As the weather in southern Minnesota warms and insects begin to emerge, the Arb will soon become host to a stunning group of migratory visitors. These are the wood-warblers, a diverse family of exceptionally...
Remotely-activated game trail cameras provide the opportunity to witness animals one would rarely ever see in person. Popular among hunters, conservationists and wildlife managers, data from these...
This past December, while most of us were off campus, the naturalist community of Northfield convened for a decades-old tradition—the region’s Christmas Bird Count. Originating in the early 1900s...
If you’ve ever walked along the Cannon River in the Lower Arb, you will certainly have seen at least one group of fishermen stationed along the beach. You might also see students fishing the portion...
As the weather gets warmer in southern Minnesota, reptiles are beginning to emerge from hibernation en masse. Three species of snake—the Common Gartersnake, Dekay’s Brownsnake, and Redbelly Snake—are...
When you glance outside your dorm at the bleakness of Minnesota winter, your intuition will lead you to consider this a land utterly devoid of life. And yet, 35 native mammal species are inhabiting the...
Among the top priorities of land management in the Cowling Arboretum is preventing the spread of harmful species which threaten the integrity of the Arb’s ecosystems. This is a difficult process, given...
