In January, I wrote a list of goals and projects I wanted to complete in 2024. In addition to the monotonous litany of home repairs, my list included something of much greater and more lasting appeal: paddling the entire length of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from west to east along the historic Voyageur’s Highway, which stretches 200 miles along the Canadian border.

A few weeks ago I completed my project for 2024. I started at Crane Lake just west of the BWCAW and launched my canoe into Lake Superior a week and a half later.

Spending time in the wilderness has many benefits, including simplifying life and clarifying priorities. My 11-day paddling trip had that effect on me. I returned renewed and refreshed from the wilderness of the Boundary Waters, with its crystal-clear lakes and towering pines.

During my time in the wilderness, I also realized that although the Boundary Waters are protected, they are far from safe.

For over a century, generation after generation has had to fight to protect this area. Roads, mining, logging and other forms of irresponsible development have threatened the Boundary Waters. For more than a decade now, we have been fighting against proposed copper sulfide mining on the edge of the wilderness. Operating one of these mines, classified by the EPA as the most polluting industry in the country, near a water-rich area like the Boundary Waters threatens ecological – and human – disaster.

During my time in the Boundary Waters, the water levels were very high and the water was constantly moving over rapids and waterfalls and also through narrows where the movement of the water would not normally be visible. The lakes, rivers and streams are all interconnected. It is precisely this fact that makes the Boundary Waters and the surrounding landscape particularly vulnerable to copper sulphide mining.

Pollution from copper sulfide mining would not stop. Just as water flows through the Boundary Waters Wilderness through a labyrinth of lakes, rivers and streams, acidic runoff from copper sulfide mining could flow through this complex network of waterways, polluting countless acres of once pristine waters.

Well, it turns out I’m not the only one who has created a project list. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank in Washington, DC, has created a blueprint for a next Donald Trump presidency called Project 2025. On page 523, it calls for lifting the current 20-year ban on copper sulfide mining on about 225,000 acres of federal land near the Boundary Waters. This would clear the way for dangerous copper sulfide mining projects that could pollute the wilderness. Although former President Trump has awkwardly tried to distance himself from Project 2025, he stated during his recent visit to Minnesota that he would lift that wilderness protection “in about 10 minutes.”

The announced attacks on the Boundary Waters by Project 2025 and Trump are not isolated incidents. There is a multi-pronged effort to remove Boundary Waters protections. Congressman Pete Stauber has introduced a bill that would lift the 20-year ban on copper sulfide mining near the Boundary Waters and restore mineral leases to foreign mining companies like the owners of Twin Metals, who have aggressively sought to open a toxic copper sulfide mine on the edge of the BWCAW. Removing these important protections could have catastrophic consequences for one of America’s most treasured wilderness areas.

The Boundary Waters are more than just a recreational area; they are a national treasure that belongs to all Americans. Their value lies not only in their natural resources, but in their ability to provide solace, adventure, and connection with nature.

The Boundary Waters as we know them did not just happen. Generations of people have fought against logging and mining interests and stood up for the people affected by this special place. If we fail to continue this legacy, the Boundary Waters could be lost.

We are at a critical juncture. The decisions we make now could determine the fate of the Boundary Waters.

Project 2025 represents a dangerous step backwards that could lead to the irreversible destruction of this unique wilderness. Let us expand our project list to prevent the implementation of Project 2025.

Chris Knopf is executive director of the St. Paul-based nonprofit Friends of the Boundary Waters (friends-bwca.org).