This article was written by Mikayla Deiter
The Northside Community has many beautiful green spaces like Creek View Park, Webber Park, Shingle Creek, and our home, North Mississippi Regional Park. We are grateful that we can annually witness changes to the native flora and fauna of the upper Midwest, but there is an invader that is moving into Twin Cities. Amynthas agrestis, commonly known as the Asian Jumping Worm, looks harmless, but if left unaddressed could change our landscape forever.
It’s easy to forget that worms shape our scenery. In the past, we might have been excited to find a worm in our garden or wriggling under a rock, but while worms might be great for compositing, they can take the essential nutrients away from established plants. According to the DNR, Jumping Worms are highly destructive to soils and woody plants. You can distinguish Jumping Worms from other species by these two main characteristics: no pigmentation, and when disturbed they react in a rapid and excited movement. In order to find the impact of Jumping Worms, researchers and conservation organizations are urging the public to engage in citizen science.
At Carl W. Kroening Nature Center, we understand that we have a responsibility to preserve natural lands that we are entrusted with. In an effort to help identify Jumping Worm presence in the Twin Cities, Kroening Nature Center has partnered with University of Minnesota professor and Director of the Center for Forest Ecology, Lee Frelich, Ph.D. to host a number of BioBlitz events during September running through the middle of October. We encourage neighbors to help identify Jumping Worms in our community either at our park or on their own. All you will need is a garden trowel and a camera. If you believe you have found a Jumping worm, please submit data to https://tinyurl.com/27yf87u9. Kroening Nature Center is creating a Jumping Worm investigation kit for patrons to rent at our Adventure Hub free of charge. Just stop by the front desk.
Kroening Nature Center is located at North Mississippi Regional Park off of I94 W. A part of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, we operate year-round and continually offer programming to all ages, groups and abilities. Because MPRB believes we can learn and live in nature with everyone, we acknowledge the Dakota and Ojibwa tribes’ land on which we reside.
Spotlight Events
Trail Treasures, activity #129512: Sept. 3, 10-11 a.m. Explore park paths with a naturalist guide in search of nature’s treasures! Use different tools like binoculars and magnifying glasses to get a closer look at what’s hidden outside. Come enjoy the exploration – who know what we may find! All experience levels welcome to enjoy the outdoors while activating bodies and minds in discovery. This is a therapeutic recreation designed program. Free, for ages 18+.
Nature Art: Seed Mosaics, activity #129459: Sept. 17, 11a.m.-noon. It’s the season for seeds. Plants produce seeds in all sorts of colors, shapes and textures. Come use your creativity to see what kind of unique mosaic picture you can craft with seeds. Free, for all ages.
Fishing in the Neighborhood (Fin), activity # varies: Sept. 10 and 29, 1:30-3:30 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. Urban fishing program Fin will provide a DNR fishing guide, fully rigged fishing poles, tackle and bait so participants can experience great shoreline fishing. Free, for all ages.
Bird Watching: Autumn Birding, activity #129396: Sept. 23, 9-10:30 a.m. Get up with the morning birds to discover what to look for when identifying birds in the field. Learn about bird diets, calls, and other behaviors as well as distinguishing characteristics of bird types while strolling through the prairie, woodland, and along the river. Free, for ages 18+.
Insects Above & Below, activity #129504: Sept. 24, 1-2:30 p.m. Crawl into the world of our six-legged friends. Find out what types of insects live in different habitats and the adaptations they have for living here. Discover how to categorize one of the most numerous creature groups on Earth during an insect-catching hike in the park with a naturalist. Free, for ages 3+.