Minnesota: A History of the Land

The Northern Forest is a one hour special episode (Episode V) of the Minnesota: A History of the Land series. The landscape of the northern forest with its majestic pines, glittering lakes, and rich human history is central to many Minnesotan’s sense of place. The region draws millions of visitors every year, but it is also a place of home and work. And, we all rely on the northern forest for products and ecological services. Yet, only recently have we begun to really understand how this vast ecosystem functions. In this episode we document how ground-breaking research here in Minnesota has led to a better understand the ecology of the northern forest and how that has influenced our efforts to manage that forest. But, development is expanding rapidly across the northern forest and the ability to sustainably manage the forest is imperiled.