Fall/Winter 2014 newsletter

Audubon Center of the North Woods

News from the North Woods

Fall/Winter 2014 Volume 40, Issue 2

Experience Your Environment In This Issue It’s About You

1

Macroinvertebrates

2

Development 3 Meet Our Program Director

4

Meet Our New Interns 5 2015 Events & Programs

6-7

Summer Camps

8

Spotlight on Schools

9

Wish Lists

9

From Our Kitchen

10

New Yurt

10

Thank You

11

Membership 12

Upcoming Events See our website for details Autumn at the Audubon Open House, September 27, 2014 Renewable Trail Run/Walk September 27, 2014 Women’s Wellness & Adventure Weekend, October 3-5, 2014 ACNW/Northland 40th Reunion, October 10-12, 2014 Dinner at the Lake October 25, 2014 Fall Phenology with Larry Weber, October 24-26, 2014 Winter Family Escape December 27-30, 2014 New Year’s Eve at the Lake December 31, 2014 Winter Phenology with Larry Weber, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2015 Dinner at the Lake February 14, 2015 Maple Syrup Day March 28, 2015 Food & Farms Weekend April 17-19, 2015 Women’s Wellness & Adventure Weekend, May 1-3, 2015

It’s About You

by Bryan Wood, Executive Director

The Audubon Center of the North Woods (ACNW) exists not for our board, nor for our staff. We exist for you. The Audubon Center of the North Woods is your residential environmental learning center. We as staff simply have the privilege to serve your nature-based interests by providing diverse programs that are current, desired and of the highest quality. We strive to always provide what is of value to you and by that measure be an environmental resource you find value in. We are stewards of the organization during our time here, and seek to position ACNW in a better place when we leave it.

It is through an engaged and supportive constituency from people like you that we are able to make an impact on lives as the most comprehensive 501c3 residential environmental learning center in the nation.

Many of you may know us as a place where your child came with their K-12 school, where you attended an adult weekend, or enjoyed a Dinner at the Lake. But there is more. More to our programs, to our facilities, to our environmental stewardship and I invite you to visit our wonderfully revised website to explore the many ways you, your family and friends can enjoy and become involved with the Audubon Center of the North Woods.

Over the last couple of years, we have consistently received requests by you about offering more summer camp

opportunities for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Well, we listened! I am extremely pleased to tell you that we have a great lineup of youth and family weeks and weekends for summer 2015. You can find information about them on these pages as well as our website.

Another comment we regularly received was we needed to make it easier to register for our programs. Again, we heard you and many of our programs now have online registration, making it quicker and more convenient for you to secure your experience with us.

We greatly appreciate when you, as ACNW constituents, let us know what we are doing well, what we can do better, and initiatives or programs you would like us to offer. After all, our vision of A Healthy Planet Where All People Live in Balance with the Earth starts with you. I am always eager to hear from you and encourage you to share your thoughts on how the ACNW can meet your and society’s ecological needs more effectively. Feel free to contact me at 320245-2648 or bwood@ audubon-center.org.

Thank you for your support and the difference you make.

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News from the North Woods

Fall/Winter 2014

Macroinvertebrates of Windmill Creek

by Haley Appleman, Wildlife Apprentice

With my feet in the middle of Windmill Creek and my head in a swarm of mosquitoes, it is easy to experience an insect life cycle first hand. The pesky chorus of mosquitoes started life much more quietly as larvae in the creek. Windmill Creek, running through the Audubon Center into Grindstone Lake, flows clear and peaceful with a rusty tinge from iron and leaf deposits. With a close look and a sharp eye, it is evident that the stream is teeming with life. We find caddisfly larvae attached to rocks, sheltered in the gravel cases they build for themselves. A dip net scoops out wriggling mosquito larvae and dragonfly nymphs. All of these critters will go through a metamorphosis to their adult, winged forms. But while they are in the stream, they are aquatic macroinvertebrates, or animals without backbones that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Friend a Wild Critter Help support the care of any of our resident education birds and animals through our “Friend a Wild Critter” program. Your donation goes towards housing, medical care, food and enrichment items, to help encourage natural behavior in our non-releasable birds and mammals.

As part of the adoption process, you will receive a 4x6 magnet photo of the animal, an “Adoption Certificate”, a personal and natural history of “your” animal, recognition in our newsletter, and a tour of the ACNW wildlife facility. For more information, please contact Jeff Tyson, our Wildlife Coordinator, at wildlife@auduboncenter.org or visit our website.

Students in our Stream Superheroes class slip into rubber boots and head down to Windmill Creek to collect these macroinvertebrates.

Back at the lab, we sort through our sample and identify which species we have collected. We find plenty of mosquito, black fly, and phantom midge larvae. These species are “pollution tolerant,” able to live even in heavily disturbed areas. But we also find caddisfly larvae and mayfly nymphs, which are classified as “pollution sensitive.” These species require particular conditions to survive: cold, clear water with plenty of oxygen.

They certainly would not be able to live in a stream with major agricultural runoff, sedimentation, or warming temperatures.

Since macroinvertebrates differ in their tolerance of pollution, the presence or absence of certain species can tell us about the health of the stream. A pollution tolerance index translates our data into a measurement of water quality. By counting our species and assigning point values based on their pollution tolerance, students routinely measure Windmill

Creek’s water quality as “good” or “excellent.” This was not always the case. At one time, the stream was dredged for agricultural use and known as Pine County Ditch #1. The stream was allowed to return to a natural drainage a number of years ago and has become an excellent habitat once again for macroinvertebrates and other species that depend on them, like fish.

Our naturalists can show your class that measuring water quality is as simple as turning over a rock or dipping a net into a stream and taking a closer look under a microscope.

For more information about bringing your students to discover life in Windmill Creek, contact us at schools@audubon-center.org. We can also bring macroinvertebrates to your school or event with our “Aquatics” off-site program (wildlife@audubon-center.org).

Mudpuppies A mudpuppy found in Windmill Creek during a Stream Superheroes class last May. Mudpuppies are a type of salamander whose populations are listed as “special concern.”

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

Fall/Winter 2014

Development

News from the North Woods

Page 3

by Walt Seibert, Development Coordinator

Thank you for your interest in and support of the Audubon Center of the North Woods (ACNW). This will become a regular column in the ACNW newsletter – a column addressing the financial development of the organization.

For the last several years, approximately 83% of ACNW income has come from programming fees with 4% coming from donor contributions. The remaining 13% is comprised of merchandise sales, grants, endowment interest and miscellaneous income. Several foundation, state and federal grants have provided support for the sustainable energy investments we have made over the last 10 years.

As an authorizer for 32 charter schools throughout the state – all with an environmental emphasis – we strive to lead by example through our energy demonstrations.

ACNW is at a crucial stage in its history. When we expanded in 1998 with the additions of Blandin Dining Hall and Crosby Dormitory, we took out a $1.5 million loan. More than 15 years later, we still owe $700,000.

While it has proved to be a sound investment, the monthly outlay is limiting our potential for appreciable growth and more creative programming to best meet current societal and environmental needs. This, coupled with our inability to keep current on regular building maintenance needs, presents a strong case for a capital campaign in the near future. Watch this column for details.

Thank you for your support and commitment to the Audubon Center of the North Woods! I hope to meet many more of you in the coming year.

Walt Seibert, Development Coordinator, can be reached at development@audubon-center.org or 952-200-9867.

It has been a privilege over the last year to talk with a number of you who have supported ACNW annually for many years.

You expressed a myriad of reasons for your support and here is of what you told me: l Environmental education (for school children; serving as an incubator for college and graduate students to further develop their competencies prior to entering the teaching, environmental advocacy and environmental research fields; providing content to help educators remain current with environmental issues) l Caring for non-releasable educational animals l ‘Walking the Talk’ regarding renewable energy sources l Modeling thoughtful land stewardship including the selective harvesting of timber stands resulting in healthier, more diverse forests l Dinners at the Lake for both the diversity of speakers and the great food! Several of you told me you really don’t know what happens “behind the curtain” and would appreciate one or two Dinners at the Lake focusing more on less publicized ACNW activities that helps fulfill its mission statement. NOTE: Our upcoming Dinner at the Lake on October 25 will focus on our Center and feature one or more of our ‘wild staff’.

Thrivent Charitable Program ACNW members Nancy and Dennis Liebelt have gratefully brought to our attention the following Thrivent charitable gift information.

‘Thrivent members’ Action teams can make two-$250 gifts to charities of their choice as long as the charity is a 501(c)3 and certified by Thrivent to receive the gifts. We are very grateful to Nancy for her Action team choosing to give one of their gifts to the Audubon Center of the North Woods.

Nancy went on to say that every Thrivent member has CHOICE DOLLARS every quarter (the size varies depending on the policy size and type) they may contribute to a charity of their choice, assuming the charity is qualified as previously indicated. Nancy also explained that a one-time gift of $350 every other year through Thrivent Community Action Funds of Thrivent Financial is available to a charity if it is involved in a current fundraiser involving community members.

Please contact your Thrivent representative to learn more about how you can support the Audubon Center of the North Woods through the Thrivent Choice Dollars program.

THANK YOU NANCY AND DENNIS!!

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

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News from the North Woods

Fall/Winter 2014

Meet Our New Program Director Jill Baum Even growing up as a city girl in Milwaukee, I developed a keen love of the outdoors and an unshakable environmental stewardship ethic early on. My mom and I read every one of Sigurd Olson’s books together and you could often find me way up a tree in the back yard. I was extremely fortunate to enjoy many summers at camp in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, where I loved going on canoe adventures and mastering outdoor living skills. This culminated in a 48-day canoe trip in the Northwest Territories (Audubon’s mosquitoes are nothing compared to theirs!). In what would turn out to be a life-changing experience, I volunteered with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) on a month-long high school trail crew in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. I went on to lead many SCA trail crews in national parks from Hopewell Furnace to Isle Royale to Denali, and eventually worked full-time for that conservation service organization for more than a decade.

I majored in Geology at Carleton College (the department went camping all the time, so of course that’s where I ended up), with a concentration in Natural History. I additionally played on numerous Ultimate Frisbee teams and ran the outdoor club, which included orchestrating the first ever preOrientation Boundary Waters canoe trips for incoming students. I’m pleased to report that they are still going strong! After graduating, I found my way to Frost Valley YMCA in the Catskill Mountains of New York.

As an environmental educator at one of the biggest EE centers in the country, I especially loved leading geology hikes, acid rain classes and maple sugaring courses.

My connections there led to a position with the New York City Water Supply as a Catskill field hydrologist, where I got paid to wade around in mountain streams and collect water samples whenever it rained. I came to value watershed protection and wetland restoration in a whole new context.

This became the focus of my master’s thesis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Institute for Environmental Studies, from which I graduated in 2001. I then served full-time as Education and Service Learning Coordinator for SCA’s Adirondack AmeriCorps program – a 10-month residential program designed to give new college grads a well-rounded environmental stewardship experience that included teaching in local schools through the winter and spending the summer completing field conservation projects.

I went on to direct this program and then its prototype in Massachusetts, before winding up at Mount Rainier National Park as Program Director of the SCA Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative.

This unique program put thousands of volunteers to work rebuilding the park following extreme flooding, many of them led by SCA corps members and staff over the two summers of our special funding.

Most recently, I called Boise, ID home, from where I oversaw national corps operations for SCA. These included programs aimed at increasing diversity in the national parks, engaging recent military veterans in wildfire-fighting careers and expanding AmeriCorps opportunities. I took on a variety of part-time positions with the local land trust, the city and various nonprofits when SCA discontinued its Boise office. I found myself coordinating all sorts of volunteer groups and special projects for these organizations, and additionally completed the Idaho Master Naturalist and LEED Green Associate programs. Promoting and understanding sustainability, eco-literacy and natural resource protection remain at the core of my own personal mission. I’m thrilled to join the Audubon Center of the North Woods where I’ll get to put these goals into practice through all that we do in the name of experiential education and stewardship of the earth. I look forward to meeting you – let’s go for a paddle!

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

Fall/Winter 2014

News from the North Woods

Page 5

Meet Our 2014-2015 Advanced Naturalist Interns Haley Appleman:

Wildlife Apprentice and Advanced Naturalist

I grew up in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. On a visit to Como Zoo in high school, I looked on enviously as a keeper cleaned the flamingo exhibit. Upon the realization that most people would rather not come in close contact with animal scat, I figured my relative indifference meant I was cut out to be a zookeeper. I went on to study Biology and Environmental Studies at St. Olaf College and have been accumulating animal care experience along the way. Through multiple internships I’ve worked with hoofstock, primates, cranes, and rehabilitated Minnesota wildlife. I love the challenges of working with animals, but hope to learn more about environmental education.

It wasn’t until college that I started spending significant time outdoors - bird watching, skiing, hiking - and I would love to share how I discovered nature’s alluring qualities with others. I’m excited to help bring the north woods experience to more students in my second year as a naturalist at ACNW!

Caley Gallison: :

Advanced Naturalist Intern / Adventure Focus

I was introduced to environmental education in my hometown of Portland, Oregon and since then, have further developed and strengthened my love for environmental ed and the outdoors. I just graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Biology and a minor in Education and African Studies. I have always loved the outdoors, but especially like hiking, skiing, biking, and swimming. I love waterfalls, lakes, rivers and anything to do with water, including macroinvertebrates! I enjoy travelling to places like Costa Rica, Scotland, New Zealand, and Zanzibar and like living and adventuring in new places.

Lucas Harguth:

Advanced Naturalist Intern / Wildlife Focus

I am from the small town of Eitzen Minnesota, which is in the very southeast corner of the state. I graduated from Northland College in Ashland Wisconsin with a Major in Natural Resources focusing on wildlife along with extensive studies in Outdoor Education. I am crazy about everything and anything that can be done in the outdoors. I enjoy listening to a variety of different music, but if you put a banjo in it you have my attention.

Adel Huemiller: Advanced Naturalist Intern / Adventure Focus I grew up in Needham, Massachusetts, but spent many a summer traveling the world looking for new and exciting adventures off the beaten path. My travels have given me the opportunity to hike the Costa Rican rainforest, raft Alaskan rivers, guide youth on wilderness canoe trips in Manitoba and make many new friends along the way! As an Environmental Studies student at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa I was able to foster my love of the outdoors by taking courses that brought me to the BWCAW, the Audubon Center of the North Woods, and Vienna, Austria. I hope to continue to strengthen my passion for outdoor adventure as an Advanced Naturalist Intern focusing on Adventure. I look forward to working with all of you at Audubon Center of the North Woods this coming year!

Kristen Morrow: Advanced Naturalist Intern / Adventure Focus I count myself quite lucky to hail from a dying populous: a small farming family in northeast Iowa. I was very fortunate in having adventurous parents who took me and my siblings on all sorts of outdoor trips in the more feral corners of this country. A lifetime of backpacking, biking, and canoeing has given me a love of wild places. I followed this passion in school and graduated from Iowa State University in 2013 with a B.S. in Environmental Science, emphasizing sustainable agriculture and watershed conservation. Since then I’ve become overly giddy about wetlands. And composting. ...Throughout my life, I’ve had a love affair with the southwest, and often you can catch me daydreaming about my main squeeze, New Mexico. I grew up backpacking in New Mexico’s mountains, and eventually worked in them for many years as a guide, conservationist, and environmental educator. Other things you might find me dreaming about include bee-keeping, goat cheese, small farm ownership, fiddle music, any of the long-distance backpacking trails that cross the country, and my next meal. Lastly, you’d be surprised (and eventually annoyed) at how many Lord of the Rings parallels I can relate to any situation.

Todd Noel:

Advanced Naturalist Intern / Wildlife Focus

I am Todd Noel, the first of his name, coming from the great (and sometimes not so great) state of Iowa. I moved further North to Minnesota to attend St. Olaf College where I studied Biology and Statistics. I love being outside and am grateful that I have gotten to spend a lot of time out in the woods this past year as a naturalist at Eagle Bluff ELC as well as some time travelling around in Australia and South America. In my free time I enjoy things such as fishing, hiking/exploring, a good canoe paddle, reading, and playing games. I am known for my affinity for tie-dye shirts and a laid back attitude.

Emily Roediger:

Advanced Naturalist Intern / Wildlife Focus

I am originally from Rochester, MN. One of my many favorite things to do as a kid was to explore and climb things, especially Chimney Rock at Whitewater State Park in MN. I went to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN and majored in Environmental Studies and Biology and minored in Geology and Music. Before I graduated, I spent a summer as an intern at Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo. Since then I was lucky enough to spend a couple of summers working at Whitewater State Park as a Naturalist Corps Intern. I also worked for a while at Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm in Dayton, Ohio as a Naturalist Intern. For the past year, I’ve been a Naturalist Fellow at Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul, MN. I still enjoy exploring new places, hiking up things and adventures!! Additionally, I enjoy playing tennis, piano, board games, card games, playing games in general, running sometimes, being outside in all kinds of weather and hanging out with people.

Asya Simons:

Advanced Naturalist Intern / Wildlife Focus

I’m Asya (Ah-see-ya). The name’s Russian…I am not. I say I’m from Richmond, Virginia, but I was born near Detroit. I just graduated from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, smack-dab in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains and just a few minutes from the Appalachian Trail. I love anything to do with being outside, particularly scuba diving and hiking, and will follow any trail my feet can find. I’m easily distracted by birds, butterflies, and most anything else that moves. Traveling is a main passion of mine, and I’ve followed the call for adventure from all over the states to the Virgin Islands, Kenya and Japan. I also love photography, curling up with a good book or movie, creating my own stories, food and peppermint patties

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

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News from the North Woods

Fall/Winter 2014

For complete information on any of our events and programs, including rates and registration details,

visit the CALENDAR OF EVENTS at our website - www.audubon-center.org/calendar, email us at info@audubon-center.org or call us at 888-404-7743

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

Fall/Winter 2014

News from the North Woods

Page 7

2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

Visit the CALENDAR OF EVENTS on our website or email info@audubon-center.org for more information Feb. 6-8........... Winter Phenology Weekend

Aug. 9-14........ BWCA Expedition camp

Feb. 20-22....... Becoming an Outdoor Woman

Aug. 16-21....... Hooked on Fishing camp

Feb. 14............. Dinner at the Lake

Aug. 16-23....... Paddling Sigurd Olson’s Canoe Country

Mar. 15-20....... Wilderness First Responder Course

Aug. 23-28...... Migration Mysteries

Mar. 21 ........... Maple Syrup Day/Brunch

Aug. 30-Sep.4... Migration Mysteries

Apr. 17-19........ Food & Farms Weekend

Sep. 6-11.......... Migration Mysteries

Apr. 18............. Dinner at the Lake

Sep. 11-13......... Women’s Superior Hiking Trail Weekend

May 1-3............ Women’s Wellness & Adventure Weekend

Sep. 13-20........ Paddling Sigurd Olson’s Canoe Country

May 8-10......... Spring Phenology Weekend

Sep. 26............ ‘Autumn at the Audubon’ Open House

May 10............. Mother’s Day Brunch

Sep. 26............ Renewable Trail Run

June 5-7.......... Birding Bonanza Weekend

Oct. 2-4.......... Women’s Wellness & Adventure Weekend

June 6.............. Dinner at the Lake

Oct. 17............. Dinner at the Lake

June 7-12......... Migration Mysteries

Dec. 27-30 ..... Winter Family Escape

June 14-19....... Migration Mysteries

Dec. 31 ........... New Year’s Eve at the Lake

June 15-19........ Forkhorn II Camp June 20-28...... Exploring Lake Superior’s South Shore June 28 -July 3... Outdoor Adventures Camp July 5-10.......... Summer Family Escape July 12-17......... Woods, Waters, & Wildlife Family Camp July 26-31........ Ways of Wildlife camp July 17-19.......... St. Croix Family Canoe Camp July 31-Aug. 2... North Shore Family Camp Aug. 1-9.......... Exploring Lake Superior’s South Shore Aug. 2-7.......... Backpacking on Superior Hiking Trail

Year-Round • K-12 Residential Environmental Learning Center • Conference & Retreat Center • Adventure, team-building & naturalist programming • Outreach Programs • Day Programs and Tours

Interested in holding your own event at ACNW?

We rent out our facilities for retreats, conferences, banquets and special events. Call Wendy at 888-404-7743 or email reservations@audubon-center.org for details.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AudubonCenter

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

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News from the North Woods

Fall/Winter 2014

2015 SUMMER CAMPS Next summer we are offering a plethora of summer camps...something for everyone: youth, families and adults.

Below is a sneak preview of our 2015 summer camps - details can be found on the Calendar of Events at www.audubon-center.org

YOUTH CAMPS

FAMILY CAMPS

ADULT CAMPS

June 15-19 – Forkhorn II Camp:

July 5-10 – Summer Family Escape:

June 7-12, June 14-19, Aug. 2328, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, Sept. 6-11 – Migration Mysteries: Raptors on the Wing, Wolves in the Wild & North Country Settlers (Road Scholar® #5745):

In collaboration with the Minnesota Deer Hunter’s Association (MDHA), Forkhorn II is offered for young outdoor enthusiasts (ages 11-17) who are looking to better their bow hunting skills. Archery practice will be provided every day with new tips and tricks to help everyone’s aim, and the Audubon Center offers a unique adventure twist with time for canoeing, swimming, high ropes, and outdoor survival.

June 28 -July 3 – Outdoor Adventures:

The Great Outdoors abound with adventures!

Experience white water rafting and canoeing on the Wild and Scenic Kettle River, outdoor rock climbing at Robinson Park and Ely’s Peak, biking on the Munger Trail and Jay Cooke State Park, Skywalk High Ropes course, Low Ropes Challenge course, indoor rock climbing and more!

If adventure is what you seek- this is your week!

July 26-31 – Ways of Wildlife:

Spend the week learning about caring for captive animals and learning about the lives of animals in the wild. We’ll care for the non-releasable wildlife at the Audubon Center, go on field trips to see wolves, bears, and fish, identify animal tracks, and learn animal identification skills. In addition to our time with animals we’ll also traverse the high ropes course and have time to cool off in Grindstone Lake.

Aug. 2-7 – Backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail:

Hike one of the top 10 hiking trails in the country - the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT)! Gain wilderness backcountry skills and explore lush forests with rocky cliffs, serene inland lakes, and thundering waterfalls that empty into Lake Superior. Backcountry camp amidst picturesque landscapes and cool off in the clear trout streams and in-land lakes along the North Shore.

Aug. 9-14 – BWCA Expedition Camp:

Paddling and camping in the incredible Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is the quintessential MN experience. The most beloved wilderness area in the world, the BWCAW’s 1.3 million acres of pristine lakes, rivers and forests is home to gray wolves, black bears, moose, beavers, bald eagles, loons and more! Learn wilderness canoe and camping skills and experience the beauty of MN’s Boundary Waters!

Aug. 16-21 – Hooked on Fishing:

Spend a week doing all things fishing at the Audubon Center! We’ll practice the basics of casting and knot tying, fish Grindstone Lake from shore and from boats, learn to fillet and cook fish, learn about fish habits and habitats, and make our own lures.

Take an extended 4th of July holiday break and treat your family to a week of discovery, learning and fun! Our week-long family program offers age-specific programming in the mornings and all-family programs in the evenings and afternoons. Whether you’re looking for water activities, hiking, nature learning or total relaxation, we have something for you!

July 12-17 – Woods, Waters, & Wildlife: A Family Nature Adventure at the Lake (Road Scholar® #4966):

The forests, fields, ponds and lakes of MN’s North Woods hold exciting environmental lessons for you and your grandchild. Search for reptiles and amphibians, meet impressive birds of prey, discover the hidden life of beavers and learn about the natural behavior of wolves. Feel the rush of adventure on our rock climbing wall and high ropes course, and enjoy making traditional Ojibwe crafts.

July 17-19 – St. Croix Family Canoe Camp:

Share a fun-filled camping experience with your family along the Wild & Scenic St. Croix River between MN and WI. Paddle canoes down the easy-flowing water, viewing ancient petroglyphs along the way. Close to the Twin Cities, the river is a great location for a scenic and easygoing weekend family getaway. Enjoy games, activities and campfires on the banks of the beautiful St. Croix.

July 31-Aug. 2 – North Shore Family Camp Experience:

Are you new to camping or just looking to explore a new part of MN? ACNW staff will lead you in exploring several parks along Lake Superior’s North Shore. We’ll provide all the gear, food and transportation, and naturalist led hikes for all ages of participants.

audubon-center.org/calendar

Experience life in the magnificent North Woods as we examine seasonal bird populations; the region’s top predator, the gray wolf; and trace human stories and experiences from the Ojibwe Indians, through the French-Canadian Voyageurs and big-pine Lumberjacks.

June 20-28, Aug. 1-9 – A Walking Discovery along Lake Superior’s South Shore (Road Scholar® #21937):

Led by noted experts Mike Link and Kate Crowley, enjoy a unique experience and absorb a wealth of knowledge amid beautiful settings through daily walks and field trips along Lake Superior’s south shore. Learn about natural history, geology, plant and animal life, human impacts including logging, mining, commercial fishing, current challenges and cultural connections with the Ojibwe.

Aug. 16-23, Sept. 13-20 – Minnesota’s Boundary Waters: Paddling Sigurd Olson’s Canoe Country (Road Scholar® #21938):

North Country icon Sigurd Olson was one of America’s most influential conservationists, a beloved nature writer. Award-winning author, musician and wilderness guide Douglas Wood will lead us as we examine Olson’s life and legacy, then embark on a journey of discovery, paddling and camping in the BWCAW. Learn about the region’s geology, forests, plants and animals. Hands-on learning experiences with evenings around the campfire and readings from Olson’s books.

Sept. 11-13 – Women’s Superior Hiking Trail Lodge-Based Weekend:

Experience one of the country’s most popular trails amongst a community of strong women in one breathtaking weekend! The Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) offers brilliant vistas of Lake Superior while winding through the lush forests of the MN’s north country. Learn backpacking basics while being immersed in the serenity of the wilderness, the spend evenings in comfortable lodging on the lake.

Online registration for 2015 Summer Camps will open on November 1, 2014 – check the Calendar of Events on our website at audubon-center.org/calendar for complete details and registration information for any of our camps

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

Fall/Winter 2014

News from the North Woods

Spotlight on schools The Audubon Center of the North Woods presented programs for 73 K-12 public, private and charter schools in the 2013-2014 school year.

Helping students and teachers to see the natural world with new eyes spurs them to further environmentally-focused actions in their schools. We celebrate this seed sprouting into a world in which we all live in balance with nature. If you know of a school that attends programs here at the Center, and is to be celebrated for its science and/or environmental actions, please let us know so we can turn the spotlight on them in future columns.

This year, a number of schools that ACNW authorizes are expanding to better meet the needs and aspirations of their students: l

AFSA High School is adding two more grades (5th and 6th) and adding a new site in St. Paul to house its Middle School (Grades 5-7).

l

Best Academy is adding a new site in Minneapolis for its middle school students (Grades 5-8).

l

Crosslake Community School is adding a new online program for their high school students.

l

East Range Academy of Technology and Science (ERATS) is expanding to include 9th grade.

We wish these schools all the best as they kick off these new sites, programs, and grade levels.

AFSA High School, an ACNW-authorized charter school in Vadnais Heights, earned national recognition from the Character Education Partnership, Washington DC. - an organization which aims to benefit society through school reform that addresses not only academics, but also social, emotional, and ethical issues. AFSA was recognized for its Farm and Community Service Day which involved AFSA students travelling out in the community to 17 locations to provide service hours, doing jobs such as buckthorn removal, mulching, landscaping, harvesting, cleaning stalls, mending fences, raking leaves, trimming hedges, and cleaning up trash.

Noble Academy, an ACNW-authorized charter school in Minneapolis, recently was awarded a grant from Hennepin County to support the environmental initiatives at the school for the 2014-15 school year. For more information on the grant the school was awarded, see the Hennepin County website.

Noble Academy was awarded a grant as part of the “Root Group.” We look forward to reports from the school on the work they are doing as part of the grant.

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General Wish List We are in need of the items below. Remember, your ‘in-kind’ donations are tax-deductible. More ‘wished for’ items can be found on our Amazon.com wish list – search “Audubon Center of the North Woods” under wish lists.

n utility trailer n reliable, fuel-efficient car for interns n 3/4 ton pick-up truck for snowplowing n canoes n canoe trailer n cordless and electric tools (saws, drills, etc.) n industrial-size washer & dryer n pressure sprayer n twin mattresses in excellent condition n handheld GPS units n firewood n topsoil for butterfly garden n cross country skis & snowshoes for very small kids n backpacking expedition packs n sleeping bags in excellent condition n ice machine n large mixing bowls n vacuum cleaner in good working order n table lamps n spade shovels n cultural site items (glass bead necklaces, flints, non-working flint-lock rifle, replica leather clothing, leather and hides, cast iron cauldron) n bobcat/skidster n electric golf cart n ATV n rubbermaid bins n lawn sweeper n Montreal Voyageur Canoe

Wildlife Barn Wish List The following items tassist us in the care of our educational animals or enhance the visit of those who come to learn about Minnesota’s wildlife. If you have or would like to purchase one of the following items it would be greatly appreciated. Rope comes on 100’ or 600’ spools, donations should be in whole spools.

Raptor food is special ordered; the cash donation will go towards food purchases. More items can be found on our Amazon.com wish list – search “Audubon Center of the North Woods” under wish lists.

n ¼” , ½”, and ¾” Manila Rope (Available from Amazon.com wish list)

n Raptor food for a month $150 n Parrot/dog toys (new or gently used) n Potted evergreen trees (less than 3’ tall) n Gift cards to Petco or Petsmart

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

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News from the North Woods

Fall/Winter 2014

GIVE TO THE MAX!!

PLEASE include the Audubon Center of the North Woods in your giving on GIVE TO THE MAX DAY, November 13.

Your support is deeply appreciated and crucial to our ability to continue to serve more than 10,000 participants through environmental literacy programs, demonstrate renewable energy sources that make a difference in the lives of humans and animals by eliminating carbon footprints, and help people enhance the richness of their lives through a closer connection to the environment.

Retreat Conferences Discounts

YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! Thank you in advance for remembering the Audubon Center of the North Woods on Give to the Max Day!!

“A person has made at least a start of discovering the meaning of life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit.�

D. Elton Trueblood

Please consider including the Audubon Center of the North Woods in your will. For more information, contact Walt Seibert, our Development Coordinator, at 952-200-9867 or development@audubon-center.org.

Information for your legal counsel (including samples of language for any type of bequest) can be found on our support page at audubon-center.org/support

New Yurt at the Center Over this last hard winter, our yurt succumbed to the heavy snows and collapsed. Luckily, it was insured and, with the help of a crew from Conservation Corps Minnesota and volunteers, we were able to replace the yurt last month. Located by our low ropes and survivor courses, we use the yurt primarily as a dispersed classroom. It is also available to rent as rustic lodging. Next time you are visiting, we invite you to walk on out and take a look at our beautiful new yurt!

From Our Kitchen - Our chef, Nick Damico, shares an easy delicious dessert bar that he makes with our own maple syrup Maple-Walnut Pie Bars 1 roll (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough (or one batch homemade dough) 3 eggs 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 T all-purpose flour 1 1/3 cups maple syrup 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts Powered sugar if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark pans). In ungreased 9x13 pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 13-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk. Stir in brown sugar, flour and maple syrup until well blended. Stir in walnuts.

Pour egg mixture evenly over partially baked crust; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until filling is set. Cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour or so. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Makes 3 dozen bars.

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

Fall/Winter 2014

Thank You!

News from the North Woods

We would like to acknowledge and thank all those individuals and companies who have contributed to the Audubon Center of the North Woods (since our last newsletter) as well as the schools who visited us this academic year. Through your support and patronage, we are able to provide the best environmental education opportunities for people of all ages.

Donations, Memberships & Memorials Osprey yy Greystone Foundation

Loons yy William & Sherry Bixby yy Lily-Beth Frentz yy Bud Turner & Roberta Mistretta yy Jennifer Weglarz

Otters yy Baxter Family Foundation yy David & Carol Cartwright yy John & Barbara Cloues yy Ceca Dorfey yy William Hilty yy Paulette Huddle yy Ruth Husom yy Kathleen Jones yy Connie LaFond yy Judy Layzell yy Kristen Lindberg yy Charles & Diana Moore yy Lois Norrgard yy Northview Bank yy Carol & Steve Nulsen yy Ruth Pfaller & John Wolforth yy Joel & Gail Roberts yy Paul & Anne Ruppel yy Roberta Reilly yy Sebald Motor Sales, Inc yy Roy & Margaret Sebald yy Walt Seibert yy Margaret Shulman yy George Skinner & Anne Hanley yy Bonnie Watkins & John Zakelj

Cranes yy Richard & Pat Anderson yy Anonymous yy Ginny & Tom Baker yy Helen Balcome yy Bev Bazey yy Elsa Bixby yy Amy Caldwell yy Neil Clark yy Kay & John Delinsky yy George & Fancie Domstrand yy Jeanne Eddy yy Marilyn Fortin yy Kent Fritz-Smead

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yy Muriel Gorham yy Greg Halbert yy Dale Hammerschmidt & Mary Arneson yy David & Michelle Heupel yy Larry & Pam Hylton yy Amy Jensen yy Eleanor & David Johnson yy Patricia & Robert Johnson yy JS Print Group, Inc yy Dianne Klabunde yy Harry & Kay Kuefler yy Brian Larson yy Jon Gary & Laurie Larson yy Pat Lytwyn yy Dorie Miller yy Laurel & Mike McMullen yy Gloria Noren yy Dan Nulsen yy John Omdahl yy John Othoudt yy Don & Sue Rogers yy Robert Schwyzer yy Ann & Tim Seidenkranz yy Kathleen & Ronald Spong yy Paige Stager yy Gary & Bonnie Van Erp yy Robert Wedl yy Joe Wedl

Friends yy Brett Cease yy David Chasson yy John Dalsveen yy Gwen & John Detlefsen yy Shirly Deutsch yy Alanna Dore yy Drilling Plumbing & Heating yy Angelika Erhard yy Mrs, Elizabeth Freeberg yy Betty Fritz yy Judy George yy Allen Graeme yy Colleen & Dan Haasl yy Sara Hasslen yy Carol Hill yy Dick & Sharon Holst yy Betty & Clifford Johnson yy Gail Krasean yy David & Ethel Marx

See the next page for member benefits ØØ yy Amy Moberg yy Courtney Nagle yy Roger Knudson yy Manley Olson yy Barb & Curt Orstad yy Don & Marilyn Owens yy Jane Parry yy Dan Penny & Sara Newman yy Christine & John Rostberg yy Henry Sadler yy Everett Salo yy Joan Schultz yy Norma Jean Shapira yy Patricia Stachelski yy Lydia Steensen yy John & Patricia Telfer yy Terry Wilton yy James Zaun yy Karey Zmeskal

In Memory of: In Memory of Nancy Alden Jackson yy Lynne & Herbert Benz yy Michael Doyle, Doyle Construction Co. yy Michael & Julie Frakes yy Charles & Jana Preble yy Barbara Schillo yy Robert & Marian Wright In Memory of Dale M. Nelson yy Jo Ann Marks Nelson In Memory of Synthia Thompson Osborne yy Sherry Bixby In Memory of George P. Pribyl yy Ann Mattson In Memory of Joe White yy Betsy & Ed Souther In Memory of Lorraine Wicklund yy Sylvia Marcotte In Memory of Bernice Williams yy Sylvia Marcotte

Honorary In Honor of Godfather Bill Julian yy Dustin Heinrichs

Grants yy The Allen Family Fund yy Eco Lab yy Donald L Janes yy MN Community Fdn yy Richard & Joan Newmark yy Virginia & Henry Sweatt yy Caroline Vernon & Bruce Halcomb

Friend a Wild Critter yy 2nd Grade Class of Holy Trinity yy Bethany Heft yy Audrey Hooper yy Lisa & Paul Jeanetta yy Becky Rabe yy Mary M. St. John

Employee Matching yy Ameriprise Financial/ Jennifer Weglarz yy BNSF Railway Foundation/ Charles Von Rueden yy Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Fdn/John Bachhuber

In-Kind Donations yy Doug & Sue Boylan, Lois Boylan yy Jim & Mary Butcher yy Tara Casey yy Julie Holly yy Joyce Kafton yy Sylvia Marcotte yy Jim & Audrey Waggoner yy Doug & Kathy Wood

Birding Bonanza Support yy MN River Valley Audubon Chapter

Food & Farms Sponsorship yy Byerly’s yy Coop Partners Warehouse yy Eastside Food Co-op yy Hidden Mountain Coffee yy Linden Hills Co-op yy Lucia’s yy Mississippi Market Natural Foods Coop yy Organic Valley yy Seward Community Co-op yy Sysco yy Thousand Hills Cattle Company

www.audubon-center.org 888-404-7743

Audubon Center of the North Woods Experience Your Environment P.O. Box 530, Sandstone, MN 55072 Phone: 888-404-7743 or 320-245-2648 Fax: 320-245-5272 Email: info@audubon-center.org

If you would like to save resources and would prefer to receive this periodic newsletter electronically (PDF) via email instead of US mail, please send an email to info@audubon-center.org

Visit our website! www.audubon-center.org News from the North Woods Volume 40, Issue 2—Fall/Winter 2014 Bryan Wood, Executive Director Laurie Fenner, editing/layout Published twice yearly by Audubon Center of the North Woods Mail, call or email us your inquiries and ideas.

Printed with soy-based inks on carbon-neutral paper containing 100% post-consumer waste

Join Us in Membership Membership Categories By becoming a member of the Audubon Center of the North Woods, you provide the essential support we need to continue to provide quality environmental educations to thousands of people every year.

Membership Benefits ØØ

CRANES $50-99

MOOSE $500-$749

OTTERS $100-249

EAGLES $750-$999

LOONS $250-$499 OSPREY $1000+ PLANNED GIVING - visit the Planned Giving section of our website under ‘Support’

All Members receive: l 10% discount off merchandise in our store l 10% off youth and family camps l 10% off Schwyzer Lodge l A gift membership to give to a friend l Our periodic printed newsletter l Our e-newsletter (optional) l Invitations to special events

ACNW MISSION

To instill a connection and commitment to the environment in people of all communities through experiential learning.