Conservation Corner

To find out what FMR staff are currently working on and encountering in the field, please see our conservation blog.

Archives from our previous features "Conservation Corner" and "Nature Notes" are below.

2018

January: Who goes there?

Snowy days make tracks easier to spot.


February: Turtles on the go under the ice

Thanks to local researchers we now know that turtles are far more active in winter than we thought. However, we're still not sure why.


March: If you build it, will they come? Investigating whether restored habitat means more wildlife.

Thanks to local researchers we now know that turtles are far more active in winter than we thought. However, we're still not sure why.


April: What's the best way to control buckthorn and protect native plants? FMR investigates.

We set up a new research project in Hampton Woods to control buckthorn and see how different methods (such as the forestry mower, bottom right) best protect and encourage native plants (like the yellow ladyslipper, bottom left).


May: Burn, baby, burn! But only when we say so.

A prescribed burn rolls through a blufftop prairie at the Flint Hills Pind Bend Bluffs restoration site.


June: Wildlife returning to FMR habitat restoration sites

Recent surveys reveal red-headed woodpeckers, frogs, and turtles benefiting from FMR's efforts to restore and build wildlife habitat in the Twin Cities river corridor.


July: Skinks and pollinators returning to restored prairie

prairie skink


August: Goldenrod vs. ragweed: Which causes allergies and which benefits pollinators?

Goldenrod


September: Restoring habitat on an urban island

Aerial photo of Nicollet Island


October: Why do volunteers hand-collect seed for FMR?

Native prairie seeds collected by hand.


November: Habitat in the city: the power of the single yard

Black capped chickadee.


December: Bird surveys reveal steady increases at FMR prairie restorations

Henslow's Sparrow.

2017

January: Misty mornings on the Mighty Miss

Reflecting the warm orange of the rising sun, an ethereal mist rises from the cold river.


February: A murder most fowl

Thousands of crows ... with thousands of facebook fans.


March: 'What’s it got in its pocketses?'

The plains pocket gopher.


April: DNR Eagle Cam provides a close-up view of eagle family life

Feeding time.


May: Unassuming little beetle's clever (gross?) 'shield defense'

Sumac flea beetle.


June: It's a sign! Giant stonefly found in downtown St. Paul

Stoneflies indicate good water quality.


July: 'Don't worry, I come in peace!' Meet the one-of-a-kind pelecinid wasp

This striking and unusual pollinator is sure to catch your eye.


August: It’s a bee! It’s a bird! It’s a … moth?

Sphinx moth enjoying a pollinator patch planted by FMR volunteers.


September: Beautiful berries 'ecological traps' for birds

These bright red and shiny berries offer no nutrition to hungry birds.

October: Fall is for the squirrels


Fall is often a frenzy of winter prep for these adaptable critters.

November: Let's talk turkeys


Wild turkeys are a familiar and colorful face at FMR restoration sites.


December: Snowshoeing grouse

Seasonally grown fringe on the sides of their feet help grouse stay aloft in winter.

2016

January: Midwestern winters bring owls together

While hard to see, there is indeed a second owl in this photo.


February: Knock, knock. It's the red-bellied woodpecker.

The drumming of the male red-bellied woodpecker resounds throughout the forest


March: Unpredictable weather, fuzzy eaglets and great horned owls

Dinner time for eaglets!


April: The mighty call of the... timberdoodle?!

TImberdoodle! Aka the woodcock.


May: Spring nighthawks: Acrobats of the bird world

Nighthawks whirl and swoop at sunset.


June: Dung beetles: Waste warriors!


July: Mini-mystery revealed — They're caterpillar houses.

Safe as caterpillar houses.


August: Blazing blooms

Arrowroot, one of many native species in FMR restoration areas.


September: Earthworms invade our forest floor


October: A writhing mass of … Indiangrass seed?

November: Dead man's fingers found at Pine Bend Bluffs


This funky fungus aids the decomposition process.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Friends of the Mississippi River office in St. Paul
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At the heart of this new campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River.