August was full of Piping Plover habitat site improvements at the Wisconsin Point Bird Sanctuary. Mikayla Erickson, Piping Plover Project Leader, welcomed multiple groups including members from the Moose Lake LOONS, Master Naturalists, and SLRA members and staff to help remove and bag invasive plant materials, helping reduce the seed bank for next year’s shorebird season.

We are excited to share that we have hired Mikayla Erickson to be our National Water Trail Coordinator!

Join the St. Louis River Alliance and Valerie Ross Zhaawendaagozikwe on Saturday, September 15th from 1-2:30 p.m. for a Fall River Connection Plant Walk. Come with us as we explore the diverse flora of Thomson Reservoir, learning about the plants, their characteristics and uses, and how to sustainably harvest them so they stick around for us and future generations. This will not be a foraging walk, but rather an opportunity to connect with and build appreciation for all that grows throughout the estuary.

This class is free and open to the public, but registration is greatly appreciated. Please register at: https://forms.gle/rNvJznDsWaE2gvtV7

The St. Louis River Alliance is excited to invite you to a free, family-friendly Annual Canoe + Paddle Trip! This cherished tradition returns on Wednesday, September 11th, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Munger Landing Public Access (Clyde Avenue, Duluth). Come explore one of the newly designated routes of the stunning St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail and see the many improvements at Munger Landing. Whether you’re a new or seasoned paddler, this trip is a fantastic chance to immerse yourself in the river’s breathtaking beauty.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Click here to learn about current project updates for August 2024.

Join the St. Louis River Alliance for a free, family-friendly River Connection Train Ride on Thursday, September 5th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hop on board the historic Lake Superior Mississippi Railroad and travel west with spectacular views of the St. Louis River.

Space is limited and registration is necessary.

On Sunday, August 4th the St. Louis River Alliance, in partnership with the UMD Recreation Sports Outdoor Program, took out a small group of paddlers to sea kayak the St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail. Many were beginners, a few folks who just moved to town, and a handful of others were locals looking to meet new people.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to UMD Recreation Sports Outdoor Program for being fantastic partners by providing the gear and expertise to keep us safe on the water.

We are thrilled to be a part of the Woodstock Bay Celebration in Superior Wisconsin on Thursday, September 5 from 12-1:30 p.m.

As the community adopters of the Woodstock Bay Public Landing, the Alliance can't wait to celebrate this re-envisioned stop along the St. Louis River Estuary National Water Trail!

Following a brief ceremony, we invite you to experience the newly improved launch area with complimentary St. Louis River Alliance kayaks to try, and enjoy live music in the newly constructed pavilion. Due to limited parking at the launch site, we encourage you to carpool, bike, paddle, or find street parking nearby.

Terry McCarthy, artist of joyinfused22 earrings, along with Siiviis Gallery will be donating all of Terry’s earring proceeds to the St. Louis River Alliance now until September 2024.

Terry makes his earrings out of paper, wood, bark, cones, hammered metal wire… He hand harvests dead branches, always looking for interesting colors and features. Then he cuts slices, hand sands them, and finish with oil and beeswax or water-based polyurethane. What comes from it is a unique, beautiful piece of art.  Stop in and treat yourself while helping a good cause!

The St. Louis River Alliance is grateful to be the recipient of this month’s Round Up initiative at Earth Rider Brewery + Cedar Lounge Taproom. This is a simple way to support our important work of protecting, restoring, and enhancing the St. Louis River all while enjoying good brew, company, and music.

Thank you Earth Rider + the Cedar Lounge for the opportunity, happy sipping, singing, and hanging out.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Beginner Paddling + Water Safety Event this past Wednesday, July 24. We had a perfect Duluth day and couldn't have asked for better weather!

We want to give a big thank you to UMD Recreation Sports Outdoor Program (RSOP) for providing all of the gear and expertise, to our friends at Team River Runner Duluth for being additional safety boat volunteers, and to Barb Huberty with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for sharing about the Area of Concern Projects that have helped clean-up this portion of the estuary and the improvements that have been made at Munger Landing. 

Mikayla Erickson led a team on July 18th, consisting of five volunteers and four SLRA Seasonal Monitors, at the Piping Plover Habitat on Wisconsin Point removing debris and clearing the shoreline. Fox21 covered the story, learn more about this project and hear from SLRA staff and volunteers on the efforts.

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Click here to learn about current project updates for July.

The St. Louis River Alliance is seeking two dedicated individuals to serve as National Water Trail Neighborhood Leaders to help create strong relationships and connections to the St. Louis River. The goal is to foster community engagement and awareness of the National Water Trail by promoting organizational events and river access points, and resources related to the trail. These positions report to the National Water Trail Coordinator.

Calling all volunteers! Come lend a hand however your schedule allows and join the St. Louis River Alliance on Thursday, July 11th and/or Friday, July 12th from 2:00-6:00 PM.

During this volunteer maintenance day, we will be handling non-local invasive species such as spotted knapweed and possibly tansy in the piping plover nesting and other targeted areas on Wisconsin Point Bird Sanctuary. If the wind and weather cooperates, we will be managing the invasives by burning them on site.

More information click, HERE.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our free Beginner Birding River Connection Event on Monday, June 24th! We had perfect weather for learning some techniques of how to properly identify birds in the estuary using all of our senses; listening to the calls; looking at beaks, plumage, wingspan, silhouettes; noticing habitat and what season it is. 

A special thank you to Margie and Mary from Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory for leading the teachings and to Barb with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for sharing about the Area of Concern projects that have made this part of the river cleaner and safer to recreate on and near. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Annual Spring Cleanup in Superior. This year we tackled Billings Drive from the Superior Municipal Forest Disc Golf Parking Lot all the way to Highway 105. We rescued a twin mattress and a few half filled garbages bags of litter. We appreciate the new and returning faces who show up to help keep our woods and water clean. A special thank you to our partners City of Superior for providing the cleanup buckets, bags, and pickers! 🌲☀️💧🐢

Join the St. Louis River Alliance and UMD Recreation Sports Outdoor Program (UMD RSOP) on Wednesday, July 24th from 5:00-7:30 p.m. for a hands-on, free Beginner Paddling & Water Safety River Connection event hosted at Munger Landing (Clyde Ave, Duluth, MN 55808). All gear will be provided including life jackets, canoes, and paddles. No prior paddle experience necessary.

Space is limited and registration is necessary. Register by July 19 at 4 p.m. REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/HoJED3idmZHpRYNLA

Many projects are happening to help clean-up and delist the St. Louis River Area of Concern. Click here to learn about current project updates for June.

With warmer weather and open water, paddle season is upon us! Whether you are new to recreating on the Estuary or have been at it for a while, you owe it to yourself to make sure you are aware of the appropriate level of safety for the activity and conditions you are participating in.

Our friends at Wisconsin Sea Grant have put together an incredible resource and website to help you Enjoy the St. Louis River Safely.