Rolf Peterson
Wolves on the ice during an Isle Royale winter.
Creature features
On Earth Day, we start with two updates about our northern critters.
Michigan Tech researchers Rolf Peterson and John Vucetich this week released their annual report for the long-running Isle Royale wolf-moose study, about a month after concluding the 2016 winter study on the island.
Just two wolves – closely related and thought to be 6 and 8 years old, near the end of a wild wolf’s usual lifespan – remain on Isle Royale. That’s down from three last winter. Two dozen wolves were counted as recently as 2009. The moose population on the island, meanwhile, has swelled to more than 1,300 animals. MinnPost writer Ron Meador has a good summary of the findings and implications.
An icon of Lake Superior, meanwhile, was the subject of a story in the Duluth News Tribune, where Sam Cook has an update on sturgeon recovery efforts: “Biologists implant acoustic transmitters in St. Louis River sturgeon to monitor their movements.”
A worthy winner
Donn Larson
Longtime Lake Superior Magazine advisory board member and contributor Donn Larson received a special honor Wednesday during the 24th annual Joel Labovitz Entrepreneurial Success Awards in Duluth.
Donn earned the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
The University of Minnesota Duluth Center for Economic Development organizes the awards and in announcing Donn’s honor wrote: “Considered the Dean of Northland public relations and advertising practitioners, Larson began his career 65 years ago and is perhaps best known as a longtime owner of the Westmoreland, Larson & Hill ad agency. For decades, whenever there were tough communications challenges in the region, especially related to mining, energy, forest products and other natural resources based issues, Larson was usually called to solve them.”
At the event, Steve Greenfield, head of Greenfield Communications, outlined his mentor’s accomplishments and prominent people whom he had influenced. The full text of his introduction can be found here.
In accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award, Donn outlined the principles he tried to do business by: “In my business, I kept my promises. In my business, I tried to build and maintain integrity. In my business, I’ve learned to learn from my mistakes. I also learned to work only for clients that I like. And another one that’s extremely important: Hire great people. There’s one more I want to tell you about. The final principle starts with a story. When our daughter was about 6 or 7 years old, at the Park Point school, her teacher inquired, ‘What do your parents do?’ She said, ‘Well, my mom stays home and takes care of us kids and my dad goes to meetings.’ Translating ‘my dad goes to meetings’ means contributing community service. And contributing service to the community is a principle of success in business in our community, I believe. I think it is obviously difficult in many vocations to do this, but I recognized one day that I have devoted about 20 percent of my time to service to the community outside my business. … It’s a goal to aspire to when you can.”
We’re glad you contribute some of that time to us, Donn. Thank you!
– Konnie LeMay
+ Read some of Donn’s stories for Lake Superior Magazine, from life aboard an ore boat to the making of Copper Peak.
Superior developing dog park
The Wisconsin city’s master park plan has long included a public space for our four-legged friends to play off-leash. After a setback, the Superior Dog Park Committee is back with a new proposal and a gathering next week. Writes Maria Lockwood in the Superior Telegram:
More than a year after plans for a dog park in Superior ground to a halt over siting, a citizens’ group is offering the community a fresh proposal. They’re looking for public feedback during a "Yappy Hour" 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday at Vintage Italian Pizza, 1201 Tower Ave.
Duluth’s Enger Tower lit purple for Prince memorial: The Minnesota icon, who died Thursday, was beloved across the Northland, writes the News Tribune.
Calling all artists: “Canadian Lighthouses of Lake Superior is looking for an artist to spend some time this summer living at Porphyry Island Lighthouse,” reports Amy Hadley for CBC News. The application deadline is May 20.
Regional book gets top mark: Minnesota writer Aimée Bissonette, whose children’s book North Woods Girl we reviewed last year, won a Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award from Northland College.
Bushplane museum seeks additional funding: The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, a popular attraction and event centre, would use the increase to expand its offerings, writes Elaine Della-Mattia for the Sault Star.