Educator Connection Opportunity (ECO) Events

MAEE is holding a series of ECO Events with the goal of bringing environmental educators together to make meaningful connections, to learn from one another, and to build a lasting network of EE professionals across Minnesota.  Please join us at one of the upcoming opportunities!

Have an idea for a future ECO Event?  Please contact us at maeeinfo@gmail.com.

Great Lakes BioBlitz

Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 10:00am - 1:00pm

Join us for coffee and cookies, visit learning stations about vernal pools, birds, and trees in Hartley's classrooms 1 and 2, and then go outside to record observations of wild living things on iNaturalist as part of the Great Lakes BioBlitz.

The Great Lakes BioBlitz at Hartley Nature Center is part of a month-long Great Lakes BioBlitz project on iNaturalist. Participants can join the project on iNaturalist and make observations anywhere in the state of Minnesota from April 22 to May 20.

Location:  Hartley Nature Center, 3001 Woodland Ave, Duluth, MN 55803

Cost:  Free, but donations to support future events welcome!

Save the Date for Additional Upcoming ECO Events in 2023!

JULY: Sustainable living info and hike at Northland Arboretum in Baxter/Brainerd: Sat., July 22

SEPTEMBER: Hawk watching hike and owl banding at Hawk Ridge in Duluth: Sat., Sept. 30 

NOVEMBER: Place-based team-building at Camp Ihduhapi near Loretto: Sat., Nov. 18

Native Plants Inspire!

Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 10:00am - 12:00pm

Join us for a morning filled with stories, videos, discussion, and hands-on activities exploring native plants with Growing Green Hearts, followed by a presentation from Minnesota Native Landscapes featuring inspirational stories and featured projects, plus problem-solving for any of your site-specific questions. We'll end our morning with a refuge hike led by a MN Master Naturalist in search of any emerging native plants or spring ephemerals.

Location:  Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 3815 American Blvd E, Bloomington, MN

Cost:  Free, but donations to support future events welcome!

Sax Zim Bog Adventure

Saturday, January 28, 2023 from 12:00pm - 4:00pm

Come on an adventure with MAEE as we explore one of the most diverse Important Bird Areas in Minnesota located roughly 3 hours north of the Twin Cities and 50 minutes northwest of Duluth which showcases a "magic mix" of habitats that attracts unique species not found in other parts of the country.  With its tamarack bogs, upland forest, wet and upland meadows, and sandy pine stands, this well-known wintering area for great gray owls, northern hawk owls, and rough-legged hawks is an ideal habitat for more than 240 species of migrant and breeding birds, and is also home to black bear, moose, beaver, pine martens and timber wolves.  Carpool sign-up list will be available for the event.

Schedule:

12 - 1pm  Brown Bag Lunch & Networking - enjoy lunch in the new Education Center while connecting with other environmental educators  (bring your own lunch)
1 - 4pm  Guided Tour - exploring the Sax Zim Bog with Head Naturalist Clinton Dexter-Nienhaus

Location:  Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center, 8793 Owl Avenue, Toivola, MN 55765

Cost:  $15 for members; $20 for non-members

Karst Geology Hike and Networking

Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 9:30am - 12:00pm

Geology buffs and beginners alike are encouraged to come explore the karst geology of southeast MN while connecting and networking with other environmental educators! We'll start with informal coffee and networking at 9:30, and then will be joined by Quarry Hill naturalist Carrie Nelson at 10:00 for a short discussion about the area's unique geology. Afterward, MN Master Naturalist Terri Dugan and others will join us on a hike to explore the quarries and other geological features at Quarry Hill together. Throughout the hike and the event, there will be plenty of opportunities to chat with other formal and non-formal educators to share ideas, problem-solve, and connect. Only an hour's drive from the Twin Cities, Quarry Hill lies at the heart of Minnesota's karst geology region and features two fossil-laden quarries to explore. Invite a friend or colleague, and don’t miss this opportunity!

Location:  Quarry Hill Nature Center, 701 Silver Creek Road NE, Rochester, MN 55906

Cost: FREE

Register:  Send an email to maeeinfo@gmail.com.

August ECO Event: (Re)designing Nature Playscapes with Loose Parts

Monday, August 8, 2022 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm

You asked; we listened! At previous MAEE workshops and ECO Events, several participants were seeking fresh and new ideas for designing their nature playscapes, and asked if MAEE could help. Whether you have ideas to share or are seeking inspiration, join us on Monday, August 8, for an evening of brainstorming and sharing ideas with your colleagues, beginning with discussion and problem-solving for your specific sites for the first hour. Consider bringing along photos of the spaces you're seeking to design or reinvigorate, or bring along photos of spaces that have inspired you. At 6:30 p.m., we'll move our conversation from the outside gazebo to the Loose Parts Laboratory, a materials center offering recyclables, found objects, and natural materials you can take with you on a donation basis to generate creativity, wonder, and curiosity in your playscape.

Location:  Loose Parts Laboratory, 3400 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN

Cost: FREE

Register:  Send an email to maeeinfo@gmail.com.

April ECO Event: Birds, Birds Everywhere!

Saturday, April 23, 2022 from 8:30am - 10:30am

Ever looked up into the sky or down into a pond and saw a unique bird you just couldn't identify? Join MAEE and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge naturalists to brush up your bird id skills, connect with other educators, and explore the beautiful wetlands at the Old Cedar Avenue Trailhead.

All skill levels welcome!  Plan to walk about 2 miles, and prepare for cool weather.  Binoculars and id guides provided.

Location:  Old Cedar Avenue Trailhead in Bloomington

Cost: FREE

Register:  Send an email to maeeinfo@gmail.com.

February ECO Event: Dogsledding, Snowshoeing, and Animal Tracks!

Saturday, February 5, 2022 from 9:30am - 12:00pm

Does a 1,000-mile race, freezing temperatures, wild musk oxen encounters, and being dragged behind 18 very fast dogs across the wilderness sound interesting? If so, join Benji Kohn, outdoor educator, as he shares his experiences working on the Iditarod, The Last Great Race! Learn how to share some of this adventure with your students, no matter what you teach. As environmental educators, we’ll be outside talking and participating in activities to get students outdoors, engaged and active! Afterward, we’ll try out snowshoeing while identifying animal tracks with trackers from the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project, sharing tracking/trailing tips and more ideas for your setting, whether you’re a formal or non-formal educator. Be ready for a fun adventure! Location:  Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park in Cottage Grove Cost: FREE Register:  Send an email to sally.mattison@minnesotaee.org.

November ECO Event: Learn at the Home of Ecosystem Ecology

Saturday, November 13, 2021 from 9:30am - 12:30pm

Did you know that the site credited with the beginnings of the field of ecosystem ecology is right here in Minnesota? Join other EE professionals at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel to explore the meeting point of the three largest ecosystems in North America as well as the current site of international research, and sample activities educators can take back to their settings, such as a scavenger hunt, One Small Square investigation, Big Biodiversity experiment application, and/or Ecosystem Comparison investigation.

Location:  Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel

Cost: FREE

Register:  Send an email to sally.mattison@minnesotaee.org.

Time to Restore - Literally and Figuratively!

Saturday, September 25, 2021 from 9:30am - 12:30pm

Join other educators & naturalists to swap stories and ideas while restoring a beautiful natural area on National Public Lands Day! Come help MAEE remove invasive species like common mullein and absinthium at Bruce Vento Nature Conservancy - all you need is a water bottle and work gloves! The City of Saint Paul will provide the tools and expertise to restore this beautiful landscape, also the future home of the Wakáŋ Tipi Center, set to open in spring 2023. After our work ends at 11:00, those interested can take a 10-minute walk down the trail to Black Dog Cafe to grab a drink and/or a bite to eat and continue networking.

Location:  Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary in St Paul

Cost: FREE

Register:  Send an email to sally.mattison@minnesotaee.org.

Hiking Adventure!

Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 1pm - 3pm

Explore a new park in the Twin Cities with us!  Led by avid hiker and MAEE's Executive Director, Wendy Tremblay, this hike promises to be a mini adventure!  Many MAEE members have plant, bird & animal expertise and we'll be learning from each other as we explore new twists and turns along the trail.  

We'll meet at Pine Point Regional Park in Stillwater - a serene nature area with pine forests, lakes, marshes and five miles of multi-trails for biking, hiking, running, bird watching, cross-country skiing and horseback riding. 

Location:  Pine Point Regional Park in Stillwater

Cost: FREE

Register:  Send an email to maeeinfo@gmail.com.

Morels & More! Spring Foraging Adventure

Sunday, May 16th, 2021, 9am - 12pm, SW Metro Area

Learn how to hunt for morel mushrooms and other spring edibles while getting to know some fellow environmental educators!  Foraging basics will be covered as well as tips and tricks to finding morel mushrooms.  We will be looking for morels and other spring edibles, such as ramps, fiddlehead ferns, oyster mushrooms, or pheasant back mushrooms.

Morels can be extremely challenging to find and there is a lot of competition out there. While it is not guaranteed we will find morel mushrooms, we will be visiting a site that has been a consistent morel location after years of foraging. However, if we don’t find any, you will learn how to increase your chance of finding them at a later date!

To protect the morel site from premature foraging, the exact location will be sent to attendees the night before the event. The location will take place in the SW metro region of the Twin Cities.

Cost: $35 (includes $10 donation to MAEE to support additional events like this!)

Questions about this event? Contact us at maeeinfo@gmail.com.