Course Registration
VOL - NPLD Itasca State Park - Park Rapids
Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center, Shevlin, website
36750 Main Park DrivePark Rapids, MN 56470
National Public Lands Day 2024 is a statewide event that provides unique opportunities for Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteers to participate in our largest single day of service. Locations across the state will have MNats and others out helping to make Minnesota a better place!
Friends and family are welcome to participate but must be registered to participate. Everyone will sign a photo release upon site registration. All participants will receive a free NPLD-branded item and a day pass to a national park as a thank-you for participating.
Volunteers will be placing or repairing woven wire cages around young white pine trees to protect them from deer herbivory until their tops are out of reach and the tree can thrive. At the park, we will meet at 9:45 AM in the courtyard at Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center. Volunteers will check in with organizers, receive thank you gift, and take a group photo before moving to the work site near the Headwaters Center parking lot. We are scheduled to work until 3:00 PM.
This work will involve walking off-trail through the woods, brush, or recently harvested stands. Long pants and long shirt sleeves are essential. STURDY FOOTWEAR is a must (i.e., that woodsy pair of Crocs will not cut it). Gloves, preferably leather, are needed for handling woven wire. Please bring your lunch, personal snacks, and a water bottle. There will be no place to purchase supplemental water, soda, or snacks so pack your bags! Headwaters restrooms will be available. This event is hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Master Naturalist program. Participants will be UMC Natural Resources students and members of the public. The Natural Resources program will be providing lunch for their students from the University of Minnesota Crookston.
Map of all sites
Register by September 16th to receive some swag!
Course Dates:
Meeting from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on:
- Saturday, September 28, 2024
Instructor Information
John is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Minnesota Crookston, and an Extension Wildlife Specialist. He has worked with the University of Minnesota Extension Service on wildlife-related issues with the Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and Woodland Adviser programs since 2001. He regularly speaks to groups on human-wildlife interactions, wildlife damage management, and enhancing landscapes for wildlife. His collegiate teaching focuses on Wildlife Ecology, Ornithology, Mammalogy, Fisheries Management, and Environmental Statistics. His research focuses on habitat associations and reproductive performance of wild birds. John holds a BS in Biology and Zoology from North Dakota State University, a MS and PhD in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech and Oregon State University, respectively.
Sponsor Information
University of MN Crookston
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