Event information
Date
Time
Central time
Location
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center
12718 10th St. NE
Spicer,
MN
Prairies and Potholes - Prairie Woods ELS
Come join us for a Minnesota Master Naturalist Prairies and Potholes course along the Glacial Ridge. In this weeklong course, we will explore the unique features of the region to better understand how this landscape was formed and discover more about the plants, animals and humans that call this biome their home.
You will experience a mix of classroom work but mostly outdoor adventures this week. We will paddle to explore the Middle Fork of the Crow River in a voyageur canoe, kayak (or wade) into wetlands to collect macroinvertebrates for observation, view the expanse of the Ordway Prairie with team members working to keep the prairie healthy and visit Sibley State Park.
During class, you will complete a team capstone project connecting you to volunteer opportunities at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center and other organizations. Wednesday evening we will share a meal to allow for more time for teams to work together.
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.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this course material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to Julie Larson, larso143@umn.edu, at least two weeks in advance of the course start date.
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.