Gunflint Green Up Planting and Other Information

On Saturday, May 2, 2009 join the Gunflint Trail community in the second annual tree planting and release (removing competitive foliage) event and Ham Lake Fire Recovery. Our local seed source red and white pine seedlings have been donated by Quetico-Superior Foundation, purchased by the USDA Forest Service, and purchased with Gunflint Green Up funds from sponsors and participants.

All planting and release sites are within the Superior National Forest and in the area affected by the Ham Lake Fire of May 2007. Planting locations include the vicinities of Trail's End Campground, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center, Kekekabic and Magnetic Rock Trails, Round Lake public landings and the Iron Lake Campground. These are all public lands and participants will be able to visit the trees in the years and decades to come. Participants will be notified of their planting location by email in April.

On May 2rd, we'll begin at 9:30 am with training and planting and releasing instructions at the various sites. We'll have team leaders to help the planters. Access to the planting sites will require hiking with your seedlings and equipment. We anticipate that it will take 3-4 hours to plant 150 trees. A box lunch* will be provided to all participants.

After planting you are invited to our Thank You Dinner* under the Big Top at Gunflint Lodge. A dance* with live music will follow dinner.

Early May is a time of great temperature swings on the Gunflint Trail. Participants should come prepared for all temperature options by dressing in layers. Be prepared for rain or snow and to get dirty!

What to Bring:

• Personal, refillable water bottle
• Sturdy boots
• Gloves for planting
• Warm hat
• Rain gear
• Warm jacket
• Long underwear
• Loppers or pruners (for up to 1" diameter foliage)
• Planting bar (dibble) - if you already own this type of equipment (some planting bars will be available with each team)

* 2009 Registration Rates

• $40.00 weekend registration fee per person for Friday dinner & presentation, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner & dance and t-shirt
• $15.00 Friday dinner, only, per person
• $ 7.00 Saturday lunch, only, per person
• $15.00 Saturday dinner, per person
• $100.00 family registration fee for weekend with 1-2 parents and their children age 16 and under
• $15.00 One T-shirt, picked up during the Gunflint Green Up event May 1-2, 2009
• $20.00 One T-shirt, shipped

Listen to a 2008 podcast interview with Outdoor News editor, Ron Hustvedt and Nancy Seaton.