Minnesota Master Naturalist

Course Registration

PP - Prairies & Potholes – Como Park in St. Paul

Prairies & Potholes – Como Park in St. Paul website

1224 Lexington Pkwy N
St Paul, MN 55117

This Prairies & Potholes course is offered at the Historic Streetcar Station in St. Paul to take advantage of the Como Woodland Outdoor Classroom with its variety of habitats and Como Lake, both within walking distance. Class activities will include lectures, interactive class activities and outdoor field study at the woodlands and lake. The course is sponsored by the St. Paul Parks Conservancy.

The course will cover general ecology, natural selection, basic geology, prairie plant & animal identification and ecology, wetland ecology, wetland plant & animal identification and ecology, nature interpretation and human impact on prairies and wetlands.

The class will meet on ten Mondays from 8 Sep to 10 Nov from 6-8:30pm. Eating is allowed in the streetcar if you need sustenance. Two Saturday field trips from 9am-5pm will be held on 20 Sep to Grey Dunes and Lost Prairies SNA in Washington County and 4 Oct to Crow-Hassan Park Reserve in Hennepin County. Carpooling is encouraged. Attendance in all components of the course is required to earn certification as a Minnesota Master Naturalist.

A capstone service group project is required for the course with an expected 10 hours of volunteer time some of which may be accomplished during class time. Projects may be available in Como Woodland, but students may develop their own projects. Each student must participate in an oral presentation on their project on the last day of class.

The course cost is $295 and includes course manuals and supplies.

If the course cost is a hardship, please fill out the scholarship application. After the scholarship is fully processed, you will receive a code to be entered in the on-line registration process. Please wait until you receive that code to complete registration.

Course Dates:

Meeting from 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. on:

Instructor Information

Joan McKearnan

Retired biology instructor at a Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Masters from University of Minnesota- Duluth, PhD from University of Maryland in Wildlife Ecology

Britt Forsberg

Britt Forsberg (she/her/hers) is an Extension Educator with the Minnesota Master Naturalist Program. She holds a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College and an MEd in Family Education from the University of Minnesota. Within the Minnesota Master Naturalist program, Britt develops and leads advanced training opportunities that lead to volunteer service. When she's not working, you may find her hiking with her nose to the ground to look for bees and other pollinators or wrangling her rambunctious toddler, Wren.

Sponsor Information

Saint Paul Parks Conservancy

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