Prairie Pod

view of tallgrass prairie - Podcast logo

The Podcast

The Prairie Pod is a podcast that communicates the science surrounding prairie conservation, restoration/reconstruction, and management. Each episode covers a prairie-focused topic, and offers insights on related literature and places to explore Minnesota's beautiful prairies and other amazing natural areas. You'll hear discussions from a variety of experts, tackling the complexity, challenges and beauty of Minnesota's prairie landscape.

This work is part of the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Partnership, which works underneath the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan to protect, restore and enhance prairie and wetland habitats.

 

Sign up for Prairie Pod updates  

 

The Episodes

New episodes are available weekly. Episodes are available to download or listen to in iTunes.

Season Six

Episode 59: Seasonal Stories

Host: Megan Benage, Mike Worland, Marissa Ahlering, and Sara Vacek

Guests: Megan Benage, Jaime Edwards, Fred Harris, Jessica Petersen Dan Ruiter, and Mike Worland (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); Marissa Ahlering (The Nature Conservancy), Ferin Davis-Anderson (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community), Diane Larson (U.S. Geological Survey), Sara Vacek (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and Gwen Westerman (Minnesota State University, Mankato).

Prairie Pod listeners, we are delighted to be here with you again during this holiday season and season of reflection, joy and, most importantly, hope. We’re closing out season six with our final episode of the Prairie Pod. We know endings can be hard, and we want you to know how much joy this special project has given us, sharing our love of the prairie with all of you. But while this is one sunset, the sun rises again tomorrow and there are lots of Prairie Pod episodes to go back and listen to!

The journey doesn’t stop here.

The partnership and efforts for the protection of the prairie continue. Every choice you make has the potential to make a difference. While sometimes it may feel like the choices we make are small and insubstantial, they matter. From a small pollinator prairie garden to thousands of acres of connected habitat to telling a friend that you think the prairie is neat—it’s the math that makes it work. All these small decisions add up and contribute to the survival of the prairie.

Thank you for spending this time with us. Listening to our passion, our joy, and how wonderful it is when you discover the prairie.

A special thank you to the people who worked tirelessly on this project to bring our love of the prairie to your ears from researching episodes, fact-checking, website design, audio engineering and recording--you made this podcast! Thank you to our many guests and, of course, you, the listener!

Resources

red rosehip on the prairie. Photo courtesy of Chris Helzer, The Nature Conservancy

A vibrant red rosehip, covered in frost, persists on the prairie. Photo courtesy of Chris Helzer, The Nature Conservancy.

Listen to Episode 59

Episode 58: Mni Sóta Mak̇oċe (The Land of the Dakota) Part 2: Prairie Stewardship

Host: Megan Benage and Mike Worland

Guests: Gabe Miller, Environmental Program manager, Prairie Island Indian Community; Ferin Davis Anderson, supervisor of Environmental Science and Land Department, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Michael Kurtz, cultural interpreter/naturalist, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Will Crawford, manager of Dakota Language and Cultural Resources, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Deb Dirlam, Office of Environment director, Lower Sioux Indian Community; Samantha Odegard, Tribal Historic Preservation officer, Upper Sioux Community; Amanda Wold, environmental director, Upper Sioux Community.

The prairie and indigenous people have persisted through time, and indigenous people’s role in prairie stewardship is intertwined with the survival of prairie on the landscape. Prairie Pod listeners, we’re honored to debut for you part two of our Dakota connections to the prairie series, featuring staff from the four Dakota communities within the borders of Minnesota. These episodes were recorded on November 9, 2022. The second part of this series covers how Dakota people and tribal staff are managing and stewarding the prairie today, and how we can all learn from each other to strengthen our understanding of prairie and the landscape as a whole. If you missed part one, make sure to go back and listen, to learn about Dakota historical and cultural perspectives and connections to the prairie. We hope you enjoy learning during these episodes, just as much as we did while making them.

A special thank you to the staff from Tinta Wita (Prairie Island Indian Community), Caŋṡa'yapi Otunwe (Lower Sioux Indian Community), Pezihutazizi Oyate (Upper Sioux Community), and Ṡákpe Mdewak̇aŋṫuŋwaŋ Dak̇ota Oyate (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community).

Please keep in mind that the Dakota language has many dialects, and communities have different ways of saying/pronouncing words and phrases.

Resources

 

Photo of prairie flowers Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

The sunrise bathes the prairie land (Tiåta Makoce) in an orange-golden glow as prairie flowers are illuminated in the foreground.

Listen to Episode 58

Episode 57: Mni Sóta Mak̇oċe (The Land of the Dakota) Part 1: History and Cultural Connections to the Prairie

Host: Megan Benage and Mike Worland

Guests: Gabe Miller, Environmental Program manager, Prairie Island Indian Community; Ferin Davis Anderson, supervisor of environmental sciences, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Michael Kurtz, cultural interpreter/naturalist, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Will Crawford, manager of Dakota Language and Cultural Resources, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Cheyanne St. John, Tribal Historic Preservation officer/director, Lower Sioux Indian Community; Deb Dirlam, Office of Environment director, Lower Sioux Indian Community; Samantha Odegard, Tribal Historic Preservation officer, Upper Sioux Community; Amanda Wold, environmental director, Upper Sioux Community.

The prairie and indigenous people have persisted through time, and indigenous people’s role in prairie stewardship is intertwined with the survival of prairie on the landscape. Prairie Pod listeners, we’re honored to debut two special podcast episodes we’ve been working on with staff from the four Dakota communities within the borders of Minnesota. These episodes were recorded on Nov.9, 2022. The first part of this series will cover Dakota historical and cultural perspectives and connections to the prairie. Next week, we’ll be right back here to talk about how Dakota people and tribal staff are managing and stewarding the prairie today. Both episodes feature traditional ecological knowledge and the power of prairie. We hope you enjoy learning during these episodes, just as much as we did while making them.

A special thank you to the staff from Tinta Wita (Prairie Island Indian Community), Caŋṡa'yapi Otunwe (Lower Sioux Indian Community), Pezihutazizi Oyate (Upper Sioux Community), Ṡákpe Mdewak̇aŋṫuŋwaŋ Dak̇ota Oyate (Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community).

Please keep in mind that the Dakota language has many dialects, and communities have different ways of saying/pronouncing words and phrases.

Resources

Visit prairie

Bison at Minneopa State Park walk through the first snow of the year on the prairie. Photo courtesy of Tim Pulis.

A bison (Tataŋḳaḣca) rubs its head on a rock in the prairie land (Tiåta Makoce).

Listen to Episode 57

Episode 56: To picture a prairie: Prairie inspires art and expression

Host: Megan Benage and Marissa Ahlering

Guests: Gwen Westerman, poet, visual artist, and writer, Kristi Link Fernholz, fine art photographer, Eliza Blue, folk singer and writer, and Ross Hier, visual artist, DNR (retired).

Today we’re talking about how our love of the prairie and its many forms inspires us and sparks our imaginations to energize us into action. Namely, the act of creating art. We’re joined by four different artists working in different media -- fiber, quilting, photography, song writing, poetry and painting. They’ll walk us through how prairie lives in their art and why that inspiration continues to move them.

Resources

Visit prairie

photo collage

Clockwise from top left: Side-oats grama shows off its florets in black and white photography by Kristi Link Fernholz, fine art photographer;  A quilt inspired by the wildfires of 2015 by Gwen Westerman, poet, visual artist, and writer; A painting by Ross Hier, visual artist, called “Prairie chicken spirit.” The shield is in the middle and in the foreground is a full blooming male prairie chicken with pasqueflowers at his feet; Eliza Blue, folk singer and writer poses on her ranch in South Dakota.

Listen to Episode 56

Episode 55: Learning to love the prairie: Engaging youth in prairie conservation

Host: Megan Benage and Sara Vacek

Guests: Molly Stoddard, Environmental Education Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michael Kurtz, cultural interpreter, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, and Alisha Paplow, executive director, Prairie Ecology Bus Center

Do you remember when the prairie captured your interest? Was it an “a-ha moment” at a special place, a wildlife or plant that had you wondering, how does it do that? The smells, sights and sounds that drew you in? Or was it more of a slow burn until suddenly one day you woke up and realized you couldn’t live without the prairie. Prairies are amazing and there is a subtlety to them that can make it easy to overlook their amazingness. So how do we get people -- especially young people--excited about prairies? How do we help them to fall in love with this incredible ecosystem? We’re going to find out as we hear from Molly Stoddard, environmental education specialist with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michael Kurtz, cultural interpreter for Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, and Alisha Paplow, executive director at the Prairie Ecology Bus Center about their tips and tricks for getting people to engage in conservation and learning to love the prairie.

Resources

Molly’s picks:

Michael’s picks:

Alisha’s pick:

Visit prairie

nature explorers on the prairie

A group of nature explorers head out to observe the smells, sights and sounds of the prairie. Photo courtesy of Sara Vacek, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Listen to Episode 55

Episode 54: Making hay while the prairie sun still shines (Restoration series: Haying prairie as a management tool)

Host: Megan Benage and Mike Worland

Guests: Dr. Fred Harris, plant ecologist, Dustin Graham, plant ecologist, DNR

We talk a lot on the podcast about how prairies are disturbance-based habitats that need fire and grazing in order to persist. We also know that we’ve lost much of our connected native prairie as well as our large grazing mammals like bison. And while there are some places where we’re working hard to reintroduce bison to their prairie home, what about the places where we can’t reintroduce bison? Or where it would be really challenging? That’s just what we’re going to find out. Today, we’re chatting with two DNR scientists about their research on haying prairies as a management tool to limit invasive cool-season grasses and to promote overall prairie biodiversity.

Resources

Fred’s pick:

Dustin’s pick:

Visit prairie

wildflowers and grasses in full bloom on a hay meadow

A stunning diversity of wildflowers and grasses in full bloom within a hay meadow. A hazy pink horizon frames the background.

Listen to Episode 54

Episode 53: Bur Oak Folk (Restoration series: Savanna restoration)

Hosts: Megan Benage and Sara Vacek

Guests: Rebecca Esser, wildlife biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Dr. Greg Hoch, Prairie Habitat team lead and Neil Slifka, Parks and Trails area resource specialist, DNR

Today, we’re going to spend some time basking in the shade. We’re talking about savannas--the unsung hero of the prairie landscape. When we think about prairies, savannas are an ecological subset of them. A special class of habitat that includes both prairie vegetation in the understory and mature towering oaks or even jack pine in the overstory. These transitional communities play an important role connecting Minnesota’s prairies and enhancing biodiversity. Oak savannas are one of Minnesota's rarest native plant communities. So, it becomes that much more important to learn from the ones we have left so we can continue to connect and preserve a strong prairie landscape.

Resources

Visit prairie

bur oak

A bur oak grows in an open savanna community with prairie plants thriving in the understory. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Esser, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Listen to Episode 53

Episode 52: A Monarch packs a lunch: Monarch migration and their grand trek from Minnesota to Mexico

Host: Megan Benage and Mike Worland

Guests: Dr. Karen Oberhauser, arboretum director, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Ray Moranz, grazing lands pollinator ecologist, Xerces Society

Monarchs are often one of the first species we recognize and learn about in school. Can you remember having a Monarch in your classroom? Watching it pupate, form a chrysalis, and emerge? This can be a foundational introduction to nature where the complexity and beauty of it captivates us. Today we’re joined by Dr. Karen Oberhauser, arboretum director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and by Dr. Ray Moranz, grazing lands pollinator ecologist with the Xerces Society. Both of whom have been studying butterflies for their entire careers. So, they’re a perfect pick to fly us through the life of the majestic Monarch, their incredible migrating life cycle, and how we can be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Resources

Karen’s picks:

Ray’s Pick:

Visit prairie

Ray’s picks:

Karen’s pick:

monarch butterfly

A female monarch butterfly gathers nectar from a blazing star flower (Liatris).

Listen to Episode 52

Episode 51: Prairies do that: Climate change resiliency through grassland restoration

Host: Megan Benage and Marissa Ahlering

Guests: Dr. Dan Hernández, professor of biology, Carleton College and Dr. Sarah Hobbie, professor of ecology, evolution, and behavior, University of Minnesota

Today, we're joined by Dr. Sarah Hobbie and Dr. Dan Hernández to talk about some of the ways prairie work helps mitigate climate change. Prairies are powerhouses of diversity, and that diversity on the landscape is vitally important to clean air, clean water and healthy soils—things we all depend on for survival. While climate change can be a difficult topic, this episode may bring you some hope about how the prairie is already making a difference in helping us to adapt.

Resources

Sarah’s picks:

Dan’s picks:

Visit prairie

Sarah: Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve

Dan: Spring Lake Park Reserve

Prairie wildflowers

Prairie wildflowers blow in the wind under blue skies with prominent rocks in the foreground. Photo courtesy of Marissa Ahlering, The Nature Conservancy.

Listen to Episode 51

Episode 50: How to plant a pocket prairie

Hosts: Megan Benage, Mike Worland, Marissa Ahlering, and Sara Vacek

One of the things that brought us great joy during 2020 was the ability to go right outside our doors and visit our pocket prairies. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: with just over 1% of remnant prairie left in Minnesota, every patch of prairie matters. So, whether you are contemplating a small container garden, a backyard design, or converting larger acreages, planted prairie restorations can play a key role in helping connect the native prairies we have left. Today, we’re going to put our heads together and share our personal stories of our own pocket prairies and how you too can experience the joy of native plants in your own home!

Resources

Megan’s picks:

Mike’s picks:

Sara’s Pick:

Marissa’s Pick:

Visit prairie

Queen bumble bee sips nectar from an early-blooming pasqueflower

Queen bumble bee sips nectar from an early-blooming pasqueflower.

Listen to Episode 50

Episode 49: These are a few of our favorite things—about prairie!

Hosts: Megan Benage, Mike Worland, Marissa Ahlering, and Sara Vacek

Guests: Jessica Petersen, invertebrate ecologist, Randy Schindle, forestry (ret.), Welby Smith, botanist, Carol Hall, herpetologist, and Bernard Sietman, malacologist, DNR; Chris Merkord, associate professor of biology at Minnesota State University Moorhead; Donna Stockrahm, professor of biology and wildlife ecology, Minnesota State University Moorhead

When we think about the prairie, there are so many things that catch our eye. Sights, sounds, touch—it’s an overwhelming sense of wonder to describe just what it’s like to finally discover the prairie. And as in life, we all have a favorite. It might be a bird, a rock, a plant, a mammal, a bug, a mussel, a fungus—the list could go on for a long while. What better way to celebrate the diversity of experiences and favorites than by having a whole episode dedicated to some of our favorite things about prairie? We asked a variety of prairie experts to describe something unique about a particular species that they’ve always found fascinating. We were impressed, and we hope you are too!

Resources

A collage of prairie animals, bullsnake, western meadowlark, and black-bodied ant fly

A collage of prairie animals; a bullsnake, western meadowlark, and the black-bodied ant fly.

Listen to Episode 49

Season Five

Episode 48: Seasonal Stories Bonus Episode

Host: Megan Benage, South Region Ecologist, DNR; Mike Worland, Southern Nongame Biologist; Marissa Ahlering, The Nature Conservancy's Prairie Ecologist; and Sara Vacek, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Guests: Allison Hart, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Verónica Jaralambides, MnDNR; Chris Helzer, The Nature Conservancy-Nebraska; Ferin Davis-Anderson, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community; Scott Kudelka, MnDNR; Karin Jokela, Xerces Society; and Henry Panowitsch, Prairie Enthusiasts-Many Rivers Chapter.

On today’s podcast, we're featuring many special guests and people of the prairie to showcase their stories of connection, diversity, and learning as they pass on their experiences. Thinking of prairie as a tradition is at the heart of our conservation efforts. We all work so hard together because prairie isn’t just a thing that’s out there on the land living, it is a place where we belong and our memories are shared as the moments we spend become legacies we leave. It is a legacy that connects us through the sounds, sights, smells and memories for all who stop and take notice. On this #prairietuesday, we hope you enjoy the voices of people who share our passion and  take a moment to laugh, cry and lose yourselves for a little while in the stories of what prairie offers us: mystery, discovery and hope. We hope these prairie stories warm you up and remind you of golden prairie days outside over the winter ahead.

It's not too late to #discovertheprairie

Bison at Minneopa State Park walk through the first snow of the year on the prairie. Photo courtesy of Tim Pulis.

Bison at Minneopa State Park walk through the first snow of the year on the prairie. Photo courtesy of Tim Pulis.

Listen to Episode 48

Episode 47: Prairie: what have you done for me lately? (Prairie Economics 101)

Host: Megan Benage, Southern Region Ecologist, DNR
Guests: Korey Woodley, R4 EWR Regional Manager, DNR; Scott Roemhildt, Southern Regional Director, DNR; Omar de Kok-Mercado, Prairie STRIPS Coordinator at Iowa State

Today, we’re covering one of Megan's favorite topics: Prairie Economics. One of the hardest things to quantify is how much things like clean air, drinkable water, flood control and healthy soils are worth. How do you quantify the benefit of these ecosystem services? What is the cost when we lose the land that provides them? Arguably, even harder to quantify are the intangible benefits like mental health and well-being, spiritual connections and a sense of peace one can derive from the prairie. From pheasant hunting to an improved quality of life, we’ve done the math to help you make dollars and ‘sense’ out of the prairie.

Resource List

Scott's Pick

  • Whistling Wings, Martin Bovey, 1947, Doubleday and Company

Visit a Prairie

Prairie wildflowers and grasses bloom above a shallow basin wetland in southern Minnesota. Photo credit Sara Vacek

Prairie wildflowers and grasses bloom above a shallow basin wetland in southern Minnesota. Photo credit: Sara Vacek

Listen to Episode 47

Episode 46: Deep thoughts on shallow lakes and prairie

Hosts: Megan Benage, Southern Region Ecologist, DNR; Sara Vacek, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Guests: Nicole Hansel-Welch, Shallow Lakes Program Supervisor, DNR; Scott Mackenthun, Area Fisheries Supervisor, DNR; John Lindstrom, Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist

Today, we’re getting our feet wet in Minnesota’s shallow lakes. Coming in at depths of less than 15 feet, these permanent and sometimes semi-permanent water bodies are a critical habitat component for Minnesota’s wildlife. We’re joined by three very special guests to discover these important habitats and the role they play across the prairie landscape. We take our shallow lakes seriously. Remember, do not tell a joke to a frozen lake: it might crack up.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

WPA overlooking Pelican Lake in Wright County. Photo Credit Nicole Hansel-Welch

Lake Christina with the The Nature Conservancy's Seven Sisters prairie preserve in the background. Photo credit: Nicole Hansel-Welch

Listen to Episode 46

Episode 45: Sheep, solar, and satisfied pollinators

Hosts: Megan Benage, Southern Region Ecologist, DNR; Marissa Ahlering, lead scientist, TNC
Guests: Kelly Anderson, Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Paul Erdmann, Board of Water and Soil Resources; Arlo Cristofaro-Hark, Cannon Valley Graziers

On today’s podcast, we’re going to baaaa-sk in the amazingness of an emerging prairie partnership among sheep, solar and hopefully, satisfied pollinators. The solar industry is booming in Minnesota and the state is leading the way in forging new partnerships to deliver stackable benefits at these industrial energy sites like improved soil health, water retention and infiltration, habitat for pollinators, songbirds and other wildlife, forage for grazers, and of course energy production, to name a few. You’re not going to want to miss a moment as we cover the basics of how we’re finding unique and innovative ways to connect the landscape.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Sheep run into planted prairie at a solar farm planted with habitat-friendly solar seed mixes. Photo Credit: Paul Erdmann

Sheep run into planted prairie at a solar farm planted with habitat-friendly solar seed mixes. Photo credit: Paul Erdmann

Listen to Episode 45

Episode 44: Let’s go explore: Prairie tour of Minnesota’s state parks

Hosts: Megan Benage, Southern Region Ecologist, DNR; Sara Vacek, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Biologist;
Guest: Jake Glaster, Scott Kudelka, Emily Albin, Chris Ingebretsen, Paula Comeau, and Ben Eckhoff (DNR)

Today, we’re hosting a very special episode of the Prairie Pod featuring places near and dear to our hearts: Minnesota State Parks. We are joined by six park managers and naturalists to share the special prairie places in the parks they love. This is basically one giant ‘take-a-hike’ episode where you’ll hear insider tips from the people who know the parks best—those who are caring for them every day, so all of us, can have the opportunity to enjoy these special spaces.

Note: Upper Sioux Agency State Park was permanently closed on February 16, 2024, and park lands were returned to the Upper Sioux Community. It is no longer a state park or open to the public.

text Photo credit name

Above, from left: Kids explore the grasslands at Buffalo River State Park; goldenrod blooms in the foreground with the setting sun casting a golden glow on the surrounding prairie grasses at Frontenac State Park; grasses intermix with exposed rock outcrop at Blue Mounds State Park. Below, from left: Smoky sunrise on the prairie at the now decommissioned Upper Sioux Agency State Park; wildflowers bloom on glacial prairie hills at Glacial Lakes State Park; bison graze on low growing prairie grasses at Minneopa State Park.

text Photo credit name

Listen to Episode 44

Episode 43: There’s a fungus among us: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and its role in prairie reconstruction success

Hosts: Megan Benage, Southern Region Ecologist, DNR; Sara Vacek, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Guests: Dr. Laura Aldrich-Wolfe, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences at North Dakota State University; and Dr. Diane Larson, Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey

On today's podcast, we’ve discovered a fungus among-us! We often talk about diversity above-ground in prairie ecosystems, but this week we’ll be going underground to uncover the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the success of prairie reconstructions. Dr. Diane Larson, Research Wildlife Biologist with U.S. Geological Survey, and Dr. Laura Aldrich-Wolfe, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences at North Dakota State University are with us to share their work with these fascinating fungi.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

AMF spores. Photo credit: Laura Aldrich-Wolfe

AMF Roots: Cleared and stained root showing colonization by AMF hyphae with vesicles. Inset shows microscope view of AMF spores. Photo credit: Laura Aldrich-Wolfe

Listen to Episode 43

Episode 42: Sow what? (Restoration Series: Seed scarcity and how to make prairie reconstructions more diverse through targeted seed harvest and production)

Hosts: Megan Benage—Southern Region Ecologist, DNR; Marissa Ahlering—Lead Scientist, TNC
Guests: Angie Miner—Prairie Recovery Specialist, Ben Carlson—Field Steward with the Central Minnesota Office, and Travis Issendorf—Prairie Recovery Specialist (The Nature Conservancy)

Today’s podcast is talking about a real-life problem facing prairie practitioners—seed scarcity. With the tallgrass prairie landscape reduced to just under two percent of its historic range in Minnesota and less than one percent of its range in North America, it is the most endangered ecosystem on this continent. With losses like these, it is no wonder seed scarcity is a challenge we're trying to address. Luckily, practitioners, scientists and landowners are putting their heads together to come up with solutions to help keep our prairies genetically fit and diverse. Sow what? More seeds, of course!

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Handful of prairie seeds Photo credit: Darren Wheeling

A handful of prairie seeds from The Nature Conservancy's 2017 seed harvest at Blazing Star Prairie Scientific and Natural Area (SNA). Photo credit: Darren Wheeling, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Listen to Episode 42

Episode 41: What’s for lunch: prairie predators

Hosts: Megan Benage—Southern Region Ecologist, and Mike Worland—Southern Nongame Biologist
Guests: Marsha Sovada—Research Wildlife Biologist Emeritus—United States Geological Survey, and Kristin Hall—DNR) State Wildlife Action Plan coordinator—MN Nongame Wildlife Program—DNR

Today’s podcast is talking about an important part of prairie ecosystems—prairie predators!  Predators can get a bad rap because they, well, sometimes eat the cute little furry critters. It’s important to understand that there are all kinds of predators in the prairie, ranging from tiny insects to birds to good-sized mammals, and they don’t often get the appreciation they deserve. Predators play pivotal roles in the prairie ecosystem. They are a key ingredient of prairies that help them to function and thrive. Prairie predators are a fascinating and exciting subject to delve into.

 

"I grew up in big cities and it wasn't until I was 20 years old, a young adult, that I had my first experience in nature. I went on my first hike, I pitched my first tent and I saw my first wild animal. And, without a doubt, it changed my life.”
― Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

A kestrel flies over the prairie Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

A kestrel flies over the prairie, searching for prey. Photo credit U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Listen to Episode 41

Season Four

Episode 40: Holiday Bonus Episode!

On today’s podcast, we're featuring people of the prairie to showcase their real life work in the fight to save a landscape that hangs on with just under 2% left in the state. Their special connections show us the joy and power of prairie. We hope you enjoy the voices of people who share our passion and get to take a moment to laugh, cry, and lose yourself for a little while in the stories of what prairie offers us: the courage to accept and adapt to change. We hope these prairie stories warm you up and remind you of golden prairie days outside over the winter ahead. It's not too late to #discovertheprairie

.

.

Winter wildflowers stand above the snow at Lost Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area; Photo Credit: David Minor

Winter wildflowers stand above the snow at Lost Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area; Photo Credit: David Minor

Listen to Episode 40

Episode 39: Live from the Minnesota State Fair

Hosts: Megan Benage,—Southern Region Ecologist; Mike Worland—Southern Nongame Biologist take the prairie pod on the road and come to you live from the Minnesota State Fair. They share the importance of prairie, what they love about it, and four special places you can discover the prairie after the Fair!
View the video on the DNR's Facebook channel.

Visit a Prairie

Megan Benage, Regional Ecologist and Mike Worland, Nongame Wildlife Biologist opening the Prairie Pod at the Minnesota State Fair

Volunteers from the audience pretend to be prairie snakes during a "Let's Science Live" activity during the Minnesota State Fair.

Listen to Episode 39

Episode 38: Seeds of Wisdom from the Prairie: how listening to stories from a diversity of cultures perfects our prairie understanding

Guest(s): Rowzat Shipchandler (DNR), May Vang (Urban Roots)

We’ve been reminded this season that there’s wisdom in the land itself. What it’s telling us if we’re willing to listen. The lesson of diversity there is ever-present and we talk a lot on this show about how plant diversity makes a prairie stronger and more resilient. We can use basically the same logic to show how human diversity can make prairie conservation stronger and more resilient. There is so much to learn about prairie, and often it seems like an ever-deepening mystery: when we answer one question, a dozen more pop up. So knowledge is a crucial resource, and we can’t limit the sources of that knowledge and expect to conserve and manage prairie effectively. The greater the diversity of the sources of our knowledge, the greater our capacity to counter the huge challenges we face to protect prairie. Above all, increasing the roles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in prairie conservation is just the right thing to do, for all sorts of reasons. It’s win-win-win all over the place. We’re taking a page out of the prairie’s book and connecting with DNR’s Diversity Program Coordinator, Rowzat Shipchandler and Urban Roots’ Conservation Program Coordinator, May Vang to chat about expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in the work of prairie conservationists.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Left: Even superheroes need to take a break to learn some new skillz on the prairie (Urban Roots' youth learn native prairie plants). Right: DNR's Diversity Coordinator, Rowzat Shipchandler kneels in her boulevard prairie garden.

Left: Even superheroes need to take a break to learn some new skills on the prairie (Urban Roots' youth learn native prairie plants).
Right: DNR's Diversity Coordinator, Rowzat Shipchandler kneels in her boulevard prairie garden

Listen to Episode 38

Episode 37: Climate Change Consequences: how the weather will determine how your prairie weathers

Guests: Kenny Blumenfeld, Fred Harris (DNR); Marissa Ahlering (The Nature Conservancy)

On today’s podcast, we’re talking Climate Change Consequences: how the weather will determine how your prairie weathers. Climate change is a bigger topic than ever today—we’re seeing evidence of it around us all of the time—6” rain anyone? No longer can we talk about climate change strictly as a future phenomenon: it’s happening now. But we’re not helpless, and in fact it may even create some opportunities for prairie conservation. Today’s land managers should be thinking about climate change in most everything they do, which is why we’ve brought in Senior Climatologist, Kenny Blumenfeld, Research Scientist, Fred Harris, and TNC Lead Prairie Ecologist (MN, ND, and SD) Marissa Ahlering to cover steps managers can take to build resilience and protect prairie biodiversity. Climate, prairie, Kenny, Fred, and Marissa. What could be better?

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Marissa Ahlering (Left) The Nature Conservancy's Prairie Ecologist stands in front of a rolling prairie landscape Fred Harris (middle) DNR's Prairie Ecologist looks up from collecting data in the rain Kenny Blumenfeld (right) DNR's senior climatologist shows he's not afraid of a little snow as he bikes to work.

Marissa Ahlering (left) The Nature Conservancy's Prairie Ecologist stands in front of a rolling prairie landscape
Fred Harris (middle) DNR's Prairie Ecologist looks up from collecting data in the rain
Kenny Blumenfeld (right) DNR's senior climatologist shows he's not afraid of a little snow as he bikes to work.

Listen to Episode 37

Episode 36: Beyond the walls of grass: the importance of structure in a prairie (Restoration Series)

Guests: Chris Helzer (The Nature Conservancy)

Today’s podcast is talking about the importance of prairie structure with our very special guest, The Nature Conservancy’s Director of Science and Prairie Ecologist, Chris Helzer. Diversity, restoration planning and design, and management choices, all play a role in how we achieve different prairie structures to benefit a wide variety of wildlife species. Tune in to hear more about how to shake it up and allow for structural change in your prairie to maximize wildlife benefits. Heterogeneity is the word of the day. What’s that mean? It’s a fancy way to say diversity. A word of the day and a podcast right on theme with diversity, this episode is already sure to be swell-zer.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Chris's picks

Prairie Ecologist, Chris Helzer, kneels in a prairie to photograph some incredible subjects!

Prairie Ecologist, Chris Helzer, kneels in a prairie to photograph some incredible subjects!

Listen to Episode 36

Episode 35: The legacy of restoration in Minnesota (Restoration series: common mistakes and lessons learned)

Guests: Gina Quiram (DNR) and Sue Galatowitsch (University of Minnesota)

Today’s podcast is talking about the legacy of restoration in Minnesota. We have two very special guests, Dr. Gina Quiram (DNR Restoration Evaluation Specialist) and Dr. Sue Galatowitsch (Professor, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota) who have been actively working to evaluate reconstructions. We know they’ve got the goods on lessons learned, common mistakes, and the future of restoration in Minnesota.
How can we connect a landscape where more than 98 percent of it has been lost and find balance in our current world? Big questions, thoughtful answers, and a deep dive into how we can improve is what you’ll hear on today’s podcast. Key tagline: don’t be afraid to try new things, we learn from failure.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Scientists and land managers discuss the evaluation of a prairie reconstruction in Minnesota

Scientists and land managers discuss the evaluation of a prairie reconstruction in Minnesota

Listen to Episode 35

Episode 34: Invasive species support group Part 2: how to cope with Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome

Guests: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Sara Vacek; DNR: Cory Netland; Board of Water and Soil Resources: Dan Shaw

Today’s podcast is part 2 of our invasive species support group. If you missed last week’s episode go check it out so you can be caught up on how to manage the struggle with smooth brome and Kentucky bluegrass. We’ll chat with a new group of land managers and landowners about their experiences dealing with these two prairie invasive species and they’ll provide you with helpful tips and insights on how to manage for the long-term and make sure your prairie passes its next health checkup.

 

USFWS Biologist, Sara Vacek, offers support to a group of land managers by helping them identify plants at a prairie training

USFWS Biologist, Sara Vacek, offers support to a group of land managers by helping them identify plants at a prairie training

Listen to Episode 34

Episode 33: Invasive species support group Part 1: how to cope with Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome

Guests: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Becky Esser; DNR: Rhett Johnson, Dustin Graham

Today’s podcast is continuing our mental health theme and featuring an invasive species support group. Have you ever struggled with smooth brome or Kentucky bluegrass in your prairies or reconstructions? Well, help is on the way! We’ll chat with land managers and landowners about their experiences dealing with these two prairie nemeses. They’ll provide you with helpful tips and insights on how to manage for the long-term and make sure your prairie passes its next health checkup.

For part 1, we'll be joined by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist Becky Esser, DNR Private Lands Specialist Rhett Johnson, and DNR Plant Ecologist Dustin Graham.

We're here to help Prairie Pod listeners!

 

DNR Scientists, Rhett Johnson and Jessica Petersen, stop to weed invasives out of a hillside prairie during a plant identification training

DNR Scientists, Rhett Johnson and Jessica Petersen, stop to weed invasives out of a hillside prairie during a plant identification training

Listen to Episode 33

Episode 32: Prairie’s importance as a mental health refuge

Guests: Verónica Jaralambides (DNR), Ann Vogel

On today’s podcast we’ll be chatting with Verónica Jaralambides, DNR’s Marketing Consultant with the Parks and Trails Division as well as local medical doctor, Dr. Ann Vogel where they share with us prairie’s importance as a mental health refuge. Need a brain break? This is just the ticket. To quote one of our guests, “this is a medicine, you don’t even need to look on a label for.” No side-effects guaranteed.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

A girl admires a Cope's gray tree frog on her hand at Glendalough State Park

A girl admires a Cope's gray tree frog on her hand at Glendalough State Park

Listen to Episode 32

Episode 31: The How not the Cow (Restoration Series: Grazing Grasslands)

Guest(s): Kent Solberg (Sustainable Farming Association), Amber Knutson (DNR)

Today’s podcast is talking about grazing grasslands. Grasslands rely on disturbance for their survival. The challenge is building disturbance back into a landscape that’s deeply fragmented. Luckily we have two smart scientists: Kent Solberg (sustainable farming association) and Amber Knutson (DNR Assistant Area Wildlife Manager) to walk us through adaptive management grazing, their successes and challenges, and figuring out how to get grazing animals back on the prairie when the historical pattern is largely unknown and some historical grazers no longer roam widely or free. Prairie disturbances (grazing, fire, and climate) still provide so many mysteries to uncover starting with our favorite phrase from Kent: “it’s the how not the cow.”
“Every act of eating is an act of creating.”—Fred Provenza

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Prairie wildflowers and grasses frame cattle grazing in a Nebraska prairie

Prairie wildflowers and grasses frame cattle grazing in a Nebraska prairie, Copyright, Chris Helzer

Listen to Episode 31

Episode 30: Tohan tataŋkaḣca kiŋ hdipi (When the Bison Came Home)

Guests: Scott Kudelka, Molly Tranel (DNR); Glenn Wasicuna (Minnesota State University-Mankato), Gwen Westerman (Minnesota State University-Mankato)

Today’s podcast is talking about a very special occurrence that happened right here in southern Minnesota just outside of the City of Mankato. It’s a story of healing, Dakota history, ecology, and restoration of a landscape that has been reduced to just under 2% of its native range in Minnesota. We’ll be chatting with four very special guests: DNR Parks and Trails Naturalist Scott Kudelka, DNR Regional Resource Management Specialist Molly Tranel; Minnesota State University-Mankato Dakota Instructor Glenn Wasicuna, Minnesota State University-Mankato Professor Dr. Gwen Westerman to hear them describe the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd, the return of Bison to Minneopa State Park, what it has meant to them, and what it means for the prairie.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Bison (Tataŋḳaḣca) roam freely across the prairie land (Tiåta Makoce) at Minneopa State Park.

Bison (Tataŋḳaḣca) roam freely across the prairie land (Tiåta Makoce) at Minneopa State Park.

Listen to Episode 30

Episode 29: Snake, Rattle, and Roll: Minnesota’s bluff prairies in summer to cozy hibernaculum in winter

Guests: Jaime Edwards and Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer (DNR)

Today’s podcast is talking about snakes! Don’t get scared, snakes are a super important part of the prairie. Whether we’re talking the fabulous bluff prairies of the east or the majestic expanses of prairie in western Minnesota, snakes are an important piece of what makes prairies function. We’ll be joined by DNR Nongame Biologist Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer and DNR Wildlife Manager Jaime Edwards as we slide into the details about Minnesota’s only venomous snake and incredibly rare reptile, the timber rattlesnake, as well as a hibernacula success story at Blue Mounds State Park. It’s going to be super!

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer (left) holds a bullsnake on the prairie as part of a study to learn more about these super beneficial snakes Jaime Edwards (right) shows off a bullsnake while CCM crew member, Dylan Olson, holds a hognose snake in a bluff prairie in southeast Minnesota

Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer (left) holds a bullsnake on the prairie as part of a study to learn more about these super beneficial snakes
Jaime Edwards (right) shows off a bullsnake while CCM crew member, Dylan Olson, holds a hognose snake in a bluff prairie in southeast Minnesota

Listen to Episode 29

 

Season Three

Episode 28: Holiday Bonus Episode! ( Stories from the Field)

The Minnesota Prairie is a legacy that connects us through the sounds, sights, smells and memories for all who are lucky enough to stop and take notice. This year, for the holiday #prairiepod we offer you the power of prairie through the voices of people who share our passion. We hope you’ll laugh, cry, and lose yourself for a little while in the stories of what prairie offers us: the power to make us whole again. We recommend a blanket, fuzzy slippers, a mug of hot chocolate, and at least 20 cookies as you listen. #discovertheprairie

 

Prairie wildflowers and grasses lodged with snow as the sun rises over a prairie reconstruction in southern Minnesota.

Prairie wildflowers and grasses lodged with snow as the sun rises over a prairie reconstruction in southern Minnesota.

Listen to Episode 28

Episode 27: Land manager take-over part 2

On today’s podcast, we're covering Part 2 of our special bonus episode where we’re offering you a virtual way to connect with each other and answer your questions!

If you missed it, make sure you check out part one because it covers your questions about prairie reconstructions in the establishment phase, how to balance cost, nesting sites for bees and dealing with climate change. This episode covers questions related to restoration management: how can I make my prairie more diverse, what to do about weeds, and how to burn and provide refugia for pollinators.

Special thanks to our partners (MnDNR, Prairie Reconstruction Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, UMN Bee Lab, and USFWS) from our Restoration and Pollinator Field Days Team. #prairietuesdays just got even better in September!

Resource List

Long-horned bee on yellow coneflower in a prairie reconstruction at the 2019 Pollinator and Restoration Field Day Photo used with permission from Diane Larson

Long-horned bee on yellow coneflower in a prairie reconstruction at the 2019 Pollinator and Restoration Field Day
Photo used with permission from Diane Larson

Listen to Episode 27

Episode 26: Land manager take-over part 1

Today’s podcast is a land manager takeover. We’d much rather be in the field with you sharing this knowledge and learning from you and your experiences, but we’re still excited to offer you this virtual field day with all of the original partners that would’ve been in the field with you: MN DNR, UMN Bee Lab, TNC and PRI. Establishment phase challenges, cost, climate change, host plants, and creating nesting sites for pollinators are just some of the questions you asked and we answered. We think these are great Q&A and we're not pollen your leg, either!

This is one of two bonus episodes this season where we’re offering you a virtual way to connect with each other, hear your pressing questions read aloud, and have this group of talented and entertaining scientists answer them! We broke this up into two podcasts. This first one is focused on questions related to establishment, cost, and climate change as it relates to our goals of including more diversity into our prairie reconstructions so they can be resilient and support a healthy and diverse population of pollinators.

Resource List

Land managers pose in front of a remnant prairie at String Lakes WPA after a day of learning and loving life on the prairie.

Land managers pose in front of a remnant prairie at String Lakes WPA after a day of learning and loving life on the prairie.

Listen to Episode 26

Episode 25: Getting back to our roots: prairies do it best

On today's podcast, we're getting back to our roots with Justin Meissen with the Tallgrass Prairie Center in Iowa. We'll be digging deep and I mean really deep because we're talking about prairie roots, people! Some prairie roots have been documented to grow more than 14' into the ground and that's not even counting how far they can go horizontally! We'll learn more about the intricate underground world that makes prairies one of the most productive places on earth!

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Dr. Jerry Glover of the Land Institute in Kansas poses in front of a mass of entangled prairie roots. Photo © taken by Jim Richardson and posted here with permission.

Dr. Jerry Glover of the Land Institute in Kansas poses in front of a mass of entangled prairie roots. Photo © taken by Jim Richardson and posted here with permission.

Listen to Episode 25

Episode 24: The MN Prairie gets a health check-up: Grassland Monitoring Team

In today's podcast we are going to talk about the Grassland Monitoring Team. Did you know even prairies need a health check-up? Turns out, there's a whole team of scientists invested in assessing the health of Minnesota's prairies! Diversity, resilience, and persistence are all top marks we want to see on this health exam.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

USFWS Biologist, Sara Vacek, TNC Prairie Ecologist, Marissa Ahlering, and DNR Ecologist, Daren Carlson hug at the Chippewa Prairie Preserve after completing a grassland monitoring team survey.

USFWS Biologist, Sara Vacek, TNC Prairie Ecologist, Marissa Ahlering, and DNR Ecologist, Daren Carlson hug at the Chippewa Prairie Preserve after completing a grassland monitoring team survey.

Listen to Episode 24

Episode 23: Farming for Pollinators

Today’s podcast is going to talk about bees! Wait, didn’t we just do this one? We did talk about surveying for bees during our last episode, but bees are so important we’re covering them again and this time we’re going to focus on what you can do on and around the farm to help provide habitat for these winged beasties! We’re joined by Karin Jokela with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to hear about how she works with farmers and land managers to spread the buzz (literally).

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Flowering insectary strip providing pollen and nectar to support local pollinators and beneficial predators, which in turn plays a role in crop production at the Sogn Valley Farm in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

(Flowering insectary strip providing pollen and nectar to support local pollinators and beneficial predators, which in turn plays a role in crop production at the Sogn Valley Farm in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.)

Listen to Episode 23

Episode 22: What’s Buzzing on the prairie: the Minnesota bee survey

Today’s podcast is going to talk about bees! They’ve been in the news, they’ve been in your garden, and most importantly they’re on the prairie! We’ll chat with a familiar voice in Invertebrate Ecologist, Jessica Petersen, joined by MBS Bee Survey Specialist, Nicole Gerjets, to hear about their work surveying bees, why these tiny fliers are so busy, and all the incredible things they’re doing right under our noses.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Bee Survey Specialist, Nicole Gerjets (left) and Invertebrate Ecologist, Jessica Petersen (right) survey for bees on public land in Minnesota.

(Bee Survey Specialist, Nicole Gerjets (left) and Invertebrate Ecologist, Jessica Petersen (right) survey for bees on public land in Minnesota.)

Listen to Episode 22

Episode 21: A Legacy of Love for the Prairie Landscape: A Landowner’s Perspective

Today’s podcast is going to feature a very special prairie enthusiast, yes, we mean that literally. Prairie enthusiasts are not just people who drive around getting excited any time they see grasses and wildflowers blowing in the wind. They are groups of dedicated individuals who take their personal time to educate, protect, and restore prairie and savanna habitats in the Upper Midwest.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) blooms in front of the Kasota SNA sign. Kasota is one of the landowner featured today, Henry's favorite prairies.

(Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) blooms in front of the Kasota SNA sign. Kasota is one of the landowner featured today, Henry's favorite prairies.)

Listen to Episode 21

Episode 20: Diversity makes the world go round (Restoration Series: seed mix design and research update)

Today’s podcast is talking about my favorite subject: diversity! After all, it makes the world go round. We’ll be highlighting key updates about seed mix design including the latest research findings, plant and pollinator relationships, wildlife benefits, and more.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Whorled milkweed framed by hoary vervain and goldenrod in the background of a DNR-wildlife prairie reconstruction near Marshall, MN

(Whorled milkweed framed by hoary vervain and goldenrod in the background of a DNR-wildlife prairie reconstruction near Marshall, MN.)

Listen to Episode 20

Episode 19: Let’s get our feet wet (Restoration series: Prairie Streams)

In today’s podcast we’re getting our feet wet (not literally, I hope). We’ll be talking with River Ecologist, Luther Aadland and Clean water Specialist, Brooke Hacker about stream restoration in the prairie landscape.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

DNR River Ecologist, Luther Aadland (left) and Clean Water Legacy Specialist, Brooke Hacker (right) take measurements to assess the channel for two stream restoration projects.

(DNR River Ecologist, Luther Aadland (left) and Clean Water Legacy Specialist, Brooke Hacker (right) take measurements to assess the channel for two stream restoration projects.)

Listen to Episode 19

Episode 18: Mussel Mania

Today’s podcast is going to talk about mussels! Caution, if you listen to this podcast, you will get mussel mania (extreme excitement over all things mollusk).

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Links

Mussel videos for your learning and enjoyment:

Native mussels displayed on the shoreline as part of the Statewide Mussel Survey where DNR scientists are gathering information to guide mussel conservation efforts.

(Native mussels displayed on the shoreline as part of the Statewide Mussel Survey where DNR scientists are gathering information to guide mussel conservation efforts.)

Listen to Episode 18

Season Two

Episode 17: Holiday Bonus Episode! (Stories from the field)

Too many cookies, chilly weather, and frostbite already have you in a winter funk? Fear not, there’s sunshine on the horizon because this is a HOLIDAY BONUS EPISODE of the Prairie Pod. Listen in to hear stories from the field that will warm you right up with the storytellers’ love for the prairie and their descriptions of Minnesota’s golden season.

Stiff goldenrod covered in snow. Habitat-friendly solar planting in the background.

Stiff goldenrod covered in snow. Habitat-friendly solar planting in the background.

Listen to Episode 17

Episode 16: The hills are ablaze (Restoration Series: Fire Management in Prairies)

Guests: Joe Blastick, TNC, Chris Smith, Wildlife Research & Consulting Services, LLC

Today's podcast is going to talk about prescribed fire! We call it prescribed because even though anyone who does fire management as part of their job loves the thrill of fire, these are controlled burns for the purpose of disturbance-based management. Prairies are a disturbance-based habitat, which means they need disturbance in order to persist. Without it, they will change into a forest or become overgrown with non-prairie species. Joe Blastick (TNC) and Chris Smith (MNDOT) will share their experiences with fire management and how we can use this tool more effectively to achieve healthy, functioning grasslands that have a diversity of wildlife using and living in them.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

 

 

An early spring burn in March resets and regenerates this remnant prairie while also targeting undesirable non-native species like smooth brome (Bromus inermis).

An early spring burn in March resets and regenerates this remnant prairie while also targeting undesirable non-native species like smooth brome (Bromus inermis).

Listen to Episode 16

Episode 15: How do I know if I’m doing a good job? (Prairie and Grassland Monitoring)

Today’s podcast is going to talk about monitoring! It’s hard to know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been. We all know prairies change through time and that is a normal and natural process—albeit frustrating when you are trying to re-build them! Monitoring plays a key role in understanding what’s happening on your site and how that piece of land is being affected by the surrounding landscape. Once you know that, then you have the incredibly difficult job of trying to decide what to do next and sometimes that right next step is the hardest thing of all…having patience while you let nature go through the magic and change of succession.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

 

 

USFWS' Biologist, Sara Vacek, uses the grassland monitoring protocol to assess a native hillside prairie in southwest Minnesota

USFWS Biologist, Sara Vacek, uses the grassland monitoring protocol to assess a native hillside prairie in southwest Minnesota.

Listen to Episode 15

Episode 14: Bringing Diversity Back, Baby (Restoration Series: Interseeding)

Guests: Jeff Zajac, Curt Vacek

Today's podcast is going to talk about Interseeding! This is the practice of adding wildflowers or other missing guilds to an already established stand of grass. How can we bring lower diversity established stands of grasses up to a higher level of diversity that will ultimately benefit more species and help with grassland function? What we really want here is MORE FLOWERS.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

 

 

A high-diversity forb mix was used to benefit a variety of wildlife including pollinators, pheasants, and grassland birds on this MN DNR prairie reconstruction near Lamberton, Minnesota.

A high-diversity forb mix was used to benefit a variety of wildlife including pollinators, pheasants, and grassland birds on this MN DNR prairie reconstruction near Lamberton, Minnesota.

Listen to Episode 14

Episode 13: Herp Tracking in the Minnesota River Valley—Snakes, Skinks, and More!

Guests: Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer, Carol Hall, Jeff LeClere

Today’s podcast is going to talk about everyone’s favorite subject: snakes and skinks! That’s right, we’re going reptile folks and we aren’t going back! We’ll talk with Nongame Biologist, Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer, Herpetologist, Carol Hall, and Animal Survey Specialist, Jeff LeClere to hear about their work tracking gopher snakes and five-lined skinks in the Minnesota River Valley.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

 

 

A rare five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) shows off its striking blue tail while a biologist collects data on its health and population status.

A rare five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) shows off its striking blue tail while a biologist collects data on its health and population status.

Listen to Episode 13

Episode 12: Going Native: Native Prairie Bank Easement Program—The Deets

Guest: Rhett Johnson

In today's podcast we are going to talk about the Native Prairie Bank Easement Program. Did you know if you have remnant prairie (never been broken by a plow) on your land, you may qualify for an easement program that can keep that prairie land for future generations? How awesome is that? More Prairie, More Awesome is what we always say. We'll be chatting with DNR Private Lands Specialist, Rhett Johnson about all the details. You may even get to hear about his magical vest!

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

 

 

A Native Prairie Bank Easement sign marks the border of a remnant prairie (a prairie that has never been broken by a plow or other means) on private land in southern Minnesota.

(A Native Prairie Bank Easement sign marks the border of a remnant prairie (a prairie that has never been broken by a plow or other means) on private land in southern Minnesota.)

Listen to Episode 12

Episode 11: A Legacy of Conservation with the Service

Feature Conservationist: Marty Baker, USFWS

Today's podcast is going to feature a very special conservationist, Marty Baker. Marty has worked for the USFWS for 28 years and he mostly works on prairie and wetland restorations. There is no substitute for practitioner experience—those who know by getting their hands dirty and trying new things. Marty is one of those rare gems who has an incredible wealth of knowledge to share and we’re excited to learn all we can from him during today's episode!

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Links

 

Long-time conservationist, Marty Baker stands above a complex of reconstructed and remnant prairie on the Wolf Lake Waterfowl Production Area in Windom, MN.

(Long-time conservationist, Marty Baker stands above a complex of reconstructed and remnant prairie on the Wolf Lake Waterfowl Production Area in Windom, MN.)

Listen to Episode 11

Episode 10: We’re in this for the long haul (Restoration Series: Long-term management)

Guests: Joe Stangel, Jeanine Vorland.

Today’s podcast is going to talk about long-term management of prairies and grasslands! Some people say diamonds are forever, well we say, prairies are forever. With the right management tool we can keep them thriving and healthy for many generations to come. We’ll chat with Asst. Regional Wildlife Manager, Joe Stangel, and Area Wildlife Manager, Jeanine Vorland, to hear how they prefer to manage prairies and grasslands and cover some of the basics in terms of management tools and timelines.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Links

People gathered for a prarie survey.

(Land managers gather to assess a prairie restoration)

Listen to Episode 10

Episode 9: A lost prairie butterfly gets reintroduced (Dakota Skipper Reintroduction at Hole-in-the-Mountain Prairie)

Today's podcast is going to talk about Dakota skippers, a rare prairie butterfly, and their reintroduction into a Minnesota prairie.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

Links

Dakota Skipper on a Purple coneflower

(Dakota Skipper on Purple Coneflower - photo taken by Cale Nordmeyer, MN Zoo)

Listen to Episode9

Season One

Episode 8: Pheasants, Feathers and Guns

This week, we'll talk pheasants, grassland birds and the fall hunting season.

Resource List

  • National Geographic Fierce, Furry Fisher Article
  • Pheasant Action Plan
  • Roadside Survey
  • Pheasant Hunting
  • Wszola, L.S., Simonsen, V.L., Stuber, E.F., Gillespie, C.R., Messinger, L.N., et al. 2017. Translating statistical species-habitat models to interactive decision support tools. PLOS ONE 12(12): e0188244
  • Benson, T.J., Chiavacci, S.J., and M.P. Ward. 2013. Patch size and edge proximity are useful predictors of brood parasitism but not nest survival of grassland birds. Ecological Applications 23:879-887.
  • Leonard A. Brennan and William P. Kuvlesky, Jr. 2005. North American Grassland Birds: An Unfolding Conservation Crisis? The Journal of Wildlife Management, 69(1): 1-13.

Visit a Prairie

small yellow bird on dry prairie grasses

Listen to Episode 8

Episode 7: What you do Now, Matters Later (Restoration Series: Establishment Phase Management)

Today, we'll talk about the establishment phase of restoration, with Area Wildlife Manager, Jeff Zajac.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

wma access sign

Listen to Episode 7

Episode 6: Putting Prairie Back is Hard

Today's podcast features a prairie in Nobles County and the challenges of restoring an entire section of land to prairie and wetland habitat. We're joined by Bill Schuna and Kent Schaap with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

wma access sign

Listen to Episode 6

Episode 5: What Goes in the Mix, Makes the Cake (Restoration Series: Building a Seed Mix)

Today we'll talk about one of our favorite subjects - building seed mixes. We'll explore how to evaluate your site, why diversity matters, seeds per square feet, and general guidelines for success.

Resource List

Visit a Prairie

prairie grasses in the back of a truck

Listen to Episode 5

Episode 4: A Legacy of Conservation at Lac qui Parle

Today's podcast features a special conservationist, Dave Trauba. Dave worked as the Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area manager for 24 years.

Resource List

  • Augustine, J. K., & Trauba, D. R. 2015. Potential for behavioral reproductive isolation between greater prairie-chickens and sharp-tailed grouse in west-central Minnesota. Journal of Ethology 33: 15-24.
  • Johnson, R. G., and S. A. Temple. 1990. Nest Predation and Brood Parasitism of Tallgrass Prairie Birds. Journal of Wildlife Management 54:106-111.
  • Schlicht, D. A., Swengel, and S. Swengel. 2009. Meta-analysis of survey data to assess trends of prairie butterflies in Minnesota, USA during 1979-2005. Journal of Insect Conservation 13:429-447.

Visit a Prairie

purple flowers in a prairie

Listen to Episode 4

Episode 3: Where Can I get that Prairie Seed? (Restoration Series: Seed Sourcing)

We'll discuss sourcing seed for prairie restorations. Should you mix or match seed? How far is too far? And general guidelines for safe seed sourcing.

Resource List

  • Espeland, E. K., N. C. Emery, K. L. Mercer, S. A. Woolbright, K. M. Kettenring, P. Gepts, and J. R. Etterson. 2017. Evolution of plant materials for ecological restoration: insights from the applied and basic literature. Journal of Applied Ecology 54: 102-115.
  • Meissen, J. C., S. M. Galatowitsch, and M. W. Cornett. 2015. Risks of overharvesting seed from native tallgrass prairies. Restoration Ecology 23: 882-891.
  • Native plant suppliers in Minnesota.
  • Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center - Technical guides
  • Tallgrass prairie Center video on basics of seed collecting
  • Seed Sourcing for Resilient Reconstructed Prairies

Visit a Prairie

seed pod in a field of green grasses

Listen to Episode 3

Episode 2: Walking into the Prairie (Walk-in Access Program)

On today's podcast, we'll chat with Scott Roemhildt, from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Megan Howell, with Pheasants Forever. We'll cover the Walk-in Access Program - what it is, how it works, and how to hunt on these awesome private lands.

Resource List

  • The Land Ethic by Aldo Leopold
  • Drum, R. G., C. A. Ribic, K. Koch, E. Lonsdorf, E. Grant, M. Ahlering, L. Barnhill, T. Dailey, S. Lor, C. Mueller, D. C. Pavlacky, C. Rideout, and D. Sample. 2015. Strategic grassland bird conservation throughout the annual cycle: Linking policy alternatives, landowner decisions, and biological population outcomes. PLOS ONE 10:1-16.
  • Iowa STRIPS project

Visit a Prairie

dnr employee wearing bright work vest and hard hat installing a wia sign in a prairie

Listen to Episode 2

Episode 1: How to Grow a Prairie from Scratch (Restoration and Reconstruction)

Today's podcast is about our favorite subject - prairies and how to grow them from scratch.

Resource List

  • The Tallgrass Restoration Handbook: For Prairies, Savannas, and Woodlands (The Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration Series) by Stephen Packard (Editor), Cornelia F. Mutel (Editor)
  • Sluis et al. 2017 Multiscale metrics differentiate among tallgrass prairie restorations and remnant ecosystems along a restorative continuum. Restoration Ecology.
  • Chris Helzer: The Prairie Ecologist Blog

Visit a Prairie

carved images in rock at jeffers petroglyphs

Listen to Episode 1

Interested in more Science?

Check out these great podcasts and audio files to keep the knowledge flowing like the wind through the prairie:

NPR Short Wave Podcast logo

NPR Shortwave

The pod covers new discoveries across all of the science disciplines. It’s only 10 minutes and natural resources’ hot topics and discoveries cycle through quite a bit. You may not know this, but the ‘NR’ in DNR stands for natural resources so we’re pretty excited about this pod!

DNR Podcast logo

Whitewater State Park

This audio file is part of an oral history project about one of our beloved Minnesota State Parks. Tune in to hear naturalist, Sara Holger, share the history of the park and how it came to be a southeast Minnesota treasure.

Three Park District Podcast logo

The Wandering Naturalist by Three Rivers Park District

The pod explores the natural and cultural history of the 27,000-acre Three Rivers Park District and the surrounding Twin Cities area. Tune in to “wander” the parks. We particularly like this pod’s dedication to diversity and preserving nature.

The Department of Natural Resources supports and promotes podcasts that share and uplift our mission to work with Minnesotans to conserve and manage the state's natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life.

The Voices

Jessica Petersen and Megan Benage met on the prairie in 2016. From there, they formed a fast friendship and launched the Prairie Pod in 2018. Mike Worland joined the pod-squad in 2019 and is featured as co-host starting in season 3. The pod squad expanded in 2022 with the addition of two new co-hosts, Marissa Ahlering and Sara Vacek. Their debut on the pod can be heard starting on the holiday episode (40) in season 4. They all share a passion for prairie, natural lands, and the wildlife that live there.

Megan is a regional ecologist who is fascinated by the science of restoration and the challenge of building better, more resilient prairies with diversity always as the backbone.

Mike is a nongame wildlife biologist who has developed a love of all things prairie, and strives to protect prairie and the wildlife who depend on it through monitoring and science-based habitat management.

Marissa is the Lead Scientist for The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota and a lover of prairies, wide-open spaces and diversity in all its forms and expressions.

Sara is a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She has a deep appreciation for prairies and wetlands and is endlessly fascinated by the complex relationships among plants, animals and their environment.

Jessica is an invertebrate ecologist with a passion for communicating science to land managers and prairie practitioners.

Photo who's who - (Jessica, top left, Megan, top right, Mike, Marissa, Sara.)

 

Jess: Jessica (left) and Megan (right) get ready to conduct field surveys at Hole-in-the-Mountain prairie in western MN.

Mike checks his net to see what he caught while assisting with wild bee surveys in southeastern MN

Mike checks his net to see what he caught while assisting with wild bee surveys in southeastern MN

Mike checks his net to see what he caught while assisting with wild bee surveys in southeastern MN

Back to top