The Wandering Naturalist

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  Episode 290: Life is a Flyway - Local Impacts 03.09.2026 17dk

  For the final episode on the Mississippi Flyway, it's time to zoom in with John Lindstrom from Ducks Unlimited. The flyway is thousands of miles of habitat, but here in the park district, Ducks Unlimited has partnered with Three Rivers to improve Lake 2 in Carver Park Reserve. We cover the many steps a restoration project like this takes, and how it's helping our local migrants. 
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  Episode 289: Life is a Flyway - The Economics of Birds 02.09.2026 23dk

  Dr. Wayne Thogmartin from the US Geological Survey joins us in this episode to discuss the economic impacts of birds along the flyway. We cover the prairie pothole region and what threatens it, as well as the many different ways migrating birds impact people. 
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  Episode 288: Life is a Flyway - The Mississippi Flyway 02.09.2026 24dk

  The Mississippi flyway is the name of the route migratory birds take following the Mississippi, Missouri, and Lower Ohio Rivers in the US. In this episode we chat with our coworkers Adrian Iacovino and Michelle Bierma from Mississippi Gateway to talk about all the activity on the river! 
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  Episode 287: River Otters - Bringing Otters Back 05.08.2026 28dk

  Dr. Carrol Henderson is Minnesota's first Non-game Wildlife Program Supervisor. He defined what this position is in Minnesota and nationally. He joins us to talk about one of his favorite projects he worked on, bringing river otters back to the Minnesota River Valley. He shares stories, the challenges and successes, and how the public helped make this a success.     
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  Episode 286: River Otters - Are they Intelligent? 05.08.2026 32dk

  Dr. Caroline DeLong has studied the cognitive ability of animals ranging from goldfish, to orangutangs, river otters, and many others. She joins us to discuss how she measures the cognitive abilities of animals, what she has learned through her tests on River Otters, and whether she believes they are intelligent. 
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  Episode 285: River Otters - Why they are Special 05.08.2026 33dk

  Bound along with Brandon and Ellen as they investigate river otters. Often viewed as playful, these members of the weasel family are full of adaptations that help them survive. From vibrissae, to unique spines, and the ability to hunt in murky water, they are efficient predators that love to eat fish, crayfish, and other water creatures.     
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  Episode 284: Rivers Inspiring Art - Art and AWE 01.07.2026 33dk

  Sarah Nassif joins us to talk about the group she created, Art, Water, and Ecology (AWE) Network. Using her past experience as an educator, and her current profession as an artist she connects artists, scientists, and teachers to inspire people to connect with waterways through art. We discuss how she came up with the idea, the work that has been accomplished, and how you can get involved. 
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  Episode 283: Rivers Inspiring Art - Cultural Connections to Art 01.07.2026 27dk

  Cole Redhorse Taylor talks to us about the art he creates and how he draws on his Dakota ancestors connections to water to inspire him. He discusses his contribution to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, as well as the work he did on the Minnesota Wild's goalie helmet used during its Indigenous Heritage Night. 
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  Episode 282: Rivers Inspiring Art - Poet Laureate and Waterways 01.07.2026 38dk

  Minneapolis' first Poet Laureate, Heid Erdrich joins us to discuss her poetry and how it relates to waterways. She talks to us about why water inspires her, how her Ojibwe culture influences her work, and her work with other artists in the area. 
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  Episode 281: Fishy Business - Let's Go Fishing 03.06.2026 23dk

  For many people, their connection to fish isn't through research, it's through fishing! For our final episode of the month we talk to Trey Fails from Dreaded Outdoors on creating a welcoming culture in fishing and outdoor recreation.
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  Episode 280: Fishy Business - Thousands of Jars 03.06.2026 30dk

    How many fish is too many fish? Or- wait- how many fishes is too many fishes? Find out in this episode with Dr. Kassandra Ford, the Bell Museum's Curator of Fishes and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota!  We get to the bottom of mysteries like when to say fish vs fishes, does the Bell Museum have a secret fish library, and whether or not fish actually exist.    
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  Episode 279: Fishy Business - Survey Says... 03.06.2026 28dk

  We are halfway through the Big Year of Rivers and what species is more closely connected to our rivers than the many native species of fishes in Minnesota! In this episode Ellen and Brandon sit down with Jenna Nelson, a freshwater ecologist with Three Rivers, to hear all about fish surveys in the park district. 
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  Episode 278: Floods and Floodplains - Helping Minnesota's Water 06.05.2026 28dk

  What is Minnesota doing for its rivers and floodplains? Andrea Fish, from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources talks to us about how soil and water quality are connected, the work they do with watershed districts to benefit rivers and farmers, and how you can help water health in your area.   
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  Episode 277: Floods and Floodplains - Why Should We Care? 06.05.2026 18dk

  Join us as we float down the Mississippi and talk to American Rivers. American Rivers is an organization dedicated to protecting waterways. One of their scientists, Eileen Shader, talks with us about why floodplains are so important, both for nature, and for reducing the impacts of flooding in communities around the river.  
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  Episode 276: Floods and Floodplains - Surviving the Flood 06.05.2026 28dk

  What does it take to survive a flood? Brandon and Ellen explore the living things that thrive in a floodplain habitat. From climbing snakes to the fastest growing tree in the United States, floodplains are full of living things that have unique adaptations to live in this important but threatened habitat. 
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  Episode 275: The Vernal Pool Parade - Who's With the Band? 01.04.2026 29dk

  Our final episode this month goes fully into the vernal pool weeds! Brandon and Ellen bring out their favorite stars of this ecosystem. We talk fairy shrimp, fishing spiders, caddisflies, water boatmen, and backswimmers. For creatures so small, this episode is PACKED with interesting information! 
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  Episode 274:The Vernal Pool Parade - A Deeper Dive 01.04.2026 31dk

  In our second episode we sit down with Dr. Mark Hanson to hear about his research on vernal pools during his career with the Minnesota DNR. We zoom out a bit from vernal pools themselves and learn about their impact on what's around them. From bears to ducklings, these innocuous pools play an important role in the lives of many woodland organisms. This leads us to discuss how forest management impacts the pools and what people can do to keep them safe and healthy.  
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  Episode 273: The Vernal Pool Parade - A Dip into the Pool 01.04.2026 27dk

  Time to get your feet wet in the world of vernal pools! This month's topic zooms in on these often overlooked, but crucially important ecosystems. In our first episode we meet with Dr. Darold Batzer, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. Dr. Batzer studies the ecology and environmental biology of wetland invertebrates, and gives us an introduction to vernal pools: Who lives in them, what they are, and why they matter.   
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  Episode 272: Women and Waterways - Journeys through Time 04.03.2026 19dk

  Jade Ryerson, historian with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, wanders with us through time and she shares stories of women who have connected to the Mississippi River in the past and how that impacts us today. From Dakota women involved with diplomacy, to a court case about slavery that helped escalate tensions leading to the Civil War, to a lamplighter who helped Minneapolis and St. Paul commerce develop, women have had deep connections and impacts on the Mississippi River near us.   
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  Episode 271: Women and Waterways - Kayaking the Mississippi 04.03.2026 45dk

  Wander with us down the Mississippi River as Devin Brown joins us to discuss how her connection to the Mississippi River changed her life. Her first meeting with the Mississippi River happened in Minneapolis as an adult and inspired her to change her career. Since then she has become an avid paddler. More recently she is the first Black woman to attempt to kayak the entire Mississippi River. From its narrow stretch near Itasca to massive cottonwoods breaching like whales during record flooding, her trip was full of amazing stories.