Protect Annie, the Tree of Life

Hi there. My name is Annie, Annie the Arbor. I'm a Northern White Cedar growing out of a crack in the ancient bedrock in Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park. Across the lake, I can see Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For 500 years, I've been growing on my little secluded rock, watching native people, voyageurs, and recreationalists come and go. I've endured nasty windstorms, had fires come close by, and had rising floods and scorching droughts threaten to kill me, but they never could. One of my names is Arborvitae, the tree of life, for my vital role in providing food and shelter for wildlife of all kinds, and for my incredible lifespan. You see, Northern White Cedar can live for over 1000 years, given the right protected spot. 

However, there's a problem. To the south of me, a foreign mining conglomerate is threatening to do what five centuries of nature's fury never could. If they get their way and build a toxic copper-nickel mine, my water source will be forever tarnished. Growing on this remote rock, I'm actually pretty sensitive to changes in my roots. Once that toxic pollution flows down the watershed, there's no stopping it. Pollution doesn't respect wild places or international boundaries. Once it reaches the pure waters of the Kawishiwi River, I'll be the next stop downstream, where some of the cleanest waters around will be tarnished forever, and my ancient roots will sip it right up, poisoning me to the core!

If ancient trees and open wild spaces mean anything to you, then the choice is clear. Now is the time to act!

The Trump administration is moving to reverse federal protections and fast-track toxic sulfide mining at the headwaters of the wilderness. This summer, the administration announced plans to lift the 20-year mining ban and reinstate expired mineral leases for Chilean mining giant Antofagasta's Twin Metals Minnesota project.

But with you, we’ll be ready. For 50 years, Friends of the Boundary Waters has brought people together to safeguard one of America's most cherished wilderness areas. No matter the threat, this legacy has prepared us for the fight ahead.

This is the moment we've been preparing for. Your gift makes it possible to defend the homes of Annie the Arbor and of all the wildlife that call this pristine region home. The Boundary Waters is an irreplaceable heritage, not a bargaining chip for foreign mining conglomerates. With your help, we can continue to protect it for all time!