR, USFS, Minnesota Sea Grant, 1854 Treaty Authority, Lake County/NSLSCD and Quetico Provincial Park have actively participated in our discussions and are key partners in the implementation of any solutions. The purpose of the coalition is to develop the civic imagination, leadership, and infrastructure needed to organize sustainable partnerships between government and community with the capacity to address the complex public policy of Aquatic Invasive Species spread in America's premier water wilderness.