Counting critters at Pine Bend Bluffs, our longest-running restoration
Over the last 20 years at Pine Bend Bluffs, we've converted a buckthorn forest to oak savanna and a Siberian elm canopy to prairie. Now we're monitoring the site to see how wildlife is responding. Since we restore lands largely to benefit animals (and plants), documenting critters is a valuable measure of success. And survey says: We've been pretty successful. >>
The abundant prairie: A William H. Houlton Conservation Area wildlife update
In just its second year, the restoration project at Houlton is yielding impressive wildlife gains: from 16 bumblebees in the first year to 575 now, from 15 kinds of butterflies to 25. These results show progress toward the thriving habitat we hoped to create. >>
Spotting rare, native ladybugs
Lady beetles (also called ladybugs) are one of the most common insects we encounter in summer. They may be the first insects toddlers can identify, easily recognizable because of their bright red color and contrasting black spots. But almost all of the ladybugs you're likely to see aren't native. What happened to our 50 native species? >>
The tail of the prairie skink: A story of loss and restoration
The prairie skink can lose and regrow its tail. Through our restoration work, we're hoping to create a story of regrowth for its favorite habitat: prairies near streams. >>
Conservation insights from intern Phuong Nguyen
Phuong Nguyen, an international student from Vietnam, was FMR's fall/winter 2019 intern. She offers perspectives about conservation from her experience with us. >>
My internship highlight: Planting hundreds of native trees on a tiny metro river island
In this piece by fall-winter 2019 intern Phuong Nguyen, she describes her favorite FMR experience: Canoeing to a small metro Mississippi island to plant 350 native trees. >>
Habitat piles: Readers' questions answered
We received a number of emails in response to our earlier update on FMR's wildlife habitat pile event in the river gorge. Most people seem to be excited about the idea that removing invasive species (buckthorn, in this case) could result in additional habitat creation. Others loved the idea and wanted more specific information about how to build those piles. Here we address a few questions and provide some helpful links. >>
Vermillion Falls Park: take a walk with walking fern
Where can you walk through a dry waterfall, find karst topography, encounter a walking fern, meet ancient bur oak trees and see the oldest operating flour mill in the state? Vermillion Falls Park in Hastings! Oh, and there's a large rushing waterfall here as well. >>
FMR ecologist makes the cover of Science for earthworm research
FMR ecologist Alex Roth's earthworm research made it on the cover of the highly regarded professional journal Science at the end of October, the same journal that published the human genome for the first time. >>
Volunteers create piles for habitat in the Minneapolis river gorge
Facing a steep climb up tall stairs, FMR staff and River Gorge Stewards opted for a creative way to dispose of invasive buckthorn at a recent volunteer event along the river: create habitat piles. >>