The Wandering Naturalist

Three Rivers Park District

Explore the history and present of over 27,000 acres of park land inside Minnesota's Hennepin County and surrounding areas. Hosts Ellen (interpretive naturalist) and Brandon (interpretive naturalist) guide you through this suburban wilderness managed by the Three Rivers Park District.

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20 episodes
Updated July 1

Episodes20

Newest first

July 1 · 33 min
Episode 284: Rivers Inspiring Art - Art and AWE
Sarah Nassif joins us to talk about the group she created, Art, Water, and Ecology (AWE) Network. Using her past experience as an educator, and her current profession as an artist she connects artists, scientists, and teachers to inspire people to connect with waterways through art. We discuss how she came up with the idea, the work that has been accomplished, and how you can get involved.
July 1 · 27 min
Episode 283: Rivers Inspiring Art - Cultural Connections to Art
Cole Redhorse Taylor talks to us about the art he creates and how he draws on his Dakota ancestors connections to water to inspire him. He discusses his contribution to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, as well as the work he did on the Minnesota Wild's goalie helmet used during its Indigenous Heritage Night.
July 1 · 38 min
Episode 282: Rivers Inspiring Art - Poet Laureate and Waterways
Minneapolis' first Poet Laureate, Heid Erdrich joins us to discuss her poetry and how it relates to waterways. She talks to us about why water inspires her, how her Ojibwe culture influences her work, and her work with other artists in the area.
June 3 · 23 min
Episode 281: Fishy Business - Let's Go Fishing
For many people, their connection to fish isn't through research, it's through fishing! For our final episode of the month we talk to Trey Fails from Dreaded Outdoors on creating a welcoming culture in fishing and outdoor recreation.
June 3 · 30 min
Episode 280: Fishy Business - Thousands of Jars
How many fish is too many fish? Or- wait- how many fishes is too many fishes? Find out in this episode with Dr. Kassandra Ford, the Bell Museum's Curator of Fishes and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota! We get to the bottom of mysteries like when to say fish vs fishes, does the Bell Museum have a secret fish library, and whether or not fish actually exist.
June 3 · 28 min
Episode 279: Fishy Business - Survey Says...
We are halfway through the Big Year of Rivers and what species is more closely connected to our rivers than the many native species of fishes in Minnesota! In this episode Ellen and Brandon sit down with Jenna Nelson, a freshwater ecologist with Three Rivers, to hear all about fish surveys in the park district.
May 6 · 28 min
Episode 278: Floods and Floodplains - Helping Minnesota's Water
What is Minnesota doing for its rivers and floodplains? Andrea Fish, from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources talks to us about how soil and water quality are connected, the work they do with watershed districts to benefit rivers and farmers, and how you can help water health in your area.
May 6 · 18 min
Episode 277: Floods and Floodplains - Why Should We Care?
Join us as we float down the Mississippi and talk to American Rivers. American Rivers is an organization dedicated to protecting waterways. One of their scientists, Eileen Shader, talks with us about why floodplains are so important, both for nature, and for reducing the impacts of flooding in communities around the river.
May 6 · 28 min
Episode 276: Floods and Floodplains - Surviving the Flood
What does it take to survive a flood? Brandon and Ellen explore the living things that thrive in a floodplain habitat. From climbing snakes to the fastest growing tree in the United States, floodplains are full of living things that have unique adaptations to live in this important but threatened habitat.
April 1 · 29 min
Episode 275: The Vernal Pool Parade - Who's With the Band?
Our final episode this month goes fully into the vernal pool weeds! Brandon and Ellen bring out their favorite stars of this ecosystem. We talk fairy shrimp, fishing spiders, caddisflies, water boatmen, and backswimmers. For creatures so small, this episode is PACKED with interesting information!
April 1 · 31 min
Episode 274:The Vernal Pool Parade - A Deeper Dive
In our second episode we sit down with Dr. Mark Hanson to hear about his research on vernal pools during his career with the Minnesota DNR. We zoom out a bit from vernal pools themselves and learn about their impact on what's around them. From bears to ducklings, these innocuous pools play an important role in the lives of many woodland organisms. This leads us to discuss how forest management impacts the pools and what people can do to keep them safe and healthy.
April 1 · 27 min
Episode 273: The Vernal Pool Parade - A Dip into the Pool
Time to get your feet wet in the world of vernal pools! This month's topic zooms in on these often overlooked, but crucially important ecosystems. In our first episode we meet with Dr. Darold Batzer, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. Dr. Batzer studies the ecology and environmental biology of wetland invertebrates, and gives us an introduction to vernal pools: Who lives in them, what they are, and why they matter.
March 4 · 19 min
Episode 272: Women and Waterways - Journeys through Time
Jade Ryerson, historian with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, wanders with us through time and she shares stories of women who have connected to the Mississippi River in the past and how that impacts us today. From Dakota women involved with diplomacy, to a court case about slavery that helped escalate tensions leading to the Civil War, to a lamplighter who helped Minneapolis and St. Paul commerce develop, women have had deep connections and impacts on the Mississippi River near us.
March 4 · 45 min
Episode 271: Women and Waterways - Kayaking the Mississippi
Wander with us down the Mississippi River as Devin Brown joins us to discuss how her connection to the Mississippi River changed her life. Her first meeting with the Mississippi River happened in Minneapolis as an adult and inspired her to change her career. Since then she has become an avid paddler. More recently she is the first Black woman to attempt to kayak the entire Mississippi River. From its narrow stretch near Itasca to massive cottonwoods breaching like whales during record flooding, her trip was full of amazing stories.
February 4 · 34 min
Episode 270: Say What? Plants and Fungi
Dr. Peter Kennedy from the University of Minnesota joins us to discuss the latest research on the relationships between plants and fungi. From tree socks to research exchange markets, the interaction between plants and fungi is complicated. What does research really say about this research and what has reporting on this research sensationalized?
February 4 · 36 min
Episode 269: Say What? Talking Plants
Do plants really talk? Not like we do, but Dr. Simon Gilroy, Professor of Botany at the University of Wisconsin Madison, shares the research he and others have done that has shed light on how plants communicate. From leaves hearing and the plant responding, to the smell of fresh cut grass alerting other plants of distress, wander with us as we explore plant communication.
February 4 · 33 min
Episode 268: Say What? Animal Communication
Wander with Brandon and Ellen as they explore how animals communicate. From communication that is obvious to us like sound, to communication we may not have considered such as electricity, animals have complicated ways of sharing information.
January 7 · 30 min
Episode 267: Big Year of Rivers - The Once and Future Mississippi
Dr. John Anfinson, one of the leading experts on the Mississippi River in our area joins us to talk about the past, present, and future of the Mississippi. He tells us stories of the Mississippi as people tried to navigate the gorge, how its unique geology created the Twin Cities, and why the Mississippi between the Twin Cities was changed into a series of lakes. He also discusses the potential future of the Mississippi River and how you can learn about it and join in the conversation about what the Mississippi should be.
January 7 · 29 min
Episode 266: Big Year of Rivers - A Three Hour Tour
In July, 2025 we had a special Wandering Naturalist rafting trip on the Mississippi River with Brandon. Several participants wore microphones and we recorded the whole experience. Raft with us as we talk to Paula Suchy from Mississippi Gateway Regional Park about how the rafting programs work and why they are so important to her as we listen to audio from our rafting trip.
January 7 · 35 min
Episode 265: Big Year of Rivers - Three Rivers
We start a new season with a new co-host, Ellen, and a new Big Year to celebrate- Big Year of Rivers! Ashley Levoir, joins us to discuss how a big anniversary for the Mississippi River inspired this year's Big Year, plays trivia with Brandon and Angela about the three rivers our park district are named after, and how you can protect our rivers even if you don't live near one.

The Wandering Naturalist

Episode 284: Rivers Inspiring Art - Art and AWE

Episode 283: Rivers Inspiring Art - Cultural Connections to Art

Episode 282: Rivers Inspiring Art - Poet Laureate and Waterways

Episode 281: Fishy Business - Let's Go Fishing

Episode 280: Fishy Business - Thousands of Jars

Episode 279: Fishy Business - Survey Says...

Episode 278: Floods and Floodplains - Helping Minnesota's Water

Episode 277: Floods and Floodplains - Why Should We Care?

Episode 276: Floods and Floodplains - Surviving the Flood

Episode 275: The Vernal Pool Parade - Who's With the Band?

Episode 274:The Vernal Pool Parade - A Deeper Dive

Episode 273: The Vernal Pool Parade - A Dip into the Pool

Episode 272: Women and Waterways - Journeys through Time

Episode 271: Women and Waterways - Kayaking the Mississippi

Episode 270: Say What? Plants and Fungi

Episode 269: Say What? Talking Plants

Episode 268: Say What? Animal Communication

Episode 267: Big Year of Rivers - The Once and Future Mississippi

Episode 266: Big Year of Rivers - A Three Hour Tour

Episode 265: Big Year of Rivers - Three Rivers