Eagle Bluff Skills School - Winter 2016 Catalog by Eagle Bluff Skills School

Adult learning from Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center

Winter

Class Line-up

ECOTOURISM IN FILLMORE COUNTY

13 RURAL BY DESIGN Tools For Community Leaders

MORE INFO> 507.467.2437 • EAGLE-BLUFF-SKILLS-SCHOOL.ORG

WINTER 2015-16

CHOOSE

Local Advent Connect with your joy and your values. Know this land, your home. Build community. Meet practical needs.

Welcome to the Eagle Bluff Skills School!

Toll Free 888.800.9558 (MN, WI or IA) or 507.467.2437 | eagle-bluff-skills-school.org

nture

Classes 4 Events 7 News 8 Rural By Design Workshop 13 Neighbors 14 Ecotourism in Fillmore County16 Our Home 18 Empowering individuals to live and lead balanced lives in a sustainable world EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Jerome “Joe” Deden

28097 Goodview Drive Lanesboro, Minnesota 55949 888.800.9558 (MN, WI or IA) or 507.467.2437 skillsschool@eagle-bluff.org

To register for a class, connect, or receive more copies of this catalog call 507.467.2437 or e-mail skillsschool@ eagle-bluff.org

At Eagle Bluff Skills School adults learn new skills for sustainable living. Ecotours immerse guests in unique local ecoscapes and experiences. Eagle Bluff is a nonprofit center dedicated to connecting people of all ages to each other and the natural world through outdoor, environmental education and recreation.

To Register eagle-bluff-skills-school.org

Funding for printing and distribution provided by Carl & Verna Schmidt and Arlin Falck Foundations. When finished, please recycle this magazine by passing it to a friend. COVER PHOTO: Cross country skiing is a great way to get out and enjoy Minnesota’s winter months. Explore our 9 miles of cross country ski trails or check out the geocaching class on page 10 for another fun way to experience the great outdoors. AT LEFT: It’s easy to get lost in Dan and Arla Hutton’s restored tall grass prairie. See more information about prairie restoration classes and ecotours on pages 5 and 14.

hands on! Class Listing

SPINNER FISHING

GUN BASICS

JANUARY 9; 8:30AM-12:30PM Wayne Carrigan

JANUARY 9; 9AM-12NOON Doc Schoepski

Some of the best fishing in Minnesota is in Southeastern Minnesota? The land that glaciers ignored? You bet! We will discuss the opportunities that are available to anglers in SE MN, license requirements, techniques and equipment. We will then put that knowledge to practice by casting a spinning rod/reel. The class will finish up by learning how to build your own inline spinners. A kit will be provided that contains enough components to build 10 of your own handmade spinners. The Plano box that contains the components will then be used as your starting spinner tackle box!

Have you had an interest in firearms, but haven’t felt comfortable asking questions? Did you shoot a gun as a child, but don’t know what kind? Does your spouse have guns, but you know little about them? Learn to identify common types of firearms, parts of a gun, loading/unloading, cleaning, and basic skills for handling and storing firearms safely. Time will be dedicated to ammunition, but there will be no live firing of guns in this class.

JANUARY 9; 1PM-4:30PM Gretchen Engstrom Did that favorite pair of jeans wear out, but you just can’t seem to let them go? Now you don’t have to! Learn a simple technique to up-cycle old jeans into a durable and washable, ecofriendly rug. You can bring your own jeans or use what the instructor provides. No previous crafting skills required.

CLASS FEE: $40

Gretchen Engstrom is an environmental educator with Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center. She lives near the Root River in Lanesboro, Minnesota with her husband and dog. She spends her free time exploring outside, gardening, cooking and crafting, and loves creatively finding ways to keep things out of our landfills. This year’s newest culinary adventures include learning to harvest acorns for flour.

MATERIALS FEE: $5

CLASS FEE: $40

Wayne Carrigan and his wife Carol live south of Chatfield on the banks of the Root River. Wayne is a software engineer at IBM. His true passion is fishing. Besides living on the Root River, Wayne and Carol have a cabin on a lake north of Bemidji, MN where they love to fish walleye and are close to great musky fishing. They have turned their passion for fishing into Root River Lures, LLC. Wayne enjoys talking fishing along with sharing his experiences and knowledge.

Come spend a few hours learning gun handling skills that can open doors to a new hobby and help keep your family safe.

UP CYCLE BLUE JEAN RUG

Doc Schoepski is Eagle Bluff’s Outdoor Skills Program Coordinator. He has taught firearms safety and introductory shooting for more than 15 years. He will make sure all participants arrive at the same level and feel comfortable along the way. CLASS FEE: $40

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January

Want to teach a class?

Or, is there a class you’d like to see offered? We’re looking for instructors who enjoy creating hands-on, home or outdoor experiences for adult learners. To connect, e-mail us at:

skillsschool@eagle-bluff.org.

Back by popular demand for 2016! Would you like to make your favorite beverage in the comfort of your own home? I did, and I learned the hard way. I’ll teach you from my mistakes and you’ll make delicious beer for the very first time! This class is designed for an adult (aged 21+) who has never home brewed before or has been unhappy with their first attempts. We will do all the basics in making a one gallon batch of ale: brewing, fermenting, sterilizing and bottling. Class will start with sampling and learning about beer ingredients. After a hands-on experience with making beer (brewing) participants will get to take home some beer that they bottled themselves. This class makes an excellent gift for the hard-to-shop for person. Jeff Boland has been a Naturalist and Field Instructor at Eagle Bluff since 2003. In addition to his passion for the outdoors, he is an avid Home Brewer. While relatively new to home brewing, Jeff has made more than 100 gallons of delicious beer in the past two years. From stouts to IPA’s, Irish reds to German Hefeweizens.

JANUARY 30; 9AM-4:30PM Scott Leddy A whole day class with a morning lecture talking about what’s out there, why it is important and how to complete a site inventory. Various ways to manage different prairie types will be discussed. The afternoon will be outdoors. Unique features of a black oak sand barrens will be reviewed and restoration activities will be completed as time and weather permit! Come prepared to work outdoors, bringing appropriate attire, work boots and gloves! Scott Leddy has been restoring and reconstructing prairie and savanna in the Driftless Region for more than twenty five years. His passion has been studying the plants on remnant prairie and savannah which has led him to the understanding that virtually all of our native species are dependent on host plants and native trees. Our natural landscape is nearly gone. Scott has tried to preserve and bring attention to our highest quality remnants of native landscape.

February 20 | Water Quality with Jeff Broberg and George Spangler 20 | Backyard Composting with Sara Sturgis 20 | Intro To Taxidermy with Stephanie Rathsack 20| Cheese Making for Novices with Teresa Cerling

19| Food Drying & Jerky Making with Mary Bell

19| Basic Metalworking with Will Capron

30| Amish Bread Making 30| Introduction to Bluff Country

Ecotour with Old Buzzards Ecotours

CLASS FEE: $80

JANUARY 9; 1PM-5PM Jeff Boland

OAK SAVANNA PRAIRIE RESTORATION

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BEER BREWING BASICS

CLASS FEE: $40 MATERIALS FEE: $10 Beer Photo: myhomebeermaking.com

CLASSES continued FERMENTATION 101 JANUARY 30; 9am-12:30pm Peggy Hanson & Frank Wright In Fermentation 101 you will sample a wide range of ferments: vegetable, fruit, bean, dairy, grain and meats. We will make a vegetable ferment (sauerkraut or kimchi) and a dairy ferment (yogurt or crème fraiche). Tools and techniques for prepping and fermenting foods will be practiced and demonstrated. Bring an appetite for adventure and we will provide the rest!

SUSTAINABILITY BASICS FOR HOMEOWNERS JANUARY 30; 1PM-4:30PM Nicole Anderson This course will explore choices for sustainable living at home. Examine your own home’s carbon footprint, discuss changes that can easily decrease energy usage, and learn how larger-scale changes can dramatically increase energy efficiency. We will examine the zero-waste lifestyle; consumer goods, food, and water use choices; and the 5Rs for reducing environmental impact and saving money: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot.

Nicole Anderson is passionate about sustainable living Frank Wright and Peggy Hanson are and education. As avid eaters, with decades of an associate experience in the garden, professor at kitchen and compost pile. Winona Simple fermentation is part State of their daily lives in the University, she teaches form of yogurt, kimchi a course on Energy and and sauerkraut. Peggy Sustainable Living and eagle-bluff-skills-school.org owned and operated a new graduate course Cady Hayes House B & B in called Sustainability and Lanesboro for 18 years and Environmental Citizenship. has written extensively about She is currently working on a food. Frank, a retired wooden solar sculpture project to educate spoon maker, tends 350 rhubarb students and the community about the plants in his garden. He is a scientist benefits of renewable energy. by training and can explain the many CLASS FEE: $45 mysteries of microorganisms and their behavior.

WATER QUALITY

Co-sponsor: The National Trout Center

FEBRUARY 20; 1:30PM-3PM George Spangler & Jeff Broberg Participants will be introduced to the basic physical, chemical and biological attributes used to characterize the quality of atmospheric, surface and ground waters. Included will be discussions on a wide array of topics such as: physical characteristics – transparency, temperature, color, salinity; biological components – bacteria, viruses, parasites; dissolved gasses; human and animal health considerations; conservation, mitigation and restoration of water supplies; laws, regulations and jurisdictions. The workshop is cosponsored with the National Trout Center. Jeff Broberg, professional geologist and manager, WSB & Associates, and George Spangler, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota CLASS FEE: $20

To Register

CLASS FEE : $40

UpcomingWorkshop Saturday, April 2, 2016 A Land Ethic At Work

Landowners, farmers, and the businesses that support them will gather to explore their personal ethics for the land and specific ways to put them to work. Organized by Eagle Bluff, Winona State University, and Land Stewardship Project with generous funding from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. Details & registration: winona.augusoft.net Search on: Land Ethic

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Rural by Design

Dinner on the Bluff

January 8 | 8am-4pm a workshop with Randall Arendt

March 5 | 5pm “Nature, Culture and Two Friends Talking” James Armstrong & Kim Chapman

Cost: $60 per person Pre-registraion is required

Dinner on the Bluff January 9 | 5pm “Conservation Development” Randall Arendt

Cost: $25 early bird/$30 week of event Pre-registration is required

Candlelight Snowshoe January 16 | 5pm-9pm Cost: $10 per person Pre-registration is required

Dinner on the Bluff February 6 | 5pm “Water Conservation” Chad Pregracke

Cost: $25 early bird/$30 week of event Pre-registration is required

Candlelight Snowshoe

Cost: $25 early bird/$30 week of event Pre-registration is required

Maple Syrup Fest March 19 | 10am-2pm

Cost: $5 per person; kids under 5 are free No reservations required

Dinner on the Bluff April 2 | 5pm “A Land Ethic for…“Survival” in the Azuero Region of Panama” Bruno Borsari Cost: $25 early bird/$30 week of event Pre-registration is required

Dinner on the Bluff April 30 | 5pm “Sustainability and Food Systems” Douglas Gayeton

Cost: $25 early bird/$30 week of event Pre-registration is required

February 13 | 5pm-9pm Cost: $10 per person Pre-registration is required

Put us on your calendar! Everyone’s welcome at Eagle Bluff’s public events. Come meet people who share your interests, have fun, and connect with our staff, neighbors, collaborating partners and sponsors. For more information on these events please visit www.eagle-bluff.org.

> Celebrate, learn and connect with our community

events

NEWS >food

Feast! Local Foods Network: Growing Southern Minnesota’s Local Food Economy

n 2013, the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) partnered with Renewing the Countryside (RTC) and several other partners to form the Feast! Local Foods Network. The goal of Feast! is to provide resources, forge partnerships, and leverage expertise within southern Minnesota’s local food sector. Collectively, Feast! seeks to increase awareness of local food entrepreneurs and creatively drive this growing segment of our region’s economy.

Feast! held its first local foods marketplace and tradeshow event in 2014, bringing together 120 vendors from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, more than 1,200 consumers, and 40 buyers. Due to the success of last year’s event, SMIF and RTC will be hosting the Feast! Local Foods Marketplace again this on December 4-5, 2015 at the Rochester Mayo Civic Center. One goal of the Feast! Local Foods Network is to facilitate collaboration between local farms, businesses, and public and nonprofit organizations. Squash Blossom Farm, near Oronoco, is an example of these collaborations at work. Squash Blossom Farm bakes wood-fired breads and pastries and was looking for opportunities to expand their market reach beyond farmers markets and their farm store. After attending the Feast! Festival

At Squash Blossom Farm of Oronoco, Minn., business grew after owners connected with customers, buyers, and an investor at the Feast! Local Foods Festival one year ago.

& Trade Show event in 2014, they connected with interested buyers in Rochester, then approached SMIF for a loan to assist with building their new commercial kitchen to grow their business. For more information, visit www.localfeast.org, and connect on Facebook or Twitter @Local_Feast.

Eagle Bluff Food Lab Update

ork continues on our Food Lab project, which is designed to do four things: 1) enhance food access, equity and security by strengthening regional foodsheds; 2) preserve our food heritage by creating connection with locally grown, home-made foods; 3) inspire and enable healthy eating while lowering our ecological footprint; and 4) demonstrate innovative growing options. Contact Joe to learn more at joe.deden@eagle-bluff.org Schematic of future Eagle Bluff Food Lab

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> Building resilient lives and communities one class at a time BACKYARD COMPOSTING

INTRO TO TAXIDERMY

FEBRUARY 20; 9AM-12:30PM Sara Sturgis

FEBRUARY 20; 9AM-12NOON Stephanie Rathsack

This class will (literally) dig in to practical ways of incorporating composting into your household routines. We will go beyond the benefits of composting to focus on navigating the numerous composter types, site selection practices, and simple ways to make composting ‘fast’ and easy. Included in the class: making your own small-scale worm or bin style composter.

Preparing, stuffing and mounting skins of animals is an ancient art form. In this introduction to the craft you will learn basic techniques. After a brief introduction, you will prepare a mouse rug or stuffed mouse in an action setting you choose. All equipment and materials are provided, and you get to keep your mouse! Don’t be squeamish; most participants find the process far less gruesome than they thought!

Sara Sturgis has been involved in a number of composting projects since 2006, primarily designing and coordinating Eagle Bluff’s mid-size food scrap composting program. Her goal is to make composting simple and practical for all types of homes.

Stephanie is a graduate naturalist at Eagle Bluff and loves working in the outdoors. She is a 2014 University of Minnesota graduate who has pursued interests including outdoor photography and monarch butterfly conservation and education.

CHEESE MAKING FOR NOVICES FEBRUARY 20; 1PM-4:30PM Teresa Cerling You will learn how to make two cheeses: mozzarella and ricotta. Instructor Teresa Cerling will talk

about different kinds of cheese and the different methods used to make them, as well as the importance of using the right milk. Handouts with sources of where to buy supplies will be shared.

Teresa Cerling lives in rural Fillmore County with her husband and daughter. She started making cheese about 20 years ago when one daughter had a cow milk eagle-bluff-skills-school.org allergy. They got a few goats and milked them. To use up the excess, she started making cheese.

To Register

CLASS FEE : $40 MATERIALS FEE: $5

CLASS FEE : $40 MATERIALS FEE: $15

CLASS FEE: $40 MATERIALS FEE: $5

Give the gift of summer camp! Eagle Bluff summer camps provide safe, fun, outdoor experiences for youth entering grades 3rd - 10th. They are a great place to learn new skills and make new friends. Sessions fill fast, so click the summer camps button on our website at: www.eagle-bluff.org for more camp info. For your kids or grandkids alike!

CLASSES continued NATURALLY CLEAN MARCH 5; 9AM-12NOON Stephanie Davidson Homemade all natural cleaning products are inexpensive to make, just as effective as those store bought cleaners, and are better for you and your loved ones. Each of us will make our own set of natural cleaners for all of your cleaning needs to take home! We will also discuss the benefits of using our new natural cleaning

set and share resources and recipes so that you can continue to make them at home and share them with friends and family! Stephanie Davidson is Eagle Bluff’s public program coordinator and has been at Eagle Bluff since 2011. She enjoys cleaning and organizing in her free time! CLASS FEE: $40 MATERIALS FEE: $10 The supply fee will be used for your cleaning products set that you will take home!

ROCK CLIMBING & GEOCACHING ADVENTURE MARCH 5; 1PM-5PM Colleen Kannen Looking for an afternoon of adventure? This session will explore the basics of rock climbing, including belaying and climbing, and geocaching which is when you use a GPS unit to navigate around the woods. It will be limited in size to only a dozen participants. It is a great girl’s weekend activity or office adventure getaway. Your time will be split between Eagle Bluff’s indoor climbing wall and our outdoor geocaching course. No experience or gear needed as we’ll provide it all. Come ready to learn new skills and get some exercise! Colleen Kannen is the Eagle Bluff adventure education coordinator. She is an Ohio native who’s been at Eagle Bluff since 2010. Her favorite activities include rock and ice climbing, roller derby, participating in “Tough Mudders” and saying “you betcha.” CLASS FEE: $40

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SOAP MAKING MARCH 5; 9AM -12NOON Karen Schmidt Hot processed soap making is an alternative method of making soap from scratch allowing for better utilization of essential oils in the final product. Although considered as advanced soap making class, basics will be covered so that even beginning soap makers can attend and all will be empowered with the knowledge and skills to make their own hot processed soap. You will find this class interactive and open for discussion with questions & answers. The hot process soap making will be demonstrated from start to finish with fun samples to take home. Karen Schmidt is a member of the Soap Makers Guild and has 12 years’ experience producing soy candles, soaps, air-fresheners and body products. She handcrafts her products on her southeast Minnesota family farm. Karen sells her wares at local farmer’s markets as well as through Schmidt House Candle and Bath. CLASS FEE: $40 MATERIALS FEE: $5

SAUSAGE MAKING

Co-sponsor: People’s Food Co-op

MARCH 5; 1PM-4PM Ethan Schandelmeier Be informed and entertained by Ethan’s enthusiastic passion for food. Learn the ropes of sausage making and cover topics such as: mixing and grinding techniques, ingredients, types of casings, safe handling, cooking times and much more. This is a hands-on experience. Ethan has been with the People’s Food Co-op for nine years, first in La Crosse as assistant meat manager and the last two years as meat department manager at the Rochester location. CLASS FEE: $40 MATERIALS FEE: $15 for meats and materials

SHIITAKE MUSHROOM CULTIVATION MARCH 19; 9AM-12NOON Joe Deden Are you interested in growing one of the most popular mushrooms consumed world-wide? This class helps you get started and sends you home with knowledge, handouts, and an inoculated shiitake log. You will learn: how to select shiitake logs (what tree species work and which don’t); choosing spawn; equipment needed; moisture control, and more! Class begins with an introductory presentation and relocates to inoculate logs and talk about growing and marketing considerations. Joe Deden is executive director of Eagle Bluff. Love for nature and giving that opportunity to children and adults is Joe’s life mission. He believes we need to share our passion for nature with others, make it infectious and create experiences everyone wants and does. He has been growing shiitake mushrooms for 30+ years. CLASS FEE: $40

FOOD DRYING & JERKY MAKING MARCH 19; 1PM-4PM Mary Bell This class will provide you with information so you can become more self-sufficient by simply drying food including jerky. To best understand the drying process, you will have the opportunity to taste, touch, feel and see a wide variety of dried foods. This class will include a segment on preparing all types of jerky for many locally available meats. By drying food you will save money, practically eliminate food waste and further embrace the concept of sustainability. It’s all about having access to locally sourced, dried in season, healthy foods! For over three decades Mary Bell has promoted food drying throughout North and Central America. Her books include; Dehydration Made Simple, Mary Bell’s Complete Dehydrator Cookbook, Just Jerky, Jerky People and Food Drying with an Attitude. CLASS FEE : $30

MATERIALS FEE: $10 for inoculated hardwood log

We want to make you aware of changes happening with the Skills School… You may have noticed in the past few months we’ve transitioned our name and logo from River Roots Skills School to Eagle Bluff Skills School. There are several reasons, but the most important is feedback from you. The new name makes it clear the Skills School expands Eagle Bluff’s Environmental Learning Center ‘s mission and programs, and that it is not a new organization. This newest class catalog reflects these changes. We appreciate your fantastic support of the Skills School and look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming classes.

CLASSES continued BASIC METALWORKING MARCH 19; 9AM-4PM Will Capron From fine art to quick and dirty repairs, the ability to precisely shape metal with simple hand tools is a valuable part of self-reliance and sustainable living. This class will cover project layout, workspace setup, tool selection, and technique in detail to ensure that participants leave with a set of skills and principles that can be applied to a variety of projects. This class is also a good first step for anyone interested in learning to make knives and other edged tools. Will Capron is a custom knife maker in Lanesboro, Minnesota and lifelong student of craftsmanship in all its forms. He is experienced in manufacturing and precision machining. When not in the shop, he enjoys traveling and spending time in the woods and on the river. CLASS FEE: $80 MATERIALS FEE: $30

Photo: A.B. Sheldon; WI DNR

AMISH BREAD MAKING MARCH 30; 9AM-12NOON

Ever wondered what it would be like to live without electricity and modern appliances? This is an opportunity to visit an Amish home, to get to know an Amish family and to learn how to bake bread in a wood fired stove. After the bread is baked and the butter made, you will enjoy the freshly made bread and butter with a pot of herbal tea. Take home a loaf of fresh baked bread and get to know our local Amish community. This is a great intergenerational experience! If you have ever wondered about owning a wood fired stove, there is no better way to see and experience what cooking and living with one is like! CLASS FEE: $45 MATERIALS FEE: $5 for bread making supplies

INTRODUCTION TO BLUFF COUNTRY ECOTOUR Co-sponsor: Old Buzzards EcoTours

MARCH 30; 1PM-4PM Jeff Kamm and Joe Deden Want to know more about what makes Bluff Country so unique? Why this region is called the Driftless Area or the unglaciated area and what impact does that have? This ecotour will introduce you to the wonders of Southeastern Minnesota. An experienced guide will point out wildflowers, edible plants, resident birds, natural and restored prairies and fascinating geological formations.

Old Buzzards Ecotours is one of Fillmore Counties premier and oldest Ecotourism operators. They specialize in all things Fillmore County. Lifelong residents of this area, the eagle-bluff-skills-school.org Old Buzzards will regale you with tales and stories that make this adventure a unique, memorable experience. Wear comfortable shoes for hiking, bring your binoculars for birding and a camera for photos of spring wildflowers.

To Register

CLASS FEE : $40

Enjoy your garden produce year round. Learn about Feast! Page 8 12

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shop Locat ed

Rural By Design

A workshop with

Randall Arendt Landscape planner & author of Rural By Design: Maintaining Small Town Character, Conservation Subdivisions, Growing Greener, and Envisioning Better Communities

Friday, January 8, 2016 Practical inspiration and tools for land developers, city and county planning board members, and planning professionals SESSION 1:

Conservation Subdivisions

Meet Needs For Residential Development and Permanent Conservation Land Together Event Date...............................January 8, 2016 Registration............................................... 8 am Continental Breakfast �� 8:15 am Workshop.......................................9 am - 4 pm

A four-step method is presented for laying out residential developments around the central principle of open space conservation. Design enhancements for marketability and bottom-line profitability are shared. We will also look at how the design process can fit local regulations, and how conservation design principles apply to higher-density infill projects.

Fee............................................ $60 first person;

A hands-on design exercise allows participants to apply the design process to a real parcel of land, selecting house sites in relation to pre-identified conservation areas, aligning streets and trails, and drawing lot lines.

(Lunch provided)

$50 each additional person with same address & organization

Seating is limited! Register today at eagle-bluff.org

Arendt’s designs are “twice green” because they succeed both environmentally and economically

SESSION 2:

Commercial Development

Improve Marketability & Bottom-Line Profitability In Today’s Market Learn practical ways to reclaim existing highway development strips characterized by dysfunctionality and visual blight. Integrate multiple conservation design and new urbanism strategies to increase functionality and attractiveness. We will explore: site design and building layout, tree planting, traffic calming, mass transit, pedestrian connectivity, affordable housing, conservation of natural/historic/cultural features, storm water management, sign standards, and lighting standards. Examples of successful highway commercial development and redevelopment will be shown.

EVENT CO-SPONSORS:

MARKETING PROMOTIONS ASSISTANCE FROM:

Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation 7 Rivers Alliance

Minnesota Association of Counties Minnesota Association of Small Cities Fillmore County Soil and Water Conservation District Land Stewardship Project Lanesboro Chamber of Commerce The University of Minnesota, Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership Winona State University, Adult and Continuing Education

Drawings & landscape photos courtesy Randall Arendt Planning group photo: CommunityGrowthOptions.org & 1000 Friends of Minnesota

neighbor to neighbor

An Extraordinary Passion For Prairie

n a crisp Saturday May morning, Scott Leddy led a group of Skills School Ecotour participants up a hillside called Marge’s Goat Prairie. This hillside, near Rushford, is where Scott completed a prairie restoration. One group member said, “We thought we knew something about prairies until we witnessed what Scott has made possible. We had no idea that a place like this existed!”

here in the distant past), and beautiful shooting stars (remnants of pre-glacial times).” Last year Scott completed two restoration projects covering about a mile of bluff tops. These projects included removing most invading trees and brush species. When the ground was frozen he rolled the trees off the bluff and then piled and burned them at the base of the bluff.

Scott’s passion for prairies is extraordinary. As a kid he’d ride his bike to at least four different According to Scott, “ The prairies each week. “Everywhere Root River Watershed has the greatest biodiversity in the state I looked I saw such incredible beauty,” he said. “My curiosity of Minnesota.” He went led me to develop an on to explain how understanding about river corridors these ecosystems. are like massive I’ve learned how highways. “As everything is birds fly up On January 30th Scott dependent and down and will teach a day-long on having a as the wind prairie restoration class community of distributes at Eagle Bluff. See page diverse plants. seeds the 5 for details. Each type of bee river becomes and butterfly may a channel that be dependent on spreads diversity.” just one unique plant Think about it, a single plant Scott told his students, “In can determine its survival.” Plant this one place there are more species change with site, slope, than 200 species of prairie degree of rockiness, available plants, up to 100 species of butterflies, hundreds of different moisture and microclimate. “Sadly,” Scott said, “most of these bees, four types of tiger beetles, areas no longer exist.” at least 100 different types of mosses (most have never been But there is hope! Eagle Bluff will studied), fringed puccoon (a be restoring an 80-acre sand western species that arrived

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barrens prairie site. According to Scott, “It is one of the rarest black oak savannah sites. I have been looking for a site like this for a long time. It’s perfect. This land was too steep and too dry to farm and has not been critically damaged.” The Eagle Bluff sand barrens prairie project will show how to restore a degraded landscape and save numerous endangered species. Eagle Bluff ’s continual documentation will serve as witness to what can happen when people care. That said, the initial restoration is only the first step and requires a long-term commitment to keep the prairie in good health.

Come sit, listen, watch and learn. Scott invites you to visit a prairie on a hot summer evening. “ The diversity of plants and insects will stun you. What we have in this Driftless area does not exist anywhere else. These hillsides burst with life. The bees are solar powered and when the sun comes out, they are everywhere. You might get lucky and see a purple cliffbrake that’s only found in the Root River valley or a six-line racerunner lizard. There are prairie birds, such as bobolinks, dicksissels, lark and Henslow’s sparrows.” Learn more about Scott’s work at meadowlarkrestorations.org.

The Root River Watershed has the highest biodiversity in Minnesota Old Field Pussytoes

Nodding Onion Amethyst Shooting Star

Great Spangled Fritillary Purple Cliffbrake

Timber Rattlesnake Six Lined Race Runner

Monarch Caterpillar Monarch Butterfly

Prairie Smoke

Ecotourism in Fillmore County Lively learning, healthy community growth S

outheast Minnesota is known for natural scenic beauty, friendly people, arts, and outdoor life. Each season thousands of tourists flock to the region’s small towns and rural attractions for a well-deserved

break and a breath of fresh air. There’s already a lot to enjoy, so why has a conversation about ecotourism taken hold here in recent months? What is it, and how can it change vacations— and life—in the region?

How is ecotourism different? CONSERVATION Ecotourism incorporates sustainability and creates economic incentives for protecting natural and cultural heritage.

COMMUNITY Ecotourism increases local employment opportunities, enriches community life, and helps communities develop sustainably.

EDUCATION Appreciation for nature, people, and local culture increase through rich experiences, learning, and story.

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Current visitor activity is heavily naturebased. People come to enjoy trails, the river, fishing, or hunting. Ecotourism, according to Court Whelan, a U.S.-based ecotourism travel expert, can increase the value of those experiences for both participants and communities on many levels. “First, there is the traveler. People are going out of their way to experience something new and adventurous. Returning home, they bring not just souvenirs, but stories, memories and conservation messages. “Second, there is the host...Historically the value of land has been measured primarily by the...natural resources it has (for harvest)...Ecotourism creates value for natural areas that remain pristine, unaltered, and well, natural... “Third,...people actually make money because of ecotourism. Thus, ecotourism creates a conservation culture where people without any connection to the ecotourism business are positively influenced. This is all derived from the financial incentive to conserve nature.

Build a culture of connection and curiosity. 1. TAKE A CLASS

Make a commitment to learn a new sustainable living skill.

2. TEACH A CLASS

Share your knowledge with others.

3. VOLUNTEER Left: Birding expert Jeff Kamm shares his knowledge with southeast Minnesota guests; Center: Visitors don beekeeping suits to learn about bee life and honey harvest; Right: A twist of the awl releases sap and old stories

Help behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly.

4. MAKE A DONATION TO EAGLE BLUFF SKILLS SCHOOL “Finally,...ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the fastest growing industry in the world (tourism). Every single tour operator and every single ecotourist is now an ambassador to ecotourism, which makes them ambassadors for environmental and cultural conservation, too. They...make conscious choices about sustainable living, but their powerful stories and messages after returning...reverberate loudly in our global culture.”

What does this mean for southeast Minnesota tourism? Opportunities exist to create new visitor experiences and at the same time enliven and stabilize communities. Ecotourism adds stories, sharing of knowledge, and sustainable environmental practices to tourism. It’s a way of inviting people in to see more closely and experience more fully.

What will it take to build ecotourism here? Eagle Bluff has been hosting countywide planning sessions on ecotourism over the past year. We are now offering Ecotours through the Skills School and are evaluating other ways to complete collaborative marketing efforts. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners in this process who include: The Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, the Carl and Verna Schmidt and Arlin Falck Foundations. Research information was provided by the University of Minnesota Masters of Development Practice Gradudate Cohort. Contact Joe Deden if you are interested in ecotourism and would like to get involved!

Funding for facilities and equipment is key to a successful program.

5. INCLUDE EAGLE BLUFF SKILLS SCHOOL IN YOUR ESTATE PLAN Leave a legacy gift ensuring long-term availability of these experiences for others.

6. PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Think globally. Act locally. Learn a new skill.

7. TELL OTHERS ABOUT EAGLE BLUFF & ECOTOURISM Word of mouth is the best advertising. Share our catalog and talk about local opportunities whenever and wherever you can.

8. RESTYLE YOUR BUSINESS FOR ECOTOURISM, START A NEW VENTURE, OR TALK WITH US ABOUT COLLABORATION

Why make the effort? As a community, we can use what’s here to create fun more imaginatively. We can also add value to our work, shape sustainable prosperity, and enrich local life while restoring and protecting our home.

Use your skill and ideas to build an ecotourism business. Join with us to co-market services and promote the region. Winter snowshoe adventure exploring local landscapes

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Enjoy our campus and home in southeast Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bluff country Eagle Bluff Skills School is based at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, located west of Lanesboro, Minnesota on the Root River. Lodging for Skills School students is readily available at area bed and breakfast establishments, resorts, campgrounds and hotels. Ample recreational opportunities in the area exist for family members or extended stays.

Toll Free 888.800.9558 (MN, WI or IA) or 507.467.2437 | eagle-bluff-skills-school.org

REGISTRATION

Register for a course online at eagle-bluff-skillsschool.org or call: 507.467.2437. Upon receipt of registration and payment, space in the selected course is reserved.

LODGING

Lanesboro, Preston, and Harmony, Minnesota offer a variety of lodging options and are just a few miles away.

CAMPING

Choose one of Lanesboroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two municipal campgrounds, nearby Forestville State Park, or one of many private campgrounds in the area.

RECREATION

If you love the outdoors, this is your place! Eagle Bluff’s campus features nine miles of hiking and XC ski trails that loop from Root River to bluff tops to tall grass prairie. River canoeing, kayaking, hiking, bicycling, birding, golfing and fishing are favorite local activities. Eagle Bluff’s campus is also known for scenic ropes courses with scheduled public sessions in the summer months.

Chatfield, Minnesota ci.chatfield.mn.us Harmony, Minnesota exploreharmony.com

Partners

LEARN MORE Communities

FOOD

Eagle Bluff Skills School students are welcome to bring a lunch. A refrigerator is provided and coffee, tea and water are complimentary during onsite classes. If you choose to leave campus for lunch, nearby Lanesboro is home to a variety of restaurants.

Lanesboro, Minnesota lanesboro.com Mabel, Minnesota cityofmabel.com Preston, Minnesota prestonmntourism.com Rushford, Minnesota rushfordpetersonvalley.com

The National Trout Center nationaltroutcenter.org Old Buzzards Ecotours lanesborolocal.org/service/old-buzzrd-birdingecotours/ Organic Valley organicvalley.coop People’s Food Co-op pfc.coop Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation smifoundation.org

Spring Valley, Minnesota springvalleyminnesotatourism.com

FIND

EAGLE BLUFF SKILLS SCHOOL 28097 Goodview Drive Lanesboro, MN 55949

From the East: • Take State Highway 16 to Lanesboro. • Go north on Highway 250 (Parkway Ave) for about 1/2 mile until you are approaching downtown. • Turn left on County Road 8 (Between Root River Outfitters and Mrs. B’s Inn) and travel 2 miles. • Follow brown directional signs to turn right on County Road 21 (blacktop) and travel 1 1/4 miles. • Turn right on Goodview Drive (gravel) and travel 2 1/2 miles to the Eagle Bluff Campus.

From the North, South, or West: • Take Highway 52 to Fountain. • In Fountain follow brown directional signs to turn east on County Road 8 and travel 7 miles. • Turn left on County Road 21 (blacktop) and travel 1 1/4 miles. • Turn right on Goodview Drive (gravel) and travel 2 1/2 miles to the Eagle Bluff Campus.

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EAGLE BLUFF SKILLS SCHOOL