Wildlife – Page 4 – East Metro Water

Three ways to help pollinators this spring

By: angiehongmn April 18, 2024April 18, 2024

Uncategorized, Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingbutterflies, featured, gardening, Minnesota, native plants, pollinators, prairieLeave a Comment

The single most important thing you can do to protect pollinators is to plant and preserve native habitat on your land and in your community. Washington Conservation District and Blue Thumb – Planting for Clean Water have resources to help you get started.

Pollinator Friendly Alliance, Washington County Parks, Washington Conservation District, and Wild Ones – St. Croix Oak Savanna are also seeking volunteers to help plant more than 1000 native plants at Lake Elmo Park reserve on Saturday, May 4 at 11am. Visit http://www.pollinatorfriendly.org to learn more and register.

‘Tis the Season to Turn out the Lights

By: angiehongmn March 21, 2024

WildlifeBird City USA, birds, featured, Minnesota, Mississippi River, St. Croix River, Stillwater1 Comment

Allison Mcginnis might not be a twitcher, but she does love birds! In this week’s East Metro water blog, Mcginnis talks about leading Sustainable Stillwater’s Bird City Stillwater initiative and shares advice for area bird-lovers.

A few tips for the coming spring:
– Turn out exterior lights to protect migrating birds
– Protect against bird strikes with window applications
– Plant a native tree, shrub, and garden
– Join a birding hike near you or enjoy one of the brand new self-guided tours!

Leave some for the birds and bees please

By: angiehongmn February 29, 2024February 27, 2024

Uncategorized, Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, gardening, native plants, pollinators, spring gardeningLeave a Comment

I pretended to eat a maggot in the name of science. Once you learn why, you’ll you’ll want to do it too.

Do you caribou?

By: angiehongmn January 11, 2024January 9, 2024

Wildlifecaribou, climate change, featured, forests, Minnesota, wildlife habitatLeave a Comment

In the early 1800s, caribou were the most widespread species of the deer family in the northern forests of what is now Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Canada. Since then, wildlife species in Minnesota have changes dramatically as a result of logging, loss of prairie and wetlands, invasive species, and climate changes.

Share your wildlife stories and photos

By: angiehongmn December 20, 2023

Wildlifefeatured, Washington Conservation District, WildlifeLeave a Comment

Are you seeing more wildlife in your backyard or neighborhood? Do you have a funny animal story to share? Got a great fish tale? Submit them online at tinyurl.com/wildlifestories to have them included in the WCD’s story map.

A final push for pollinators before the snow begins to fall

By: angiehongmn October 26, 2023

Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, gardening, Minnesota, native plants, pollinators1 Comment

Minnesotans can apply for Lawns to Legumes cost-share funding between now and November 30
at http://www.Bluethumb.org. The grants are up to $400 and can be put toward pollinator planting projects such as pocket gardens, bee lawns, and flowering native trees.

Trout and bird lovers unite

By: angiehongmn September 14, 2023

Partners and Updates, Wildlifebirds, Brown's Creek Watershed District, family event, fishing, Sustainable Stillwater, trout1 Comment

This Saturday, September 16, 10am-1pm, Brown’s Creek Watershed District and Bird City Stillwater (a workgroup of Sustainable Stillwater MN) will co-host a free, fun, family-friendly nature event designed to celebrate all things fin, feathers, and fur.

Feeling Loony in Forest Lake

By: angiehongmn May 15, 2023May 4, 2023

Aquatic Biology, Keeping water clean, Partners and Updates, Uncategorized, Wildlifealum treatment, birds, comfort lake - forest lake watershed district, featured, Forest Lake, lakes, loons, MinnesotaLeave a Comment

At the Forest Lake Lake Association (FLLA) meeting on Wednesday, May 17, 6:30-8pm, Rob Rabasco, coordinator of Minnesota’s Loon Restoration Project, will talk about efforts underway to protect loon habitat across the state, augment natural loon nesting with artificial nesting platforms in targeted locations, implement loon-friendly lake management plans, and increase survival rates for loon chicks. Robasco is one of three invited speakers for the event.

Be AIS smart this fishing season

By: angiehongmn May 12, 2023May 11, 2023

Aquatic Biology, WildlifeAIS, Aquatic Invasive Species, featured, fishing, lakesLeave a Comment

Currently, only 8% of the lakes in Minnesota have invasive species present and we need everyone’s help to keep it that way.

If you use waders or hip boots when fishing, be sure to clean off any visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud when you’re done and use a stiff brush to scrub the bottom of your boots where mud gets stuck in the treads. Using non-felt soled boots will further reduce the risk of spreading AIS.

It is also important to dispose of unwanted bait, worms, and fish parts in the trash instead of throwing them in the water or on the shore.

Prairie rising

By: angiehongmn April 28, 2023May 1, 2023

Wildlife, Yards and Landscapingfeatured, native plants, prairie, volunteeringLeave a Comment

Cheer for bison returning to the prairie at Belwin Conservancy and Spring Lake Park, volunteer for one of three native planting projects in May, or enjoy an “Evening in the Prairie” to learn more about this special ecosystem.