This article was written by Cedar Jones, Kroening Nature Center Naturalist
With summer in full swing there is plenty to discover at North Mississippi Regional Park! Have you met all the animals that live at Kroening Nature Center? We recently moved our aquatic friends, Webber and Camden, back up to the front desk! They temporarily moved to one of our classrooms while part of the building was under construction.
Webber the False Map Turtle loves to explore new things and climb tall heights. You can often find him climbing his rocky hill to sunbathe his shell. Turtles are cold-blooded and need external heat to stay warm. You will often find turtles sunbathing on logs in the park.
Camden the Channel Catfish is shy but enjoys meeting new people. Catfish have long whiskers on the sides of their mouth called barbels that help them find their food. Both Webber and Camden are types of animals that live in the Mississippi River ecosystem.
Stop by the nature center this summer to meet other animals that live around the Mississippi River! For more info on program registration, call the front desk at 612-370-4844 or send us an email to NorthMississippi@MinneapolisParks.org.
June programs at Kroening Nature Center
Bird Watching: Feathered Fridays · Friday, June 2, 9-10:30 a.m. $2/person. Ages 18+ (activity # 140529). Learn the basics of birding through the park with a naturalist. No prior birding experience necessary. Binoculars provided.
Trail Treasures · Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m. – noon. Free. All Ages (activity # 136310). Explore park paths in search of nature’s treasures! Use binoculars and magnifying glasses to get a closer look at what’s hidden outside. All experience levels welcome to enjoy the outdoors while activating bodies and minds in discovery.
Nature Nuts: Storybook Stroll · Wednesday, June 7, 9:30 -10:30 am. $2/child. Ages 2-5 with an adult (activity # 141176). Get those inquisitive minds and bodies exploring nature through storybooks! Bring your little one outside for a literary adventure while discovering nature themes during imaginative play. This is a child/adult interactive experience.
Campfire Game Night · Thursday, June 8, 5-7:30 p.m. $2/person. Ages 6-17 (activity # 136218). Get outside for a night of fun and games in the park! Explore a nature topic, play games in the woods and hang out around the campfire.
Get Outdoors Day · Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. All Ages (activity # 139265). Discover new ways to enjoy the outdoors! Try orienteering, bird watching or fort building. Engineer a mini stream system to explore how water flows. Hike in search of animal tracks and signs to decipher the story they tell.
Hike: Pollinators in the Prairie · Saturday, June 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. All Ages (activity #139266). Join a naturalist on a hike through the prairie to look for pollinators and get ready for national pollinators week! Learn about pollination, observe and catch insect pollinators in action, and find out ways to support pollinators in backyards and boulevards.