July E-Newsletter

Here you can find news, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities. Thank you for keeping up with us!

Nature Center News

Parasitic Wasps Released to Manage EAB Populations

With the assistance of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), we have released parasitoid wasps to try to control Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) populations. These tiny superheroes are one of our best chances to preserve Ash trees: since these wasps lay their eggs to feed and grow inside the eggs or larvae of EAB, they effectively kill the next generation of EAB. EAB are an invasive beetle that, if not managed, will kill all of the estimated 1 billion ash trees in the state. We are thrilled to be a part of this project and to support another way of protecting our forests!

To learn more, read the full article here!

Summer Classes and Events in Full Swing

The Nature Center has been busy this past June teaching summer programming and hosting Nature Plays, Senior Specials, Eco-Blitz Week, and more!

Young learners have discovered how to canoe, scoop the pond for critters, the importance of snakes, how to fish, what superpowers exist in the animal kingdom, what nocturnal animals are up to when we are asleep, how to camp, how to understand space and constellations, wilderness survival skills, how to take photos of the natural world, and much more!

During Eco-Blitz week, participants learned about forestry via a free kids class, a free evening program with our AmeriCorps Forestry members, and free tree walks.

4th Avenue Fest was a Success

On June 7th, the Nature Center offered free canoeing and kayaking on Mill Pond for 4th Avenue Fest. We were able to get 225 participants on the water, many for the first time in a canoe or kayak! Thank you to our Friends Members who volunteered their time to make this a success. We will see you there next summer!

Nature Plays and Senior Specials Begin

We have hosted 3 Nature Play Days, which have included a craft, pond scooping and canoeing, touch tables, water and sand tables, a program, and even archery. These are FREE to the public, and full of summer fun to all who attend. Thank you to our 291 participants!

We have hosted 2 Senior Specials, which provide coffee, tea, cookies, an educational program, and a cart tour to enjoy our trails.

July 6th program will focus on forestry and trees, July 20th program will take you inside the bee hive, August 3rd will feature music by Will Bjorndal, August 17th Nature Play will focus on Monarch Butterflies, and August 24th Senior Special will feature Dr. Tamplin, turtle biologist!

Nature Center Staff Assist with Monkeyface Mussel Repopulation Project

On June 14th, Nature Center Staff assisted the Minnesota DNR by collecting 30+ monkeyface mussels, tagging them, and re-locating them to Dobbins Creek. The DNR's Center for Aquatic Mollusk Programs (CAMP) is busy re-building populations of threatened and endangered native mussel species. In this case, we worked to begin monkeyface mussel repopulation in Dobbins Creek. We are always overjoyed to join the DNR on conservation work, especially if mussels are involved!

Fox Snake Update

If you were wondering why our Fox Snake's home looks different and why she hasn't been available for handling, she had surgery to remove a malignant tumor on her back mid-June. She has recovered beautifully, and has begun to act like her normal self again. We are grateful that the surgery was successful, but are sad to report that the cancer likely remains. She will continue to be cared for with love by our naturalists as she lives out her life with us. On the bright side, our surgeon is optimistic that she has quite a bit of time left with us!

Akiko wraps up her year-long internship

It is always bittersweet for us to see interns go. We would like to thank Akiko for what she brought to the Nature Center; an excellent educator, birder, and conservationist, we are lucky to have had her on our team! Below, she reflects on her time with us, and tells us where she is off to next. We wish her the best of luck on her next adventure!

"As the end of my internship approaches, I have started to spend a lot of time thinking back on this eventful year. A few stand out memories include working with our ambassador raptors, learning all about our native prairie plants, learning to keep bees, and of course, teaching many, many kids. Every day of every season brought something new to experience and helped me realize that environmental education is something I loved to be a part of. So, what’s next for me? Armed with the experience of teaching hundreds of kids throughout this year, I will be moving out to Washington state this fall to be an interpretive naturalist with AmeriCorps at Deception Pass State Park. Thank you to everyone in the lovely Austin community for a great year!"

Friend's Focus

Dammen Family Fun Day Fundraiser

This is a fundraiser event for our Summer Dammen Mentorship Program for mentees to experience what a first time job would be like and to get valuable experience in the natural resources field. All proceeds raised will go towards our Dammen Mentorship program at the end of the summer. Therefore; we are suggesting a donation of $20 or more per family for this event.

Kevin Dammen loved the great outdoors and was an avid athlete—he enjoyed running, skiing, unicycling, slacklining, hiking, and camping. In 2011, Kevin passed away while kayaking on Lake Superior, and this program was named in honor of him. Embrace your adventurous side like Kevin did and get out with your family and enjoy the Dammen Adventure Family Fun Day.

Come walk the trails with your family and try out a variety of nature-themed games and challenges like archery, throwing an atlatl, mini-games, and more in this enjoyable family fun day event!

Coming up at the Nature Center

July 04 (Tues)

Interpretive Center Closed — No canoe/kayak rentals

July 06 (Thurs)

10 am Senior Special
1 pm Nature Play

July 12 (Wed)

3:30 pm Volunteer Outdoor Work Day

July 15 (Sat)

9:30-11 pm Sola Fide Observatory Viewing

July 19 (Wed)

4 pm Bluebird Program Classroom

July 20 (Thurs)

10 am Senior Special
1 pm Nature Play

July 22 (Sat)

Dammen Adventure Family
3:30 pm Fun Day
1 pm Duck Race Down Dobbins Creek

July 29 (Sat)

9:30-11 pm Sola Fide Observatory Viewing

Volunteer Opportunities

Staff the Interpretive Center — There are always days that we are looking for help, specifically on the weekends. Fill out our volunteer contact form and we will add you to our email list.

Tours — Give tours driving one of our electric vehicles along the Nature Center trails.

Combat Invasive Species — Learn to identify and remove buckthorn, honeysuckle, and other invasive species.

Animal transport — Bring birds of prey to and from the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus.

Nature Note

Where the Wild Orchids Are

Author: Kelly Bahl, Outreach Naturalist

"Most Minnesotans know our state flower, the showy lady’s slippers, but not many know that lady’s slippers are a type of orchid. In fact, the Gopher State is home to over 40 different species of native orchids. Out of those species there are 13 species that are in full bloom in the month of July. Here at the nature center, we have had history with two different orchid species.

Historically the nature center was home to a nice population of Greater Yellow Lady’s-slipper, which is one of the most common orchids found in north America in the wild. The plant reaches about 18 inches tall while the vibrant pouch like flowers reach up to 2 inches in length with curled spindly petals mimicking laces for a shoe. This beautiful native was once an abundant showstopper of our forest back in the 80s but was coveted by locals who wanted them in their yard and our population started to dwindle as patrons came and dug them up. By the mid to late 90s our entire population of Yellow Lady’s-slipper was no more."

To learn more, read the rest of Kelly's Nature Note here!

BECOME A FRIENDS MEMBER!

Why join the friends? Well, our Friends allow us to offer more high quality programming, conserve our natural spaces, and continue to grow! As a friends member, you will receive...

an invitation to the Friends Annual Meeting
$5.00 off all Summer Adventure Programs
15% off all Nature Center merchandise
the chance to participate in members-only events and classes for youth and families at the Nature Center
a discounted annual bus trip

Join the Friends here!