Minnesota Master Naturalist

Course Registration

BWBR - Big Woods, Big Rivers – St. Paul Parks Conservancy in St. Paul

Big Woods, Big Rivers – St. Paul Parks Conservancy in St. Paul website

1224 Lexington Pkwy N
St. Paul, MN 55117

This Big Woods, Big Rivers course is offered at the Historic Streetcar Station in St. Paul to take advantage of the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom with its variety of habitats and nearby urban streams five minutes away. Class activities will include lectures, interactive class activities and outdoor field study at the woodlands and streams. The course is sponsored by the St. Paul Parks Conservancy.

The course will cover general ecology, geology, woodland plant & animal identification and ecology, riparian ecology, identification and ecology of plants & animals associated with rivers, nature interpretation and human impact on deciduous forests and rivers.

The class will meet on ten Mondays from 20 April - 29 Jun from 6-8:30pm, except for Memorial Day. Eating is allowed in the streetcar if you need sustenance. Two Saturday field trips from 9am-5pm will be held on 6 Jun to Wood-Rill and Wolsfeld Woods SNA in Hennepin County and 20 Jun to Crosby Farms and St. Anthony Falls. Carpooling is encouraged. Attendance in all components of the course is required to earn certification as a Minnesota Master Naturalist.

A small group capstone service project is required for the course with an expected 8-10 hours of volunteer time some of which may be accomplished during class time. Projects may be available in Como Woodland, but students may develop their own projects. Each student must participate in an oral presentation on their project on the last day of class.

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The course cost is $295 and includes course manuals and supplies.

If the course cost is a hardship, please fill out the scholarship application. After the scholarship is fully processed, you will receive a code to be entered in the on-line registration process. Please wait until you receive that code to complete registration.

Course Dates:

Meeting from 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. on:

Instructor Information

Joan McKearnan

Retired biology instructor at a Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Masters from University of Minnesota- Duluth, PhD from University of Maryland in Wildlife Ecology

Britt Forsberg

Britt Forsberg (she/her/hers) is an Engagement Coordinator with Thriving Earth Exchange at the American Geophysical Union. In this role, she supports communities as they address their environmental priorities. She holds a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College and an MEd in Family Education from the University of Minnesota. She has taught each of the biome courses but lives in the Big Woods with her family. She gained an appreciation for bees through her work with the Minnesota Bee Atlas but can't break the habit of keeping her eyes on the ground to look for plants.

Sponsor Information

Saint Paul Parks Conservancy

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