Working together to sustain and celebrate the lakes, forests and communities on the Ontario-Minnesota border
2011 International Community Congress–The Next Steps
Balancing Nature & Commerce in Communities that Neighbor Public Lands along the Minnesota/Ontario Border
The work of the International Community Congress now moves into the implementation phase, as the teams begin to implement their action plans. Ten community teams came together for four days in October 2011 to create new projects that take advantage of the incredible natural resources of the area and to develop workable action plans to improve the sustainability of both their community’s individual economy and the public lands in the broader Heart of the Continent region. More about the ongoing results of the Congress »
An International Treasure!
Spanning the international border between northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario lies an international treasure: the largest expanse of public greenspace in the heart of North America.
This 5.5 million acre (2.2 million hectares) landscape comprises a blend of working forest, rugged scenery, pristine watersheds, abundant wildlife and outstanding biodiversity. Several separately managed natural areas are encompassed by this ecosystem at the “heart of the continent,” including Quetico Provincial Park, Superior National Forest (including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness), Voyageurs National Park, Grand Portage National Monument and numerous Minnesota state forest lands and parks and Ontario provincial parks. (See map.)
Heart of the Continent Partnership
The Heart of the Continent Partnership is a Canadian/American coalition of land managers and local stakeholders working together on cross-border projects that promote the economic, cultural and natural health of the lakes, forests and communities on the Ontario/Minnesota border. From out of a broad collection of separate entities, the partnership is seeking to develop a common identity and sense of belonging to the larger cross-border area.