Encampment Forest - Lake County

The Minnesota Land Trust recently protected over 2,000 feet of shoreline along the Encampment River in Lake County, Minnesota. In addition to the river bank, the project also includes the permanent protection of 88 acres of unique forest and wildlife habitat.

The Encampment River is a state-designated trout stream and like similar North Shore streams its ecology is fragile due to the thin soils that cradle it. It’s important to keep the banks and surrounding soils undisturbed, otherwise springtime run-off fills the river with sediment, ruining the spawning beds. From a historical perspective the Encampment River is unique in that much of it escaped the intense logging at the turn of the 20^th century.

Protection of the 88-acre site comes by way of a conservation easement which was granted by local landowner Sarah Jaeger. “I’ve lived here for many years and have come to appreciate the uniqueness of the North Shore. I believe it’s important that we keep some of our land from becoming over-developed and knew that this was something sensible that I could do.” Jaeger is active in managing the white pine on her property; her ongoing efforts to enhance and protect young white pine have resulted in excellent regeneration.

Through its North Shore Protection Initiative, which has received funding from the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, the Minnesota Land Trust has identified the greater Encampment River Area as one of the most important conservation opportunities along the North Shore of Lake Superior due to its biological integrity, the relative health of the watershed and the scenic visibility afforded to travelers along the North Shore Scenic Drive, the Lake Superior Water Trail and the Superior Hiking Trail.