News Release

Cattail Removal Continues in Voyageurs National Park

Date: July 3, 2025
Contact: Katherine Severson
Contact: Haley Smith

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. – From July through October 2025 Voyageurs National Park staff and contractors will resume work removing areas of invasive, hybrid cattail in wetlands within the park. The work includes grinding up mats of floating cattails with a specialized cutting machine and removing the debris using a harvesting barge. The removed plant debris will be deposited on shore, where it will be spread out and left to decay naturally. Some areas of treated wetlands will also be re-seeded with a native aquatic plant mix.

Hybrid cattails have invaded approximately 500 acres of wetlands in Voyageurs, outcompeting important native and diverse plant communities. This long-term project will improve habitat for wildlife, provide enhanced opportunities for fishing, and help restore wetlands to more ecologically diverse, natural states. More information on the project can be found at: https://go.nps.gov/voya/wetlands

Initial efforts will focus on treating problematic floating mats in the Irwin Bay on Kabetogama Lake. Once completed, the work will shift to areas in Black Bay Narrows and Cranberry Bay on Rainy Lake.

Removal operations will only occur during daylight hours. The specialized grinding machine may produce noticeable noise. Treatment areas will be blocked off with containment booms to avoid floating debris from spreading to other portions of the lakes during contract work. Park visitors are reminded to avoid entering recently treated wetlands by boat or other watercraft to avoid getting stuck or damaging motors as these areas are naturally shallow, mucky, and will contain remnant cattail debris. Follow-up removals will be repeated this summer as necessary to remove any remaining debris.

The Voyageurs Wetland Restoration Project is funded by a variety of organizations including the Outdoor Heritage Fund as part of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment, Minnesota Environment and Natural Resource Trust Fund, The Voyageurs Conservancy, The National Park Foundation, Clean Air Act Settlement Fund, and the National Park Service.