As February’s days become longer it’s easier to see spring creeping towards us through life’s windshield. The extra daylight was noticeable on a recent trip I took to our family cabin. A warm February weekend spent outdoors was hard to resist and offered a great opportunity to enjoy time on the ice and on snowshoes.
With MWF’s recent increase in our work to advocate on behalf of Minnesota’s peatland environments I took the opportunity to explore these often inaccessible landscapes while they are frozen and more importantly, bug free. Black spruce mixed with tamarack provided a wonderful backdrop for an afternoon adventure. My new interest in identifying forgeable plants and fungus payed dividends when I was able to point out a chaga growth on some peatland adjacent birch trees. New landscapes and activities mixed with the old as I also drilled a few holes in the ice and enjoyed my favorite radio program, 91.7 KAXE’s Green Cheese call in trivia, and a woodfire warmed the cabin. Hard to get better than that!
Over the next few weeks MWF will be keeping an eye on the legislative session to see how we can best advocate for conservation initiatives important to us and with the best interest on Minnesota’s natural resources in mind. If there are any topics of conservation interest for you I would encourage you to drop me a line.
Although we are only two months in it’s feeling like 2026 is going to be a big year for the Minnesota Wildlife Federation. We are so glad to have your support!
With the temperatures falling well below zero MWF Conservation Leadership Academy participants and mentors kept their spirits high as they gathered in the Brainerd area. Along with an opportunity to connect and learn from conservation professionals and each other, student participants were looking forward to time spent on the ice. The group was successful in finding active sunfish, crappie, and even a bass at a local lake.
Since 2019 the MWF CLA program has introduced more than 60 college conservation leaders to waterfowl hunting, fishing, trapping, shooting sports, kayaking, turkey hunting, and brought them to them to the halls of the state capitol to advocate for conservation.
Along with all this adventure each CLA program features conservation professionals who share with the students the role they play in the conservation of our natural resources.
2019 CLA student participants get ready for a morning goose hunt as part of our first every CLA event!
Conservation Mentor and future MN DNR Fish and Wildlife Division Director Kelly Straka speaks to a students at a 2023 CLA program.
The Minnesota Wildlife Federation uses donations to directly fund work like our CLA program. Please consider making a donation to MWF today to support this important work.
Efforts at the federal level to utilize the Congressional Review Act as a tool to remove the 20-year mineral with-drawal moratorium placed on lands inside the watershed of the Boundary Waters has received quite a bit of attention in the last few weeks.
After passing through the US House of Representatives the bill, HJ 140, looks to be headed towards a vote in the Senate that could happen any day.
The Minnesota Wildlife Federation worked with our partners at NWF to pen an editorial submission that was published in the Washington Post that details our concern that the type of mine being proposed is just too risky to develop on the doorstep of America’s most visited wilderness area.
Morels and Memories is a Minnesota based nonprofit that uses foraging as a way to grow community and capacity to advocate for a unique cause: finding a cure for Alzheimers disease.
Founding member Courtney Iverson is looking forward to hosting an upcoming event that will get folks outside in search of springtime morels on a property in Watertown MN, just west of the Lake Minnetonka area.
If you have been wanting to try wild mushroom foraging this may be a perfect event for you! Expert foragers will be on site to help with fungal identification.
What to Expect
-Exploration on private property less than 45 minutes from the Twin Cities.
-Discover tips and tricks for finding, identifying, cleaning, and cooking Morels.
-Keep what you find.
-Enjoy a memorable day surrounded by nature and like-minded enthusiasts.
Quick details: May 16, 2026/ 12:30-4:30pm/ Watertown MN
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