News Release

2017 Bald Eagle Nesting Areas Reopened In Voyageurs National Park

Date: August 8, 2017
Contact: Tawnya Schoewe, 218-283-6670
Contact: Steve Windels, 218-283-6692

International Falls, MN: Five (5) of the park’s 276 developed visitor use camping and houseboat sites that were affected by temporary closures in May to protect bald eagle nesting pairs are now reopened for public use.
 
The areas affected by the temporary closures reopened for public use were at:
Kabetogama Lake – Happy Landing Campsite (K-11), Camelback Island Campsite (K-3), Ek Bay Houseboat Site (K-47), and
Namakan Lake – Hamilton Bay Campsite (N-11) and Sexton Is. Campsite (N-62).
 
Voyageurs National Park natural resource managers follow the conservation management actions of the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Management Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668c, 1940 as amended). Each year since 1992, the park has temporarily closed the land and water areas around active bald eagle nests to visitor use during their critical nesting periods. 
 
Voyageurs National Park completed the 45^th annual bald eagle productivity survey in late July. Within the boundaries of Voyageurs, 103 nests were surveyed, of which 29 were occupied by breeding eagles that laid eggs. These nests produced at least 26 eagle chicks that survived to fledging. 
 
2017 marks the first time since 1973 that former park biologist Lee Grim has not completed the eagle survey for the park. The National Park Service and Voyageurs National Park extend our deepest appreciation for his long-term efforts to preserve and protect wildlife in the greater Voyageurs National Park ecosystem.
 
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 417  national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.