While it is tempting to think that all animals have the good sense to curl up and sleep through Minnesota’s harsh winters, there are a number of hardy residents that brave the cold and inhabit the Arb year round. 

Believe it or not, the Arb does not run itself. There is in fact an Arboretum Office, and many hard-working individuals dedicated to its maintenance.

Fall weather has settled in and temperatures are cooling off--but what would it be like if average temperatures were freezing all year?

It’s nearing the end of October, the leaves are falling, and temperatures are dropping. That means many animals are spending a final few days in the sun and getting ready for hibernation. Snakes are no exception.

            What do leaves have to do with the seasons? Most people mark the coming of winter by the time that trees become bare and leaves litter the ground. The trees themselves, however, begin their winter preparations long before we humans do.

Fifth week means it’s crunch time at Carleton, but the stress level of students isn’t the only thing that is peaking right now.

Fall may be my favorite time of year, and October my favorite month.

Weeks have passed since the beginning of fall term, and the average Carl has long since settled into their fall routine.  The Arboretum, on the other hand, is a vision of constant change.

One important measure of restoration progress is the presence of indicator species – species that require specific conditions only associated with high-quality habitat – and this summer, two important indicator species were observed in the Arb.

I've been a student naturalist since my freshman year. I didn't realize that I was signing up to write the last Arb notes of the term several weeks ago when I picked this date. It seems fitting, though, that I, rather than one of the younger naturalists, should get to have the last word of the year. It also gives me an opportunity to reflect on how the Arb, and my perceptions of the Arb, have changed over the last four years.

On a bright and surprisingly warm Saturday morning, 19 intrepid adventurers gathered at the Arb Office at 6am to partake in the decade-long tradition of the Annual Arboretum Bird Count. Initiated in 2000, this rite seeks to record the populations of the long-term and the migratory birds that frequent the Arb. At 17 spots throughout the Arb, the volunteers recorded the species they saw or heard in a designated 2-minute span. Over the years, the number of species recorded has ranged from 58 to 73 species.

Last week Arb Naturalists had the pleasure of walking Spring Creek in search of river mussels.  If you've only ever encountered the sea dwelling mussels found on your local menu, you might consider taking to the rivers in search of these magnificent creatures.  It might surprise you but these animals have some adaptations as innovative as some of our own.