Birds Gone Wild
Because native flowers, shrubs and trees also help to prevent erosion and runoff water pollution, watershed districts in Washington County can provide grants to people for planting or improving bird...
View Article“Grandpa, why are there dragonflies?”
I paused slightly and pondered my seven year-old grandson’s question, “Why are there dragonflies?” My training taught me that the dragonfly comes from the scientific order Odonata, loosely meaning,...
View ArticleAbounding Deer and Combines in the Fields
Do overabundant deer have any impact on nearby streams and waterways?
View ArticleWetlands, Wonderlands
In the dead of winter, thoughts of spring dance in our heads. Even with frozen land and waters there is life surviving within our wetlands.
View ArticleTending the Delicate Balance
The Wild Ones 2012 Design With Nature Conference: Tending the Delicate Balance, will explore the relationships between plants and animals in our natural communities and consider the impacts of...
View ArticleFiN offers nearby family fun in Washington County
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an urban fishing program called “Fishing in the Neighborhood” (FiN) that manages over 60 small lakes and ponds for fishing in the Twin Cities.
View ArticleReviewing the Past; Planning the Future
As we at the Washington Conservation District work with landowners on vegetation enhancements, we are often asked whether using native plants is better than introduced plants or cultivars.
View ArticleCue the Birds
Not surprisingly, the birds that are disappearing most quickly are the ones that have the most specialized habitat needs
View ArticleWhy did the turtle cross the road?
Once you know what to look for, it’s not hard to spot females traveling to and from their nesting grounds at this time of the year.
View ArticleSaving Trout
Because trout and the insects that they rely on for food - stoneflies, mayflies, and caddisflies – are so sensitive to pollution and increases in water temperature, trout by necessity require pretty...
View ArticleGive me a home where the buffalo roam
This year, for the first time, the Washington Conservation District has grant funds available to help landowners living near the St. Croix River convert large areas of turf to prairie, making it easier...
View ArticleWhere have all the bees gone?
Since 1945, honeybee populations in the U.S. have declined from 4.5 million to only 2 million today and many scientists and beekeepers fear that honeybees might be on the brink of disappearing altogether.
View ArticleNative Plants Keep Bees Buzzing
Beekeepers are losing 30-50% of their hives each year as the colonies collapse due to disease, lack of habitat, and pesticide applications.
View ArticleSafe passage for turtles near Big Marine Lake
County Parks and WCD staff expect many kinds of turtles to use the new road crossing at Hwy 4, but local biologists are especially interested in protecting Blanding’s turtles because of their...
View ArticleMonarchs in the Trees
On Thursday, Aug. 7, 6:30-8pm, the Jurans and the Grabowskis will open up their yards to neighbors and other members of the local community who are looking for ideas and inspiration.
View ArticleGetting to know your neighborhood uncommon fish
There are eight species of fish in Washington County that are considered threatened or special concern species by the State of Minnesota.
View ArticleThe Release Of Hector The Toad
Pollution from fertilizers and pesticides can have a particularly bad impact on ephemeral wetlands during the spring when frog and toad eggs are hatching into tadpoles and birds are stopping over on...
View ArticleOde To Odonata
Most people consider dragonflies and damselflies to be terrestrial flying insects, but in fact, they often spend more than half of their lives in the water.
View ArticleWhat’s Hopping In Your Yard?
In your yard, you can create a healthy home for frogs and toads by leaving some of the grass unmowed near wetlands, lakes and woods; planting gardens with native plants; and using little or no...
View ArticleGiants Of The Prairie
On Saturday, June 11, the ground in the Belwin prairie will again shake as a truck pulls up, opens its doors and releases a herd of bison with thundering hooves.
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