After a seemingly eternal winter and some late snowfalls, it’s finally looking and feeling a lot more like spring in Northfield. One of the most noticeable harbingers of the new season is the sudden outburst of birdsong around campus.

Monday of last week Arboretum staff, student workers, and community volunteers kicked off the prescribed burn season in the Arb with a small fire in the 2003 prairie of the lower arboretum.

   Throughout Northfield, there’s a more nefarious flower sprouting everywhere.

Although the sluggish spring has been a bit disappointing, life in the Arb continues more or less as usual. The time for frogs and toads to end their winter hibernation is approaching, and as ice and snow recede and temperatures rise, they will flock to breeding sites and begin chorusing and mating.

The sight of migrating birds returning from their warm wintering grounds is something that’s seen every spring, but is truly never more welcome than when snow and 30 degree weather extends into mid-April.

If you’re in the Arb this spring, particularly in the floodplain or near the banks of the Cannon River, there is a slim chance that you will see a Wood Turtle, also known by its Latin name Clemmys insculpta, a threatened species found in Minnesota. This rare turtle has been hibernating all winter long and will reduce its metabolic rate again at the peak of summer’s heat, so spring is an ideal time to spot one.

With last week’s fresh snowfall, now is a great time to strap on your snowshoes and head out into the Arboretum to look for tracks.

The Tree Removal grant project in the Arboretum is already well underway.  Three of four sites have already been cleared of non-native trees and invasive brush.  Some arboretum visitors have wondered why the trees and bramble were removed in the first place. One very important consideration is that much of the pine forests are already dying.

Karst is a geological feature formed by the dissolution of soluble bedrock such as carbonates like limestone and dolostone. Karst formations lead to the formations of caves, disappearing streams, underground streams, sinkholes and other landforms in Southern Minnesota.

The birth of every snowflake starts out with a speck of dust...

Owls are fast becoming one of the most popular types of birds. However, unlike most other admired birds that are known for being colorful, quick, or vocal, perhaps owls’ most celebrated characteristic is their aura of mystery.

Biting Minnesota winds and below-freezing days are not always the most pleasant, but puffy jackets, mittens, scarves and hats keep the cold at bay. However, while we humans are able to bundle up or stay indoors to take advantage of central heating, most other species are not so lucky during the winter months.