Nature has its own rhythms and these days, it can be hard to predict! Phenology is the recording of the natural calendar—the arrival times of various migrating birds, lake ice-outs, blooming dates of wildflowers, harvest times for crops, and tree leaves changing color in the fall are all events that help us understand the pulse of the landscape. Join co-author of the Minnesota Weatherguide Environment Calendars for 42 years, Jim Gilbert, for a hands-on exploration of spring phonological events on the North Shore. We’ll go into the field to observe what’s happening in a variety of habitats, including wildflower and other plant identification, as well as observation of birds, insects and the water. Since long-term phenology monitoring helps us keep track of the changing world, the events that we observe and record during this class will be compared with several years in the past. Jim will get you started with your own phenology journal or list of nature’s happenings, which will draw you deeper into a relationship with the environment.

You will need the following tools for this class:

Clothing and footwear suitable for light hiking in any weather
Waterbottle, sunscreen, etc. as needed

We will take a lunch break in town, so students will have an opportunity to purchase lunch. Feel free to bring a bag lunch if you prefer. 

Camera
Note-taking materials
Field Guide(s)