I first stepped foot in the Arboretum more than 10 years ago when I arrived on campus as a new student. At the time, I had little inclination this parcel of land and the staff responsible for managing it would define my experience at Carleton. However, my appreciation for the…
Jared Beck
“We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.” – Aldo Leopold Over the past three-and-a-half years, I have grown quite fond of the Arboretum. In…
If you have recently taken a walk through the Arb prairies, you probably noticed the golden grasses swaying in the breeze and a few vibrant purple asters hiding in the thatch but did you realize that you were walking through one of the most diverse and endangered ecosystems on the…
Over the past two decades, a significant effort has been made to restore native habitats, such as tallgrass prairie, in the Arb. Though restoring habitat is a long-term project requiring many decades of hard work, there are already good indications that some of the Arb’s restorations are beginning to take…
Last week, Arb Manager Matt Elbert found a rare Wood Turtle basking on a sandbar in the Lower Arb. These reclusive turtles are observed only once or twice each year in the Arb and are considered a “threatened” species in Minnesota. As its scientific name, Glyptemys insculpta, implies, Wood Turtles…
Nearly every morning and evening during April and May, the Arb plays host to an elaborate spectacle as the American Woodcock performs its annual rendition of the “sky dance.” With stubby legs, a plump body and a long, unwieldy bill that is used to probe the soil for worms, this…
Last Friday evening, Campus Security noticed a somewhat unusual visitor outside of the library sitting in one of the trees between the Bald Spot and the Library. Though security occasionally encounters unforgettable strangers who exhibit bizarre or eccentric behavior, this guest was memorable for a different reason. Klay Christianson, the…
If you take a stroll in the lower Arb, you may notice the distinctive smell of freshly cut pine lingering in the air or the presence of a few ungainly stumps where stately Red and White Pines once stood. These missing trees are part of a plan to remove an…
Under the cover of darkness, hordes of furry critters emerge from their underground hideouts and venture onto the prairie in search of a meal. Scurrying between grasses and goldenrods, mice and voles must dodge a long list of predators including owls, coyotes, hawks, weasels and shrews just to survive the…