Wilderness News Online

Jim Sanders, who has held the top post on the Superior National Forest longer than any other forest supervisor, will retire at the end of this December after 15 years in the position.

The Duluth News Tribune has the story HERE.

Sanders, 58, is a 36-year veteran of the U.S. Forest Service, which is charged with managing the 2-million acre Superior National Forest and the rest of the National Forest system.

Since taking the job in 1996, Sanders has overseen the Superior National Forest during controversies over logging, acrimony regarding implementation of the Boundary Waters Act, clean-up operations after the July 4, 1999 BWCAW blowdown, and during the on-going push to mine copper and precious metals in the forest.

Most recently, this year’s Pagami Creek Fire, which consumed more than 92,000 acres of forest and threatened BWCAW campers and Isabella-area residents, drew attention to decisions made by the Forest Service and the handling of that fire.

According to the News Tribune story, Sanders was respected by logging advocates and environmentalists alike for his leadership and fair-mindedness. He and his wife, Pat, plan to retire in Duluth.