Acts of Protection
There were three main acts that lead to the preservation of the BWCA: the Shipstead-Nolan Act, the Wilderness act of 1964, and the Boundary Waters Act of 1978. Each act gave both visitors and the BWCA more rights and responsibilities. The acts of 1964 and 1978 were both very controversial.
"A law is needed that will spell out the rights, uses, and future management of the area. We've tried to shape a management plan in the interest of the majority of people living in that area but also in the legitimate interest of people who love the wilderness"- Jim Oberstar, former Minnesota congressman