By Barb Spears, Past President
The past couple of weeks, I’ve not only had the pleasure of getting out to a couple of my favorite spots in MN, but I’ve also been able to enjoy them with long-time MNWWN members (and friends!) Linda Haugen, new MNWWN Steering Committee member Janet Erdman, and Chris Komarek.
Linda and her husband, Dennis, traveled all the way up from Lansing, IA to Grand Rapids for a visit and we spent a wonderful day at Sax-Zim Bog. It was early, so things hadn’t really started to break bud yet. We explored a number of the new board walks and listened for the elusive black-backed and the American three-toed woodpeckers that can sometimes be seen here. No luck. However, the sun was out and the chickadees, nuthatches, ruby-crowned kinglets and frogs entertained us.
Then, my husband, Ben, and I traveled all the way down to Forestville State Park in southeast MN for our annual “First Weekend in May” camping trip to see the many wildflowers, birds and budding trees and shrubs. We have been going there for over 30 years to get our “first shot of spring”! This year felt more “normal” with a wider variety of wildflowers and birds than we’ve seen in recent years. Janet, her husband Mike, and grandson Oliver stopped by our campsite for a visit. Janet lives in nearby Preston where she tends over 250 acres of woodlands, so we try to connect each year when I’m down that way. A few years ago, I visited Janet’s woodlands, streams, and prairies to witness first-hand all the wonderful things she is doing to care for and restore her land.
From Forestville, it was a short drive to visit Linda. She recently retired from the US Forest Service and moved back to her family woodland (200 acres that her family has stewarded for over 50 years) in northeast Iowa. She and her husband, Dennis, are also very busy with their new nature-themed retreat and education center, Iowisota. We explored her woods and beautiful bluff overlooking the Mississippi River backwaters. I was excited to have her show me the American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia) that was blooming! If you haven’t already, please do check out her website, blogs, and upcoming events. Maybe MNWWN members can take a field trip there sometime! Linda is a fun and wonderful guide to all things nature!
Chris is a friend from elementary school and joined MNWWN early on. She was actively involved in caring for land in Osceola, WI with her parents until they sold it recently. She also has 13 acres of woodland on the edge of a small lake in Monticello, MN that she is actively caring for. She, and her husband Peter, joined us on our camping trip to Forestville State Park and got the chance to “hug” the massive cottonwood tree along the Root River and enjoy the variety of wildflowers in bloom.
I am so thankful to know these amazing ladies and all of you whom I have met over the years through MNWWN. You are doing great and important work on the lands you care for, and it is truly making a difference!!
Pictures below:
Barb looking at the view of the Mississippi backwaters from Linda’s south bluff.
Linda standing in a patch of mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum).
Enjoying her woods!
American bladdernut flowers.
Sax-Zim Bog boardwalks. Linda and Barb looking at birds and plants.
Barb, Janet and Oliver at Forestville State Park.
Chris and Peter hanging out with “big Mama” cottonwood at Forestville State Park.
