Tag: nature
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Accidental Ecosystems
Book Review Our urban spaces are teeming with life, though we often overlook it. This life isn’t merely human but encompasses an array of flora and fauna, insects and animals, all contributing to a vibrant and complex urban ecosystem. In one of my favorite podcast episodes this year, my co-host Jennifer and I talked with…
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Urban Tree Benefits
This weekend I planted my third tree, but the first in the boulevard (space between the street and the sidewalk). I had been waiting to get this done, with busy schedules and a summer heat wave delaying the project. As a city planner I was well aware of boulevard or street tree programs which provided…
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Exploring Wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park
Its been almost three months since I camped in Rocky Mountain National Park, but I’m finally getting around to writing about the trip. I’ve been camping before, but never in a national forest like Rocky Mountain. It was amazing to see a moose, elk, deer, and other animals going about their business unaffected set against…
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City of Parks
Book Review I read the City of Parks by David C. Smith shortly after moving to the Twin Cities. I had visited a few of the parks, but was fascinated by the rich history that encompassed the Minneapolis park system. Until reading the book, I did not know that an independent board of elected representatives…
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Discovering Minnesota’s Orbacle: Art and Climate Change Awareness
A few months back I was in the Commons (a new downtown Minneapolis park) having coffee with some friends when I noticed an interesting sculpture. I glanced at it briefly, long enough to find it unique, but then we continued walking. It wasn’t until this weekend that I finally realized what that sculpture was and its…
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Bridges for Bears
When my family moved to a small acreage surrounded by corn fields I learned about the conflicts between deer and vehicles. While I was never in the clear, I needed to be especially cautious in the fall when driving near dusk. I have had several close calls, one deer leaving a dent in my hood…
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Protecting Minnesota’s Wildlife: A Personal Reflection
I am fortunate enough to have grown up going to a family cabin on a lake in Minnesota. At an early age I fell in love with the state bird, the loon. I remember purchasing my first loon call in hopes of luring them close for a good photograph. It took much effort and determination…
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Design with Nature
Book Review Cities all across the world are realizing their mistake in covering up natural features to construct bigger and better communities. After decades of building over rivers and streams, dredging wetlands for lakes, and sprawling across prime agricultural land, we are finally seeing the devastating impacts. The solutions to these problems are already being…
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Rails to Trails
Over Memorial Weekend I had the opportunity to bike from Park Rapids to Walker, Minnesota. The journey began sunny and warm, but storms in the area caught up to me a few miles south of Walker. Despite getting drenched with rain, the journey on the Heartland State Trail was very interesting. This particular trail is…
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Evolution of Lake Life
Growing up, my family and I made three nine hour trips each year to Perham, Minnesota. The first trip was always Memorial Weekend, followed by a week in June when Walleye fishing was good, then a two week family trip that included excursions to nearby attractions. I was the only one in my class that…
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The Planning Lady 