My Experience Finding New Adventures in Three Rivers
By: Beth Kalpin
July 19, 2021
Category: People of the Parks
I’ve never been exactly what you would call outdoorsy. I went to camp as a kid and we played capture the flag, swam at the lake and roasted s’mores. But in my adulthood, most of my outdoor time has consisted of patios and playgrounds with my family. (Spoiler alert, this has changed and it’s all because of Three Rivers!)
About the Author
Beth is a Three Rivers enthusiast based in the Twin Cities. She loves to dabble in new things. One week she will discover her passion for making piñatas; the next week she will be found hiding painted rocks around the city. She is always up for a new adventure and loves exploring new places. She believes in making every day count and going to bed dog-tired every night.
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Step into the food web game and imagine yourself as predator or prey.
Art Bike Parade
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Join the second ever Bike Parade! Deck out your bike in your own creative way and show it off in front of everyone.
Saturday Mornings on the Farm
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Explore the barn, meet the animals or participate in seasonal activities like collecting eggs. New this year: Soup du Joor's food truck will be on-site during the program!
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Why and How We Survey Bumblebees at Three Rivers
By: Angela Grill
July 12, 2021
Category: Resource Management
May is the perfect time to watch for pollinator royalty: the queen bumblebee. The timing of her awakening from a winter slumber coincides nicely with the blooming of the bright yellow pinwheel-shaped flowers of a prairie favorite: wood betony. This gives me an early opportunity to check in on local bumblebee diversity within the restored prairies of Crow-Hassan Park Reserve.
About the Author
Angela graduated from Minnesota State University—Mankato with degrees in ecology and geography. She has a passion for being outdoors and ensuring conservation of the natural heritage of our lands. As a wildlife biologist at Three Rivers Park District, she enjoys working on a wide range of projects from restoring prairies to pollinator surveys. Outside of work she can be found in the garden where she is in the good company of wonder dog, Sid, and two rented chickens, Cersi Henister and Princess Leialot.
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Honeybees, Bumblebees and the Case of the Collapsing Hive
By: Angela Grill
Did you know there are nearly 20,000 known bee species in the world? Nearly 4,000 bees are found in North America, and roughly 400 of those species call Minnesota home. Read on to dip your toe in the water with two well-known groups: honeybees and bumblebees.
What's in a Seed? Why Prairie Seed Collection Matters
By: Erin Korsmo
Prairies are the most threatened habitat in Minnesota. Some species that depend on prairies are now on endangered and threatened species lists. Read on to learn about the important role volunteer seed collectors play in saving the prairies and the creatures that inhabit them.
Camera Trapping: A New Way to Survey in Three Rivers
By: Alyssa Schauer
Camera trapping, a newer volunteer project in Three Rivers, provides the wildlife department with useful information about the kinds of animals found in the parks. Learn more about camera trapping and see what's been caught on film!
A Legacy of Service: How One Volunteer Gave 10,000 Hours
By: Katie Brom
June 28, 2021
Category: Philanthropy
Gene Lau started volunteering at Eastman Nature Center in the winter of 1988. An ad in his local newspaper asked for help leading snowshoe hikes. “Well, I’d never done anything like that before and didn’t know anything about Eastman Nature Center, but it was minutes from my house.” Gene recalls. “I didn’t have anything better to do and it sounded fun.”
About the Author
Katie Brom is a Volunteer Resources Coordinator at Three Rivers Park District. She has worked for Three Rivers since 2019 and has happily held roles where nature, education and volunteerism intersect for the last 10 years. Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time with family and immersing herself in the outdoors: hiking, botanizing and restoring her small suburban woodland.
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Explore the historic Grimm farmhouse and learn about life and farm food preservation on an 1870s farm!