The Nature Conservancy protects 12,000 acres of northwoods forest
A large expanse of forest and wetland north of Two Harbors will be permanently protected after The Nature Conservancy purchased more than 12,000 acres in Lake County. It’s the environmental non-profit’s largest land acquisition in Minnesota in 25 years.
The property is adjacent to the organization’s existing Sand Lake/Seven Beavers Preserve, creating a combined total of nearly 18,000 acres of protected land. The reserve includes forests, lakes, peatlands, rare plants, and a wide variety of wildlife.
Jim Manolis and Laura Slavsky
Standing near a wild rice-covered lake on a recent visit, Jim Manolis, who directs the Conservancy’s forest strategy and stewardship program for Minnesota and the Dakotas, said the new property fills an important ecological gap.
“This is part of the headwaters of the Rainy River system,” Manolis said. “The water flows north into the Boundary Waters, and it’s critical for clean water. Our property has about 5,000 acres of peatlands, and that really acts like a giant sponge that protects, cleans and filters the water before it flows north.”
Manolis said the peatlands store more than 700 tons of carbon per acre. “The peatlands and the forest together store well over three million tons of carbon, probably close to four million,” he said. “It’s just an amazing resource for climate, water, and wildlife.”
The acquisition connects several large tracts of public and conservation land, creating more than 40,000 acres of contiguous protected habitat. That connected landscape helps support wildlife like moose and lynx that benefit from large, unbroken territories.
The property also supports a range of rare plants, including pitcher plants and the small white water-lily.
“There are some rare birds like boreal chickadee that live here, ” Manolis added. “The kind of habitat we have here will be important for them and other species like Connecticut warbler.”
Tree burned in the Greenwood Fire
Much of the area was affected by the 2021 Greenwood Fire, which burned through parts of the forest near Highway 2.
Laura Slavsky, a resilience forester based in Duluth, said that history presents both challenges and opportunities.
“We’re in a burn scar right now,” she said. “So when we’re looking at what we’ll be doing with the land, we’re asking how we can help this forest recover post-fire. Some areas aren’t naturally regenerating, so that’s where we’ll start.”
The Nature Conservancy plans to restore those burned areas using “climate-smart” reforestation techniques, experimenting with tree species and seed sources that can better withstand warmer and drier conditions expected with climate change.
“A lot of the time, we’re planting species that do grow here,” said Slavsky, “but the genetics of the seed we’re getting are from further south so they can handle hotter, drier climates.”
The Conservancy has planted a diverse mix of 2.5 million trees across northeastern Minnesota in the last year.
“White pine is probably our star,” Slavsky said, in addition to planting a slew of other species including white spruce, red pine, jack pine, red oak, bur oak, cedar, yellow birch, and paper birch.
Jack Pine seedling
Manolis said the Conservancy has planted more than 13 million trees in the region over the past 20 years, often working with partners on nearby public lands. “Planting is one of the best ways to add diversity and improve forest health,” he said.
Wildlife is already benefitting. The Greenwood Fire’s mix of young growth and surviving conifers has created good habitat for moose, as evidenced by moose tracks photographed on the property.
“Habitat management is one of the few things we can do to help moose,” Manolis said. “They like young growth but also conifers that keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.”
The Conservancy also plans to use prescribed fire in the coming years, building on successful projects with state and federal partners. Fire, Slavsky said, is a natural part of this ecosystem when managed carefully.
For visitors, the new addition will remain open to the public for hunting, fishing, birdwatching and hiking, though there are no developed trails. “It’s definitely for the hardier folks who like being out in more rugged conditions,” Manolis said.
As the group begins work on the newly acquired acres, Slavsky said she hopes more people will explore the land and appreciate what’s at stake.
“It’s really cool, and we’re really lucky to be able to help maintain this for wildlife and for people,” she said.
Find the full audio interview and more photos below.
Chuck Olsen November 7, 2025
