Established in 1908 as the first national forest east of the Mississippi River, Chippewa National Forest is located in the heart of northern Minnesota.   Its large expanses of red and white pines make Chippewa National Forest one of the largest nesting areas for the American Bald Eagle.   Rich in history and culture, this forest has seen the rise of Native American civilization as well as the coming of the white settlers.

In July 2012, a devastating storm with sustained 80 mph winds  shredded the forest, taking down an estimated 95,000 of the 666,542-acre forest.  Groves of mature conifer trees lie broken and uprooted.  12,000 prime old forest pine acreage lay in the dirt.  Habitats for forest creatures were destroyed and the nesting grounds of the American Bald Eagle were severely jeopardized.

The current planting plan calls for hundreds of thousands of trees, including red pine, white pine, white spruce and Jack pine to be replanted to stabilize the forest floor and restore the woodlands to its historic grandeur.

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