As the COVID-19 pandemic drove people out of public spaces and into their homes last year, many found an escape in the great outdoors.Â
While the pandemic caused near-universal economic strife as businesses did their best to survive, North Iowaâs outdoor institutions have thrived.Â
In Winnebago County, the numbers were dramatic. Camping, hunting, fishing, etc. Whatever activity people could do in the outdoors, they did a lot more of it in 2020 than any year in recent memory.Â
Eagle Lake State Park in rural Hancock County. LISA GROUETTE - Globe Gazette
According to Winnebago County naturalist Lisa Ralls in her December 2020 column âWelcome to your Outdoors,â Thorpe Park saw campers spend 355 nights in 2020, compared to 195 nights in 2019, an 82 percent bump. At Dahle Park, it was even more dramatic, as total camping nights went from 77 to 279, an increase of 262 percent.Â
th, from 10:00-11:00 AM.
The book that the club will be reading this winter is Aldo Leopold’s
A Sand County Almanac, first published in 1949. Aldo Leopold was born in Iowa in 1887 and was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast. Leopold became known as the Father of Wildlife Ecology.
The book has introduced countless readers to the outdoors and the harmonies of a well managed ecosystem. The book can found online or at the Conservation Office.
The website is
birdcount.org/participate. You don’t have to be an expert birder; if you are unsure of a particular bird’s identification, you don’t have to include it in the count. However there is an app called Merlin Bird ID app that you can use to help you identify what’s in the backyard or in front of you as you count.
You can make as many observations as you’d like over the 4-day period, and in as many different locations as you’d like. If you’re concerned about double counting, Ralls stated that all you need to do is wait till you have the most of a certain species of bird.
AJ TaylorFebruary 1, 2021Last Updated: February 1, 2021
Wolves are fascinating, often misunderstood, animals and one of the best places to learn about them isn’t actually too far away, at the International Wolf Center in Ely, MN. Unfortunately, though, during times of COVID, it can be difficult to travel or visit attractions such as the Wolf Center. But, now you can learn about wolves virtually, through a unique partnership between the International Wolf Center and the Winnebago County Conservation Board.
Winnebago County Naturalist Lisa Ralls talked about the February 13th program entitled Wolf 101.
The International Wolf Center was first conceived after a 1985 wolf exhibit at the Minnesota Science Museum became popular. By 1989, a temporary facility was developed in Ely, MN, to house the exhibit and, in 1993, the current International Wolf Center opened its doors. The Center now has an amazing array of interpretive displays and offers many on-site programs.
With the cold and COVID-19 pandemic continuing in the area, the Winnebago County Conservation Board is now offering an online book club to join. Winnebago County Naturalist Lisa Ralls described the inspiration behind the creation of the book club.
The first meeting will be over Zoom on Saturd