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PODCAST

The Wandering Naturalist

Three Rivers Park District

Explore the history and present of over 27,000 acres of park land inside Minnesota"s Hennepin County and surrounding areas. Hosts Angela (wildlife biologist) and Brandon (interpretive naturalist) guide you through this suburban wilderness managed by the Three Rivers Park District.

science nature

All Episodes

32:09

Episode 260: Native American Life in the Suburbs -...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/11/05

Before Basset Creek was named Basset Creek it was named by the Dakota and called Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ. Tawnya Stewart, an Ojibwe woman who grew up within a few miles of the creek talks about what it was like growing up in Hennepin County suburbs as a Native person. She explores why the original names of the landscapes are important, why she likes dual naming, and the importance of education when it comes to bringing back something's original name.

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25:27

Episode 259: Native American Life in the Suburbs -...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/11/05

Dr. Kasey Keeler wanders with us to discuss her personal experience and her professional research on life in the suburbs as a Native American in Hennepin County. We discuss what it is like growing up as a Native person in the suburbs, how access to nature can be improved, and why suburbs are often overlooked as Native places.

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31:57

Episode 258: Native American Life in the Suburbs -...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/11/05

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox are classic stories in Minnesota culture. Where did these stories originate from? How are they connected to Ojibwe culture and history? How have these stories shaped our views of history? Dr. Deondre Smiles discusses his research on the origin of Paul Bunyon stories and the impacts it has had on Ojibwe life.

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30:15

Episode 257: Inconceivable Slime Molds - Slime that's...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/10/01

OK, slime molds don't write. But amazing things have been written about them, allowing us to appreciate their wonder, explore societal ideas, and inspire future scientists. Dr. Lacy Johnson, from Rice University in Texas joins us to discuss why she chose to write a creative writing essay on slime molds and why she views creative writing as essential to science communication.

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19:17

Episode 256: Inconceivable Slime Molds - Slime that's...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/10/01

How is intelligence defined? If you define it as learning and applying knowledge, then slime molds are intelligent. How did scientists determine this? How is a single celled organism with no brain or sensory organs able to experience its world and learn from it? Dr. Nirosha Murugan from Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario Canada wanders with us to discuss research about slime mold intelligence, and maybe even a cyborg future. This may be Brandon's favorite episode ever!

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37:07

Episode 255: Inconceivable Slime Molds - Slime that...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/10/01

What is a slime mold? It is an inconceivable single celled organism that can weigh up to 40 pounds, think and learn, and crawl around the forest floor searching for food. How can a single celled organism be 44 pounds, learn, and move? Matt the Regular Slime Guy joins us to help introduce us to what a slime mold is and how such an inconceivable creature lives its life.

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24:21

Episode 254: Wonders of Wild Rice - What is it? 1854...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/09/03

Darren Vogt, Resource Management Division Director at 1854 Treaty Authority, joins us to discuss what the 1854 Treaty Authority is, how the Ojibwe views on partnership with the land impact how the 1854 Treaty Authority stewards the land and the living things on it, and how wild rice being viewed as a gift by the Ojibwe creates a different perspective on managing it than other organizations might have. He discusses how they engage in wild rice and the research they are doing.

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23:35

Episode 253: Wonders of Wild Rice - Restoring it in...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/09/03

How do you restore wild rice to an area? Steven Hogg, Senior Manager of Wildlife at Three Rivers Park District, talks about the work done to bring back wild rice. From sourcing seeds, to distributing them, and making sure it grows Steven talks about the challenges, what he's learned, and how the restoration is going at Three Rivers.

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36:51

Episode 252: Wonders of Wild Rice - What is it?

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/09/03

Wild rice can be found in every grocery store, but what is it? Is it a rice? A grain? Find out as we learn about this uniquely North American food that has been in Minnesota for at least 12,000 years. Ann Geisen from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wanders with us as we paddle through that rich history and context around wild rice in Minnesota.

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27:49

Episode 251: Urban Trees - Preventing Future Ash Borers

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/08/06

Dr. Adam Berland from Ball State University joins us to talk about research on why trees are important for people in an urban environment. He also talks to us about the surprising conclusions from his research in Minneapolis on how urban foresters can plant trees to prevent future large die offs from climate change and invasive species such as we've seen from Ash trees with Emerald Ash Borer, and Elm trees with Dutch Elm disease. He gives some advice on how you can choose trees that will help

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17:36

Episode 250: Urban Trees - The Next Generation

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/08/06

Laila Bacon and Makayla Freeman started working with Analyah Schlaeger do Santos when they were 14 years old. Seven years later they are still planting trees in Hennepin County were tree deserts exist, and teaching their community how to plant and care for the trees. Join us as they discuss why this work is important to them, the accomplishments and challenges they have faced over the last seven years, and how they keep hope alive despite the despair they sometimes feel trying to mitigate climate

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26:54

Episode 249: Urban Trees - Starting with the Community

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/08/06

Trees provide health, economic, and many other benefits just by being present. However, some suburbs and urban areas in and around Minneapolis and Hennepin County are tree deserts. Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos, Environmental Justice Youth Director & Global Climate Justice Coordinator, MN Interfaith Power and Light, among many other things,. Joins us to talk about work she has done to increase tree cover in parts of Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs that had none, why that is important, and how it

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28:46

Episode 248: Fisher Facts - THE Fisher Guy

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/07/02

While connecting with fisher researchers Angela and Brandon were told over and over that there was one researcher they had to talk to. Dr. Roger Powell, Professor Emeritus at NC State University in North Carolina has been researching fishers for decades and is considered the expert on them. He shares his insights into fishers, how he raised fishers to learn more about them, and how they fit into, what he calls, a fitness landscape.

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31:26

Episode 247: Fisher Facts - Research in the City

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/07/02

Dr. Michael Joyce of the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) at the University of Minnesota joins us to talk about why NRRI is researching fishers as they move from the north woods to southern Minnesota. What are the risks and rewards for a fisher living in a Three Rivers Park? How is he studying fishers? How can you help his research? Wander with us to find out.

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25:21

Episode 246: Fisher Facts - What is a Fisher?

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/07/02

Fishers have been moving from northern Minnesota south and can now be seen in the Twin Cities area. What is a fisher? Join Brandon and Angela as they discuss what makes this large member of the weasel family special, and the special adaptations it has to help it hunt foods from rabbits to porcupines.

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30:39

Episode 245: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Scoop a...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/06/04

Why does a scientist want poop mailed to them? Find out as Dr. Dr. Michelle Power joins us all the way from Australia! She has a passion for engaging the public in scientific research using it to help study diseases. We discuss what One Health is and how that impacts wildlife and human health. She also gives advice on what you can do to prevent antibiotic resistance and diseases in animals.

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32:05

Episode 244: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Fish...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/06/04

Have you ever seen a sick fish? Dr. Isaiah E Tolo, Fish Health Supervisor at the Minnesota DNR, discusses diseases that affect fish, how he monitors for them, and what, if any, impacts they have on us. Learn how to help keep fish healthy as we dive deep into fish diseases.

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35:01

Episode 243: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases -...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/06/04

Just like humans, animals can get sick too. We wander with Dr. Michelle Carstensen, Wildlife Health Program Supervisor for the Minnesota DNR. How do animals get sick? What are some of the diseases the Minnesota DNR is looking out for in wildlife and how do they monitor for them? How can you help keep animals from getting sick? Wander with us to find the answers.

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28:37

Episode 242: Turtle Treks - Adapting to a Changing World

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/05/07

Starting their research right here at Three Rivers, Dr. Jeanine Refsnider, shares the journey of being curious about Minnesota's State Threatened, Blanding's turtle, led to having her own lab at University of Toledo. Jeanine shares past and current studies exploring turtle adaptions.

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30:30

Episode 241: Turtle Treks - Nesting Insight

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2025/05/07

How do baby turtles manage to wander from their nest to a lake or pond? If turtles are male or female is decided by temperature how will climate change impact them? Do turtle hatchlings coordinate their calendars to leave the nest? Learn all of this and more as Dr. Steve Freedberg, Professor of Biology at St. Olaf College discusses his research on turtles.

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260 results

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