The Wandering Naturalist

Nature #136

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

Episode 245: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Scoop a Poop and More
Jun 4, 2025 – 30:39
Episode 244: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Fish Diseases
Jun 4, 2025 – 32:05
Episode 243: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Minnesota Diseases
Jun 4, 2025 – 35:01
Episode 242: Turtle Treks - Adapting to a Changing World
May 7, 2025 – 28:37
Episode 241: Turtle Treks - Nesting Insight
May 7, 2025 – 30:30
Episode 240: Turtle Treks - Shells of the North
May 7, 2025 – 36:45
Episode 239: Toxic Trails of Neonicotinoids - Neonics in the Water
Apr 2, 2025 – 20:45
Episode 238: Toxic Trails of Neonicotinoids - Backyard Birds
Apr 2, 2025 – 30:51
Episode 237: Toxic Trails of Neonicotinoids - Minnesota's Birds and Mammals
Apr 2, 2025 – 31:30
Episode 236: Women and Wilderness – What Was Lost
Mar 5, 2025 – 26:21
Episode 235: Women and Wilderness – Authentic Representation
Mar 5, 2025 – 22:52
Episode 234: Women and Wilderness – Forestry Learning
Mar 5, 2025 – 30:23
Episode 233: Ripples in the Wetlands - Muskrats Management
Feb 5, 2025 – 34:56
Episode 232: Ripples in the Wetlands - Muskrats and Cattails
Feb 5, 2025 – 20:48
Episode 231: Ripples in the Wetlands - Muskrats 101
Feb 5, 2025 – 30:04
Episode 230: Echoes of the Woodpeckers - Red-headed Woodpeckers
Jan 1, 2025 – 28:21
Episode 229: Echoes of the Woodpeckers - Thriving in the Suburbs
Jan 1, 2025 – 26:00
Episode 228: Echoes of the Woodpeckers - From Beak to Toes
Jan 1, 2025 – 27:03
Episode 227: Dragonfly Festival Live - Audience Questions
Dec 18, 2024 – 24:37
Episode 226: Dragonfly Festival Live!
Dec 18, 2024 – 29:04
Episode 225: Getting Squirrely - A Hmong Perspective
Dec 4, 2024 – 38:22
Episode 224: Getting Squirrely - City Squirrels
Dec 4, 2024 – 27:27
Episode 223: Getting Squirrely - What is a Squirrel?
Dec 4, 2024 – 31:33
Episode 222: Veterans in Nature - A Personal Story
Nov 6, 2024 – 23:02
Episode 221: Veterans in Nature - 23rd Veteran
Nov 6, 2024 – 38:03
Episode 220: Veterans in Nature - Why Nature Helps Continued
Nov 6, 2024 – 23:41
Episode 219: Veterans in Nature - Why Nature Helps
Nov 6, 2024 – 23:28
Episode 218: Intriguing Bats of Minnesota - Endangered Species
Oct 2, 2024 – 27:05
Episode 217: Intriguing Bats of Minnesota - White-nose Syndrome
Oct 2, 2024 – 21:21
Episode 216: Intriguing Bats of Minnesota - Not so scary
Oct 2, 2024 – 30:09
Episode 215: Sustaining Oaks - From Acorn to Oak
Sep 4, 2024 – 32:12
Episode 214: Sustaining Oaks - Oaks in our Parks
Sep 4, 2024 – 29:12
Episode 213: Sustaining Oaks - The Most Powerful Plant
Sep 4, 2024 – 35:27
Episode 212: The Hopping Orchestra - Minnesota Locust Plagues
Aug 7, 2024 – 31:34
Episode 211: The Hopping Orchestra - Grasshopper Songs
Aug 7, 2024 – 31:35
Episode 210: The Hopping Orchestra - Backyard Grasshoppers
Aug 7, 2024 – 33:55
Episode 209: Return of Fading Butterflies - Preparing for Butterflies
Jul 3, 2024 – 29:45
Episode 208: Return of Fading Butterflies - Sanctuary in Army Bases
Jul 3, 2024 – 25:13
Episode 207: Return of Fading Butterflies - Minnesota Pollinators
Jul 3, 2024 – 30:26
Episode 206: Hidden Depth - Invasive Species
Jun 5, 2024 – 30:31
Episode 205: Hidden Depth - Three Rivers Plants
Jun 5, 2024 – 23:51
Episode 204: Hidden Depth - Water Plants
Jun 5, 2024 – 32:19
Episode 203: Secrets of the Soil - Bugs in the Soil
May 1, 2024 – 31:16
Episode 202: Secrets of the Soil - Keepers of the Soil
May 1, 2024 – 20:40
Episode 201: Secrets of the Soil - Jumping Worms
May 1, 2024 – 31:03
Episode 200: Talking Turkey - Hunting Wild Turkey
Apr 3, 2024 – 29:50
Episode 199: Talking Turkey - Managing Game Birds
Apr 3, 2024 – 23:43
Episode 198: Talking Turkey - Dispelling Myths
Apr 3, 2024 – 27:39
Episode 197: Women and Wilderness – Land for Healing
Mar 6, 2024 – 29:23
Episode 196: Women and Wilderness – Sparks of Hope
Mar 6, 2024 – 23:54

Recent Reviews

Green Janine

Fascinating and fun

Intelligent and accessible stories from our environment that help us appreciate nature even more. Level of conversation is perfect for intelligent adults and mature children alike. Cultivate your sense of wonder learning fascinating details about our natural world.
Beet,farm,shruchte

Must listen.

This podcast covers all aspects of nature. It also helps you want to know more about nature and helps you get outside and learn some more about nature.
jess4984

Love!

Fantastic podcast with so many interesting topics- just the right length!
paint_me_your_song

Love!!!!

I have been bingeing this podcast while taking my Minnesota Master Naturalist classes, and I love how relevant every topic has been, and I’m learning so much more! I think I’m on the second to last episode available at this time, and I’m so sad it’s almost over.
MinnTEXAS

The Perfect Company for your Wanderings

This podcast offers so much insight for all those in the Minnesota area. Not only does it provide the curious naturalist with new information to fuel their wonderings, but it also spikes the interest for history buffs, Minnesotants, and your natural inquisitor. Covering topics from the environment to human development, history, current projects, and more... there is nothing like the Wandering Naturalist to remind us just how connected this whole world is.
FluffyLagniappe

Highly recommend for all in Minnesota

Fun podcast to listen to! I love that they interview several different people to get a lot of perspective on a topic and that they try to make it very relevant for people in MN. I like how they bring up citizen science ideas that people can participate in.
michk.davis

Love this podcast!

I truly enjoy this podcast- informative and entertaining. I like learning more about the local parks and the twin cities’ ecology, natural environment, and wildlife.
Dahlberg612

Amazing podcast.

This is a highly informative podcast and so much fun. We love hearing the nature word in every podcast. Well done and I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes and how it grows.
MattinAmerica

Expanding the Experience

Thank you for bringing such insightful knowledge. My family will be thinking of this much more during our parks experiences.
patriciakay

Wandering Naturalist

What an exciting new Podcast! Interesting and educational. Looking forward to many more episodes.
Northstarhiker

So many perspectives.

This podcast is great! It covers so any aspects of snow. I never realized what an impact a lack of snow had on plants and animals. How people dealt with snow in the 1800s was fascinating. I would not like to live in a house where my ink froze. Can’t wait for future episode. Highly recommend!