Indigenous peoples have used fire as a land caretaking tool since time immemorial. A team facilitated by MP50 involved in a project called "Returning the Spirit of Good Fire to Minnesota Point," plans to conduct a 17-acre prescribed burn on Minnesota Point between the beginning of March and the end of May, if conditions are suitable. The burn operations will be led by DNR Scientific and Natural Areas staff with additional crew staffing by the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Forestry and Wildland Fire Program staff, the City of Duluth Fire Department, and other professional wildland fire practitioners. The pine forest on Park Point is fire-dependent – it needs periodic fires for young trees to regenerate and grow. You're invited to one of our upcoming events in March to hear Ojibwe stories about fire, learn more about the project, tour the burn unit, and meet the team working on this important cultural and ecological restoration initiative.
March 5: Ojibwe Storytelling About Fire
Hear stories about fire and Minnesota Point from local Indigenous elders.
- Potluck @ 5:00 p.m.
- Storytelling @ 6:00 p.m. Speakers – Ricky Defoe, Nisogaabokwe Melonee Montano, Mark McConnell & Vern Northrup
March 7: Burn Site Field Trip & Panel Discussion
- Burn Site Field Trip @2:00 – 4:00 p.m. | LOCATION: Meet at Sky Harbor Airport, 5000 Minnesota Ave, Duluth
- Panel Discussion and Q&A @ 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | LOCATION: Lafayette Club, 3016 Minnesota Ave, Duluth
- A livestream of the panel will be available, and a light meal will be provided courtesy of the Park Point resident community.
The project partners have planned the following pre-burn event to provide more information and answer questions from the local community. Please complete this form to RSVP (requested but not required), and to submit your questions in advance.
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ALL AGES AND ABILITIES WELCOME.
Contact Abby Andrus, project manager, at