Minnesota Master Naturalists study lesser-known biome
Have you ever seen a prairie chicken in flight? Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteers have!
Forty-two adventurous Minnesota Master Naturalists met in Fertile in 2025 to learn about the small, unique biome — the Tallgrass Aspen Parkland and the Agassiz Environmental Learning Center. “The biome covers about 3 million acres in Northwestern Minnesota and consists of aspen trees, shrubs and tallgrass prairies,” said Eli Sagor, Extension natural resources program leader. “The geology includes beach ridges, old glacial lake bottoms, sand dunes and prairies.”
The group explored local natural resources while supporting local economic development. The city of Fertile handed out stickers for participants to wear around town, so that local businesses would know when a Minnesota Master Naturalist stopped in. The volunteers are more prepared than ever to engage community members in learning about this unique ecological and cultural region of Minnesota.
Highlights
- Ben C., a Polk County 4-H’er, was named a 4-H Agricultural Ambassador. He said he likes to share “knowledge in crops, seed production and the mechanics behind agricultural equipment.” He also grows sunflowers and soybeans.
- Extension’s agricultural business management team delivered an agricultural tax issues course and Annie’s Project financial literacy day in Crookston.
- Since sugar beet fields are some of the last harvested and heavily tilled, they are especially vulnerable to winter wind erosion. An Extension study on a Polk County farm focused on understanding how much erosion occurs after beets are harvested with and without cover crops.
- Eric Samuelson is in Class 13 of the Minnesota Agricultural and Rural Leadership (MARL) program. He farms dry edible beans, wheat and sugar beets.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: The Krueger family (2026)
- John Loegering, Extension wildlife specialist, conducts bird banding sessions seven times per year at the Red River Valley Natural History Area, part of the University of Minnesota Crookston campus.
- The Climate Adaptation Partnership is developing new resources on future groundwater and soil moisture conditions for Polk County based on long-term precipitation changes. This information will allow communities to weigh issues like proposed data centers and future drinking water availability using the best available science.
Polk County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Polk County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.