Canoe Trip Draws Attention to Endangered Menominee River

Aug. 8, 2021 - A massive open-pit mine threatens the ancestral homeland of the Menominee Indian Tribe along their namesake river north of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The proposed Back Forty mine would intrude on an ancient Menominee village, where burial mounds, garden beds and dance rings are still in evidence, though the tribe itself was long ago moved to a reservation in Wisconsin.

To express their opposition to the mine, and to rally support from non-natives, members of the Menominee tribe paddled canoes from the mine site to the river mouth, where it empties into Green Bay and the Great Lakes. The four day trip, now in its third year, happened over the July Fourth holiday.
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Wayne Swett, one of the trip organizers, took me along on Day One of the journey, and shared his thoughts about the rive

Blessing the Water, Protecting the Land
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July 16, 2021 - Members of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and other native Americans join with allies to voice their opposition to the Back Forty mine, which a Canadian company wants to build on the Menominee River west of Stephenson, Michigan.

"It Smells Rotten"

​July 29, 2018 - The director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality went against the recommendations of her own staff and issued a wetlands permit for the proposed Back Forty mine. Opponents of the project are demanding an explanation for what appears to be a politically motivated decision.

"The Benefits are Minimal"

July 26, 2018 - Menominee city council member and retired executive Frank Pohlmann brings a businessman's eye to the Back Forty mine proposal. His conclusion: the risks of the mine far outweigh the benefits.

A Long Walk to Oppose the Mine

July 3, 2018 - City council member Steve Fifarek walked every street in Menominee, Michigan, to spread the word about the Back Forty mine. On June 30, he finished his trek at the old lighthouse at the mouth of the Menominee River.

Marching Again
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April 23, 2018 - Opponents of the Back Forty mine celebrated Earth Day with a march across the Interstate Bridge between Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee, Michigan.

"The Fight is Not Over"

Dec. 24, 2017 - Tina Lesperance is defending her family's homestead in Lake Township against the encroachment of the Back Forty mine. ​The farm has been in the family since around 1930, when the land was cleared and settled by her grandparents. These days, Tina's grandchildren have the run of the place, like she did when she was a child, and she's campaigning to protect the peace and quiet that have prevailed here for generations.

"How Could They Compromise This?"

​Oct. 16, 2017 - Tony Corey explains why he joined the fight against the proposed Back Forty mine in Menominee County, Michigan.

"Nobody Wants the Mine"

Sept. 9, 2017 - Retired Nashville musicians Dale and Lea Jane Burie share a commitment to stopping the Back Forty project.

"I Stand to Lose a Lot"

Aug. 24, 2017 - Andi Rich rehabs a house and talks about her opposition to the Back Forty mine..

"The Threat of the Mine is Sending Property Values Down"

August 24, 2017 - Deborah Skubal and friends take a boat ride and talk about the impact of the Back Forty project on their lives.

Critter Count

On May 13, 2017, volunteers gathered to inventory aquatic life in streams near the site of the proposed Back Forty mine. If the mine is built, their data will be compared with later samples to determine if the mine has polluted streams that feed into the Menominee River.

Protest at the Ogden Club

May 13, 2017 - Tom and Robin Quigley started Aquila Resources, Inc., the company that's developing the Back Forty mine. They also own the Odgen Club, and for a time used the upstairs as an office for their mining company. It's been a favorite place for protesters to gather to voice their opposition to the Back Forty mine. 

Fishing Derby

Feb. 20, 2017 - Opponents of the Back Forty mine gathered at Shakey Lakes County Park on Feb. 19, where an ice fishing derby was in progress. They came to pass out fliers and encourage anglers to oppose the mine which, if approved by regulators, would be located just to the north of the park.