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Boundary Waters Canoe Area History Center
1958-1975 History
1960, Timber Interests
Press for more timber availability in National Forests.
1960, Congress
Passes Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act which established multiple use concept in National
Forests and directed Ag. Sec. to promote logging up to the level of sustained yield.
1961, Congress
Authorizes an additional $2,000,000 for land acquisition (Extension of Thye-Blatnik Act).
1964, Congress
Passes Wilderness Act. (Humphrey inserts Paragraph 4(d)(5) "multiple use language
from 1948 F.S. plan into Act. Forest Service testifies in favor of this insertion.
Conservationists oppose. Act passes with language in. Another landmark Bill.
1964, Dept. of Ag.
Freeman appoints Selke Committee to study and recommend changes in BWCA management.
1965, Dept. of Ag.
Freeman issues 13 Directives on BWCA use derived from Selke Committee. Recommendations generally increasing no-cut areas, providing motorboat zoning, limiting
snowmobiling and setting up visitor registration.
1965, Citizens
Demonstrate against Directive in Ely with a parade of logging trucks.
1964, Forest Service
Supervisor Neff decrees that snowmobiles are winter motor boats and thus may use same
routes as motor boats.
1966-7, Industrialists
Copper-Nickel prospecting increases outside BWCA.
1968, Industrialists
INCO develops exploratory mine near Birch Lake, south of Ely. St. Clair starts prospecting
in BWCA.
1969, Conservationists
IWLA brings suit against Sec. of Ag., State and St. Clair to halt prospecting.
1969, Congress
Passes National Environmental Policy Act to encourage productive harmony between man and
his environment.
1971, State
Passes Act establishing right of State to regulate use of watercraft on State controlled
waters.
1972, Executive
Nixon issues Executive Order prohibiting use of snowmobiles and recreational
vehicles in wilderness areas.
1972, Forest Service
Forest Supervisor Anderson publishes informational document in advance of official
management plan of 1974.
1973, Outfitters
Suggest "can ban" to Forest Service to help keep wilderness clean--reduce burden
on Forest Service.
1973, Courts
Federal District Court (Judge Neville) prohibits mining in BWCA.
1973, Conservationists
MPIRG brings suit to halt cutting of virgin forest in BWCA. Conservationists press
to stop logging.
1974, Courts
8th District Court of Appeals reverses Neville decision. Mining again permissible.
1974, Forest Service
Regional Supervisor, Cravens, issues new Management Plan continuing logging, motors, etc.
in BWCA.
1975, Courts
Federal District Court (Judge Lord) bans logging of virgin timber.
1975, Forest Service
Advises Congressman Oberstar on BWCA bill.
1975, Congress
Oberstar introduces new BWCA bill including extensive NRA concept which excludes 400,000
acres from wilderness.
1975, Conservationists
Agitate against Oberstar Bill. Plead for bill to protect wilderness.
1975, Forest Service
Extends snowmobile usage in BWCA through 1975-1976 season.
Conservationists appeal snowmobile usage.
Written by H.C. Johnson, M.L.
Heinselman, E.M. Sitz.
An outline of Boundary Waters
Canoe Area History
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