U Of M Makes Plans For Wilderness Research Center

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — It's a well-preserved gem of boreal forest, around 350 acres fronting two lakes on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. It long belonged to a wealthy Chicago family with a deep love of the wilderness.

Now the land and its tall pines near Ely belong to the University of Minnesota, which plans to use it for research on climate change's effects on northern forests and for teaching classes.

The Hubachek Wilderness Research Center is primitive and needs some work, such as a new septic system. The laboratory is basically just a cabin. And none of the cabins dotting the property is insulated, so it's mainly a three-season facility. But it has a rich history, and the university hopes to build its capacity slowly but surely.