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   As spring starts the growing season here in the Northland, frost in the ground and ice on the lake is melting away. It’s a great time to think in advance while also remembering the past. What do you want to have in the garden this year? What kind of trees do you want shading your house or community streets? Do you want to “grow” yourself and your experiences.  

   Many people come to our area to grow or regenerate themselves by spending time on the lake or in the forest. There is a long history of this, here and elsewhere and one man in particular had a period of growth and regeneration in the wild that spurred him to work the rest of his life to preserve those opportunities for others. His name was Will Dilg and regular readers of the Press-Citizen will have seen previous articles about him.  In a short recap, he was the man who organized the Izaak Walton League of America and helped lead efforts to protect wildlife and their native habitats. The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, the Lake Superior National Forest, and the elk of Jackson Hole were some of the things he put his energy into preserving. He appreciated the wild areas for their role in helping to refresh the human soul and for that his legacy lives on. In the lakes and woods here our economy is based on clean water, tall forests and wild areas. If we were to ask Will he would likely say it makes sense to protect and expand on those natural advantages. He would probably say that bringing the elk back would make sense too. With all the public land and aspen regrowth (an elk favorite) they might do quite well. Elk also will let white pines grow and we could use a few more; our county now has only 0.2% of its land dominated by this once ubiquitous sentinel of the forest.  

   Soon we will be able to ask Will Dilg directly; “What would you do about the conservation issues of our day?” 

   On April 20th Will Dilg will be portrayed by Steven Marking in his award-winning presentation to the public at 7 p.m. at the WHA High School Auditorium. Steven’s “Riverlorian” style of singing and telling stories about the Mississippi River has inspired people across our nation. Tickets are available online in advance and at the door. Look for the showbills around town and in the ad section of this publication! Afterwards the Cass County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America will be serving refreshments in the cafeteria, continuing the discussion, and encouraging those with a heart for conservation to become members. Perhaps we can even work together to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors and establish a “Minnesota National Headwaters Reserve”!

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