Event information
Date
Time
Central time
Location
Online course
Contact
Julie Larson, [email protected]
Minnesota Master Naturalist: Prairies and Potholes - Online a.m.
This Prairies and Potholes class will cover the same topics (geology, water, botany, wildlife, humans, interpretation) as an in-person class, but will take place online, using Zoom for class meetings and the learning platform Canvas.
Books and supplies will be sent directly to you before class begins. Outside of class time, you will spend approximately two hours per week completing assignments such as reading the text, viewing lecture videos, researching online, visiting a natural location near your home, and completing journal entries.
You need to have access to the internet for Zoom class meetings and to use Canvas and other internet locations as directed in class. You may use a tablet, desktop computer, laptop, or cell phone. For the best experience, use the largest screen possible. You will need to have a working webcam and microphone on this device. A good internet connection is important.
The September 25 meeting is a tech check for you to confirm that all of your (and our) technology works for you as expected, and to help you with any technical issues. We will not be able to help much during class time once class begins.
There are two all-day field trips on:
- Friday, October 24, 2025
- Saturday, October 25, 2025
There are AM and PM sections of this class. Please choose the meeting time that best suits you when you register.
Audience
Potential and current Master Naturalist volunteers.
Cost
$295. Includes manuals and supplies.
If you would like to receive a scholarship do not register now. Instead, complete this scholarship form and wait to be contacted before enrolling.
Registration
Cancelation requests received more than two weeks before the start of class are refunded minus a $20 processing fee. Cancelation requests received less than two weeks before the start of class are refunded minus $50.
Accommodations
University of Minnesota Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. To request accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact Julie Larson, [email protected], two weeks before the start of the event. Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.
Language
This offering is delivered in English. Interpreter services may be available with an advance request.
About the Prairies and Potholes course
The official name for the ecological province called the Prairies and Potholes by the Minnesota Master Naturalist Program is the Prairie Parkland Province. This biome was historically composed mainly of tallgrass prairie. Today it is used for agricultural purposes. The glaciers deposited between 100 and 600 feet of drift over the entire region. The Prairies and Potholes biome covers just over 16 million acres on the western edge of the state.
The biome is a hot and dry place, where evapotranspiration is annually higher than precipitation. In the northern portions of the biome, glacial kettles have filled with water and form the "potholes" that dot the landscape. These bodies of water are important for migratory waterfowl, and waterfowl production. The Minnesota River now flows through the old channel carved by Glacial River Warren, an outlet for Glacial Lake Agassiz.
Participants must complete the full 40 hours of training to become a certified Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer.
Each participant must complete a group capstone project. Participants will choose a capstone that they can complete before finishing the course.