Events
The Carlos Avery Wildlife Survey, Apr 4 & 5
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CyberTracker Evaluations 2020
 Registration is open for our September
evaluation--and we will provide 100% refunds if we cancel the evaluation
due to the pandemic. These two-day long Master Classes in track and sign interpretation are led by some of the finest wildlife tracking instructors in North America. These evaluations are one of the best ways to
speed up your learning process, advance your skills, and help you
gauge your current level of expertise as a tracker. No prior training is required to participate. Specialist Evaluations are designed with experienced trackers in mind. Questions focus on the tracks of small or rare species, partial footprints, and indistinct tracks and sign that may require considerable experience to identify. The evaluation is led by two instructors, offering participants more evaluator contact and exposure to an even greater depth of knowledge and perspectives. For the experienced tracker, there is simply no better opportunity to move your skills forward than a Specialist Evaluation. Cost: $385 On Labor Day weekend, we will host a Standard Track & Sign Evaluation. Standard evaluations are ideal for all levels of trackers, from novice to professional. Questions range from the clearest and most familiar tracks and sign of common animals all the way to obscure sign, partial prints, and the tracks of small or rare species. The evaluator debriefs each question, making sure all the participant don't just know the answer, but understand exactly why that is the answer. The evaluation will be led by Marcus Reynerson. Cost $275 Registration is open for both evaluations. To register, Contact Us and submit a full payment to Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project. You are registered for an evaluation when we receive your payment. Because of up-front the costs associated with hosting evaluators, registrations are transferable but not refundable. If you are unable to attend an evaluation you have registered for, we may only be able to offer a refund if we can fill your spot. Mail payment to Jonathan Poppele 846 Clear Ave St. Paul, MN 55106   Marcus Reynerson is engaged in telling stories that bring to life the complexity of the ways humans are currently living in the 21st century. He was the Associate Producer of the conservation documentary Last Stand: The Vanishing Caribou Rainforest and a contributing author for Caribou Rainforest by Braided River Press. Born in south Louisiana and raised in Kentucky, Marcus currently lives in the Snoqualmie Valley in Washington State, just east of Seattle where he is the Lead Instructor for an internationally renowned environmental leadership program for adults at the Wilderness Awareness School. Evaluations will be held in and around Ft. Snelling State Park. Located in a metropolitan are of over 1 million people, Ft. Snelling boasts remarkable wildlife activity and diversity. The Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project hosts our monthly Tracking Club at Ft. Snelling, and have recorded the tracks and sign of over 20 species of mammals there including otter, mink, weasel, skunk, fox, opossum, and at least four species of tree climbing squirrels. |
Cedar Creek Spring Survey: *CANCELED*
 **In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The University of Minnesota has canceled all public events and non-essential research activity at Cedar Creek through the month of May****We are cancelling our April 4 survey and look forward to returning to Cedar Creek when the University reopens it for regular research activity**It's time for the Spring Cedar Creek Wildlife SurveyOur
Spring Survey will be an all day affair. We will head out in teams to
survey the roads and trails for animal tracks, then come back in to share
our discoveries with one another. Each team will be led by an
experienced wildlife tracker, certified in
Track & Sign identification. In past years, conditions during our spring surveys have ranged from completely bare ground to several inches of fresh snow. Either way, Cedar Creek offers great substrate for getting a window into the lives of the wildlife living on the reserve. With the bison enclosure still vacant for the season, we have a broader
range of places we can roam. Who knows what we will find? Here is the
schedule for the day: 9:00am Gathering at Lindman Center 9:30am Tracking teams leave for the field ~3:00pm Return from the field for sharing, mapping and debriefing 4:30pm Complete Trackers,
naturalists and enthusiasts of all levels are welcome to take part in
our surveys--and having some experience with track and sign
interpretation is definitely helpful. If you are new to wildlife
tracking and would like to learn a bit about it before joining us for a
survey, join us for Tracking Club on March 15 at Ft. Snelling State Park. Get all the details here. RegistrationRegistration is required. To register, email Jonathan Poppele <poppele@umn.edu> or use our contact form.Use this link to add the event to a Google Calendar. Want to Carpool?We have a new tool to help coordinate carpooling. If you would like to share the trip to Cedar Creek, you can use our Group Carpool page to offer or request a ride.Bring Your QuestionsIn
recent surveys, our teams
have identified the tracks of about 30 species including black bear,
fisher, mink, red fox and grey wolf. We have been noting the
behavior of deer, coyote and fox in relation to the shifting wolf
population, and seeing some of our sightings verified by
Cedar Creek's new network of trail cameras. And the more we learn about
this landscape, the more questions arise. Some of the questions that
came up after our winter survey include:
What
questions do you have about the landscape, the animals and their
behavior? We will take some time to share questions before we head out
into the field. About Cedar CreekCedar
Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve is a 5,400 acre experimental ecological
reserve operated by the University of Minnesota. It is located about 35
miles north of Minneapolis and St. Paul, just east of Bethel.Cedar Creek lies at the boundary between prairie and forest. It is a mosaic of uplands dominated by oak savanna, prairie, hardwood forest, pine forests, and abandoned agricultural fields and of lowlands comprised of ash and cedar swamps, acid bogs, marshes, and sedge meadows. The area was first set aside in the early 1940s to be kept in its natural condition for scientific and educational purposes. Much of the land remains pristine, and has never been developed for agriculture. You can learn more at www.cedarcreek.umn.edu The diverse, pristine habitat supports a wide variety of mammals. Species seen on the property over the Reserve's 75 year history include white-tailed jackrabbits, badger, fisher, fox squirrels, porcupine & spotted skunks. Reserve staff and scientists are looking for our help to update their index of mammals. If you are a beginner, the surveys will offer an overview of the diversity of Minnesota Mammals. For the advanced tracker, you might get to try your hand at distinguishing fisher from otter; fox squirrel from grey squirrel; and a variety of tiny mammal tracks. You can take a look at some of what our tracking teams have found on our iNaturalist Project Page, or look read about our past surveys on our blog. The property includes 25 miles of sand roads, which catch tracks beautifully. The roads will be grated shortly before our surveys, offering optimal tracking conditions for us to locate and identify a rich diversity of species. Public access to the Reserve is limited. The Cedar Creek Wildlife Survey program offers you the rare opportunity to explore this exceptional landscape. Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE Bethel, Minnesota 55005 For a map & directions to Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, click here |
March Tracking Club: Signs of Spring: Sun Mar 15
 Sunday, March 15 9:00am - 1:00pm We will gather at the Ft. Snelling State Park visitor center: Ft. Snelling State Park 101 Snelling Lake Rd West St Paul, MN 55111 The sun is climbing higher in the sky, the snow is melting, and the Spring Equinox is just around the corner. How are the animals shifting their behavior as warm weather returns? Have the woodchuck come out of hibernation? Are the deer finding early spring growth to feed on? We will head out onto the landscape and look for signs of spring. We
will gather at 9:00 in the fireplace room in the Visitor Center. We
will head out on the trail about 9:20 and return to the visitor center
about noon to wrap-up and share stories. If you need
to reach us the day of the outing, please call Jon's cell phone at
612-388-4700. Note that you need a State Park pass to drive to the Visitor Center, but you can park for free at the Historic Fort Snelling visitor center. It is about a half-mile walk past the historic fort and down the hill to get to the State Park visitor center. The Historic Fort parking is located at 200 Tower Ave, St Paul, MN 55111
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Trailing Practice at Cedar Creek: Sat, Mar 14
 Saturday, March 14 9:00 am - 1:00 pm We will meet in Lindeman Lab Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE, Bethel, Minnesota 55005 Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve is a 5,400 acre experimental ecological reserve operated by the University of Minnesota. It is located about 35 miles north of Minneapolis and St. Paul, just east of Bethel. Laying at the boundary between prairie and forest, Cedar Creek is a mosaic of uplands dominated by oak savanna, prairie, hardwood forest, pine forests, and abandoned agricultural fields and of lowlands comprised of ash and cedar swamps, acid bogs, marshes, and sedge meadows. This is an all-weather event and we spend time off trail, perhaps literally walking on thin ice. Please bring appropriate gear and dress for several hours outdoors in whatever weather we may have that day. We will gather at 9:00 at Lindeman Lab do our welcomes and get organized before heading out on the trail. If you need to reach us the day of the outing, please call Jon's cell at 612-388-4700. Please note that cell reception may be spotty and I will have my phone on silent once we are on a trail. For a map & directions to Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, click here |
March Bird Language Gathering
Sunday, March 1 9:00 - 12:00 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 3815 American Blvd E Bloomington, MN 55425 Registration
for these gatherings is encouraged, but not required. Feel free to drop
by--and it would be great to know that you are coming! Birds talk to each other. We can learn to understand it. And it's fun!March is the beginning of meteorological spring, when some migrant and resident songbirds are just beginning to stake out territories. Meanwhile, the owls are well into their nesting season and keeping the songbirds on alert. Come join us on the slopes of the Minnesota River Valley to see what the birds are saying about this year's transition from winter to spring.What should I bring?Bring what you need to be comfortable sitting still, outside on the ground for an extended period of time—perhaps as long as an hour. You will also need something to take notes on. You do not need to have binoculars, but there is no harm in bringing a pair if you would like. Here are a few recommended and optional items to bring:Recommended: Note pad & pencil Ground cloth, blanket or camp-chair Appropriate clothing for sitting still outside Sun protection Poncho if it is raining Optional: Water bottle Snack Binoculars Sign me up!Registration is encouraged, but not required. Feel free to drop in and join us—and it would be great to know you are coming! If you have any questions, or to register for the event:
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Bemidji Wildlife Survey: Sat, Feb 29
 The survey will take place on Saturday, February 29. Leap-Day 2020. A group from the Twin Cities will be heading up to join the local trackers and BSU students for the February survey. Kim has offered to host our group--as long as we don't mind space on a sofa. We will carpool up on Friday, February 28, and head back on the evening of February 29 after the survey. If you would like to take part in the survey, please let us know. If you are in the Bemidji area, email Kim Shelton. If you are coming from near the Twin Cities and would like to be part of our carpool, please Contact Us or email Jonathan Poppele. |
February Tracking Club: Otter Find 'em
 Sunday, February 16 9:00am - 1:00pm We will gather at the Ft. Snelling State Park visitor center: Ft. Snelling State Park 101 Snelling Lake Rd West St Paul, MN 55111 North American River Otters are just plain fun to track. That they are also good indicator of the health of an aquatic ecosystem. Since 2009, the National Park Service has been conducting track and sign surveys along the Mississippi River to study our metro area otter populations. For the past couple of years, we have been sharing our sightings of otter track and sign with the National Park Service through our iNaturalist project, the Minnesota Metro Otter Survey. Come join us as we search the shores of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers for signs of these inquisitive aquatic members of the weasel family, and learn to distinguish their tracks and sign from those of other animals. This is an all-weather event and we spend time off trail. Please bring appropriate footwear and dress for several hours outdoors in whatever weather we may have that day. We
will gather at 9:00 in the fireplace room in the Visitor Center. We
will head out on the trail about 9:20 and return to the visitor center
about noon for a brief mapping exercise and wrap-up session. If you need
to reach us the day of the outing, please call Jon's cell phone at
612-388-4700. Note that you need a State Park pass to drive to the Visitor Center, but you can park for free at the Historic Fort Snelling visitor center. It is about a half-mile walk past the historic fort and down the hill to get to the State Park visitor center. The Historic Fort parking is located at 200 Tower Ave, St Paul, MN 55111
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Trailing Practice at Cedar Creek: Sat, Feb 15
 Saturday, February 15 9:00 am - 1:00 pm We will meet in Lindeman Lab Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE, Bethel, Minnesota 55005 Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve is a 5,400 acre experimental ecological reserve operated by the University of Minnesota. It is located about 35 miles north of Minneapolis and St. Paul, just east of Bethel. Laying at the boundary between prairie and forest, Cedar Creek is a mosaic of uplands dominated by oak savanna, prairie, hardwood forest, pine forests, and abandoned agricultural fields and of lowlands comprised of ash and cedar swamps, acid bogs, marshes, and sedge meadows. This is an all-weather event and we spend time off trail, perhaps literally walking on thin ice. Please bring appropriate gear and dress for several hours outdoors in whatever weather we may have that day. We will gather at 9:00 at Lindeman Lab do our welcomes and get organized before heading out on the trail. If you need to reach us the day of the outing, please call Jon's cell at 612-388-4700. Please note that cell reception may be spotty and I will have my phone on silent once we are on a trail. For a map & directions to Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, click here |
February Bird Languge Gathering
Sunday, February 2 9:00 - 1:00 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 3815 American Blvd E Bloomington, MN 55425 Registration
for these gatherings is encouraged, but not required. Feel free to drop
by--and it would be great to know that you are coming! The
first week of February marks mid-winter--the half-way point between the
winter solstice and the spring equinox. Chickadees and nuthatches are
still moving about in their winter feeding flocks. The robins are still
feeding high in the canopy. But owls are beginning to nest--and the
songbirds will be keeping an eye on them. Come join us as we spread out on the slopes above the Minnesota river to
eavesdrop on the birds and listen to what they are saying about this
most unusual winter. What should I bring?Bring what you need to be comfortable sitting still, outside on the ground for an extended period of time—perhaps as long as an hour. You will also need something to take notes on. You do not need to have binoculars, but there is no harm in bringing a pair if you would like. Here are a few recommended and optional items to bring:Recommended: Note pad & pencil Ground cloth, blanket or camp-chair Warm clothing for sitting still outside Optional: Water bottle Snack Binoculars Sign me up!Registration is encouraged, but not required. Feel free to drop in and join us—and it would be great to know you are coming! If you have any questions, or to register for the event:
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