Category Archives: Outdoor

Ripples by Jim Knickelbine We are drawn outside by good weather, and have been blessed with our share lately. A recent walk on Willow Trail at Woodland Dunes was refreshing, even though birds at that ...

Ripples contributed from the archives by Nancy Nabak, communications coordinator Our 50th anniversary archived Ripples comes from Dunesletter Number 20, June 1980. "Animal Highways" written by Helen D...

By Max Kornetzke, land manager Early spring often evokes the imagery of showy flowers. Many are delighted after winter to see the native plants like trilliums, spring beauties, or bloodroot; or, for m...

By Kennedy Zittel, naturalist Spring is here! And with that brings a lot of birds returning for the warmer months once more. Among those returning birds is one of my all-time favorites! Perhaps not ev...

Written by Kennedy Zittel, naturalist As each day passes, it is looking and sounding more like spring every day here at Woodland Dunes! Animals are returning and plants are budding... Hello spring! Ne...

Written by Max Kornetzke Growing up, I used to look down at the fractures in the sidewalk as I walked home from school. As I looked down, I projected a map onto the pavement. Each crack was a river, a...

Written by Jessica Johnsrud February is a time of year when some people offer chocolates, candlelit dinners, flowers, and other gifts to woo their love interest. This is a time of year when love is al...

Written by Sue Crowley   When I was small, and not too young, because I could read, I used to love to choose books from the library that had anthropomorphized mice as the main characters. These c...

Written by Max Kornetzke, Land Manager Russet Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis) is a small to medium-sized shrub that can be found along the shores of each Great Lake, most Canadian provinces, and ...

The winter cold blast has descended upon us and all of nature, at least for this week! As I gratefully sit in my heated office, I always appreciate other species' resourcefulness and design to survive...