Prairies & Potholes Chapter of the Minnesota Master Naturalist Program

04/22/2026

I am looking for some MNat volunteers for the Salt Lake Birding Weekend to help staff the LqP Visitor Center. If you are able to assist, contact Amy at [email protected]

04/22/2026

Minnesota Master Naturalists celebrate Earth Day every day! Last year MNats recorded 122352.75 hours of conservation volunteer service in our state! Get outdoors today!

03/26/2026

Pasque Flower field trip with the West Metro Chapter of the Minnesota Master Naturalists.

Sat April 18, 1 to 3 pm (approx)
Led by WMC president Holly Einess
In person; meet in the Life Church parking lot, 2201 W 108th Street, Bloomington

View the earliest blooming prairie flowers on the bluff above Nine Mile Creek in Bloomington. After seeing the Pasque flowers we will walk down to the creek and on to the Minnesota River. Those who wish to go farther are welcome to do so on their own. Good hiking shoes/boots are encouraged; hiking poles and/or binoculars optional. You might also consider downloading an app or two (if you haven't already), such as iNaturalist or Seek for plant ID and Merlin Bird ID or Audubon for bird ID.

Please RSVP ([email protected]) if you plan to attend. Friends and family are welcome!

03/11/2026

Wildlife Series: All About Birds Webinar Session Descriptions
April 1: To kick off the 2026 wildlife webinar series, we'll introduce habitat conservation and restoration principles. Researchers from the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) will join us to present recent findings on bird ecology and population trends in Northeast Minnesota.

April 8: In this session we will learn more about the ecological importance of birds before exploring key Minnesota bird species and their habitat needs using the Forestry for Minnesota Birds guide. You'll learn how to analyze your land to identify different habitat types and what to consider when planning management actions.

April 15: In this final session in the series, you'll learn more about assessing your land for bird habitat and how to create a plan to make your land more bird-friendly. We'll also get to hear from landowners who have completed bird habitat management projects and learn from their experiences.

Learn how to manage your land for bird habitat in this three part webinar series. Sessions will highlight how to assess your site and create conservation plans and resources for promoting bird habitat. Discover highlights from the Forestry for Minnesota Birds Guidebook that can help you reach your f...

03/09/2026

This program may be of special interest to some of the PP chapter people. Carroll Henderson worked at Lac qui Parle early in his career. Tune in via Zoom tomorrow and hear about his legacy from the man himself!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/186gHtPDDX/

Advanced Training with Carroll Henderson, retired DNR Wildlife

Tue Mar 10, 7 pm: A National Legacy--
Fifty Years of Nongame Wildlife Conservation in MN

By Carrol Henderson, founder of Minnesota's Nongame Wildlife Program
Hybrid: Online via Zoom and in person at Minnetonka Community Center (14600 Minnetonka Boulevard, Minnetonka) in the Shady Oak Room

Important: Please sign up here if you plan to attend in person.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F4CAEAE2FA3FE3-62771037-carrol #/
We're expecting a larger-than-usual crowd and have limited seating. (No need to sign up if you've already emailed that you'll be attending.) If the signup is full we ask that you attend via Zoom.
( https://umn.zoom.us/s/95834315126?pwd=ilbFotyDHyZ5tN7obOsbNCiamcWCpN.1 )

In 1977, Carrol Henderson was hired as Minnesota's first Nongame Wildlife Program Supervisor and was granted an annual budget of $25,000, which included his salary. Since then, thanks to the voluntary tax checkoff and lottery proceeds, the program's budget has increased dramatically. Over his decades-long career with the MN DNR, Carrol reintroduced trumpeter swans and peregrine falcons to our state; brought river otters back to the Minnesota River; and worked to protect lynx, wood turtles, timber rattlesnakes, and more. Fifteen other states have modeled their nongame wildlife programs after ours, which was the first of its kind in the country.

Come hear Carrol share firsthand accounts of our state's efforts to protect all wildlife, not just game species. And if you'd like to order a copy of his most recent book and bring it to our March meeting for signing, you can do so here. (No books will be available for sale at the meeting.)

10/20/2025

We’re turning 20 and we couldn’t have done it without you! For two decades, we’ve been exploring, teaching, and conserving across Minnesota. Attend the Master Naturalist 20th Anniversary Gala to honor the journey we’ve taken together.

09/02/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/169367SfWe/

🐦 9 Plants Not To Cut in Fall: Birds Need Them for Winter

1) Coneflowers (Echinacea)
• Leave seed heads standing through winter.
• Cut back only in early spring.

2) Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)
• Keep dark seed heads until late winter.
• Goldfinches & chickadees feed on them.

3) Sunflowers (Helianthus)
• Large seed heads = natural bird feeders.
• If stalks flop, lay them down or prop up.

4) Joe-Pye W**d (Eutrochium)
• Tall seed heads feed small birds.
• Foliage adds snow-cover shelter.

5) Goldenrod (Solidago)
• Keep stems and seeds all winter.
• Sparrows & juncos rely on them.

6) Ornamental Grasses (Miscanthus, Panicum, etc.)
• Don’t cut back until spring.
• Provide seeds, shelter, & winter interest.

7) Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
• Leave dried flower heads intact.
• Birds love seeds; adds frosty texture.

8) Asters
• Leave uncut until spring.
• Birds feed on their small seeds.

9) Native Shrubs with Berries (Viburnum, Dogwood, Elderberry)
• Keep berries for winter food.
• Only prune weak or diseased branches.

07/28/2025

Hey everyone, another week another event! We are hosting a training site for Starry Trek 2025!
Starry Trek is an annual, one-day event where the public meets at training sites across Minnesota to learn how to identify starry stonewort and other aquatic invasive species (AIS). After the training, participants head out to local water access points to look for signs of these AIS.
And we need some volunteers!
You can register at the link below. Be sure to click "get tickets" and scroll all the way to the bottom where it says "WATSON (Local Host: Lac Qui Parle SWCD)" and sign up.
It is on August 9th, 8:30am-1pm. We'll be meeting at the warming shelter in the Lower Campground at Lac qui Parle State Park (45.021465, -95.885556).
Lunch is provided! We hope to see you there!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/starry-trek-2025-tickets-1428619301789?aff=oddtdtcreatorWe%27ll&fbclid=IwY2xjawL0zhJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFsWm41UFhkMGZIOUlnRWJPAR7WoRe9FGGuQHQjrJh8yEW7cNJ8Wg-WNGGa6tj525JV-eXJWeqrUG9Qd-86Rg_aem_WtqA1Au5Jv3NWzHEci9sqg

07/28/2025