Minnesota Master Naturalist

Course Registration

ADV - Gathering Partners Conference

Gathering Partners Conference website

24270 Co Hwy 2
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

This year's conference features a collaboration with the Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds. We figured that two popular events for nature people at the same time in the same place ought to work together!

Jointly offered events include:
- Friday evening dinner and plenary speaker Al Batt
- Saturday evening dinner and keynote speaker, Donald Kroodsma
- Field trips

And we warmly invite Festival of Birds participants to join the Gathering Partners conference at any point, see special registration options on the Registration page.

For more information and to register, please visit the conference website, www.GatheringPartners.umn.edu

The course cost is $275 and includes course manuals and supplies.

Course Dates:

Meeting from 5:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. on:

Instructor Information

Amy Rager

Amy holds a BA in Elementary Education from the College of St. Scholastica and a MEd in Environmental Leadership and Learning from the University of MN. With over 30 years of experience in cooperative extension, Amy's career has been dedicated to intertwining her work with a passion for the environment. Since its inception in 2005, she has been an integral part of the Minnesota Master Naturalist program. Hailing from the Duluth area, Amy is a true native Minnesotan who has always cherished the outdoors, finding joy in sharing her love and knowledge with others.

Andrea Lorek Strauss

Andrea Lorek Strauss grew up playing outdoors at every opportunity. Today, she is an Extension Professor with the University of Minnesota Extension with a MSEd in Curriculum and Instruction/Outdoor Education. Her career focuses on environmental education, including past work for the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN, the Prairie Ecology Bus Center in southwest Minnesota, and various naturalist roles in the Boston area, northern Minnesota, and New York state.

John Loegering

John is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, Professor of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Minnesota Crookston, and an Extension Wildlife Specialist. He has worked with the University of Minnesota Extension Service on wildlife-related issues with the Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and Woodland Adviser programs since 2001. He regularly speaks to groups on human-wildlife interactions, wildlife damage management, and enhancing landscapes for wildlife. His collegiate teaching focuses on Wildlife Ecology, Ornithology, Mammalogy, Fisheries Management, and Environmental Statistics. His research focuses on habitat associations and reproductive performance of wild birds. John holds a BS in Biology and Zoology from North Dakota State University, a MS and PhD in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech and Oregon State University, respectively.

Megan Weber

Neil Carlson

Sponsor Information

Minnesota Master Naturalist


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