I had to stop and re-read the July 10, 2010 letter to the editor from Commissioner Jim Johnson about the Chik Wauk Museum and Nature Center being a “gem” in the wilderness. I was puzzled—has the old Chik Wauk Lodge building been moved? The last time I visited the Chik Wauk Lodge was not in the wilderness, but a mile or so away from it.
I don’t doubt that Commissioner Johnson is sincere in his praise of the people who worked hard to restore the old lodge and create nature paths around the grounds. It was a beautiful place for a lodge and I’m sure it is beautiful as a museum.
Perhaps Commissioner Johnson should look at the map of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to see its boundaries. If he is aware that Chik Wauk is not in the BWCAW, he should be more careful about describing our public lands outside of the BWCAW as wilderness. That is what causes confusion and conflict. It needs to be made very clear that there is a 1.09-acre wilderness area with no buildings, services or use of motors of any kind.
And it should be clear that the land outside the wilderness is where people live and work and use motors.
John LaHoud
McGregor MN
Leave a Reply