Notes from Ney: The Ney Nature Center Blog

When young visitors explore our education building for the very first time, there is so much for them to look at. Their eyes wander across the various types of taxidermy displayed around the main room, they check in with each of our friendly ambassador animals, and oftentimes, they share surprised reactions to our landfill and recycling display. 

As young learners begin to explore topics related to the environment and climate change, many of them gain an understanding of how our consumption impacts the planet. For many, this board creates a tangible representation of consumption information. Kids easily recognize all of the items on display and are shocked by the number of years it takes each item to decompose. I always enjoy working through these numbers with the kids and coming to the realization of how many lifetimes something exists after we use it for only one moment. 

While the approximated 1,971,000 years in decomposition time for the plastic water bottle is clearly the biggest shock factor, kids understand the ease and benefit of carrying a reusable water bottle with them, especially during hot summer camp days. It tends to be a little bit trickier for them to work through ideas focused on plastic bag usage. Of course, they know the benefits of paper bags or, even better, reusable bags, but putting those options into practice might not be as easy as it seems. We might forget a reusable bag, or not have enough to hold our entire purchase. Or, when shopping online, we might not have the option of choosing sustainable shipping materials. Even with the best intentions, sometimes plastic consumption is unavoidable. 

With that in mind, and with the hope of continuing young learner’s passion to make impactful sustainable choices, we are now participating in a community recycling program through a company called NexTrex. This program encourages participants to collect one thousand pounds of household plastic materials. Once the community has collected and delivered plastic for recycling, NexTrex will turn plastic materials into a well-crafted bench for our park.

The materials that make up this thousand pounds come from plastic bags like the one kids see on our display board. Additionally, any similar stretchy plastic that typically isn’t accepted by curbside recycling companies is accepted in this recycling endeavor. 

Here is what you can do to help support an environmental issue that our young generation is passionate about: 

1. Identify recyclable plastics with your family. We can accept plastic shopping bags, plastic shipping materials like gray bags or bubble wrap, and tissue product wrap. If you would like to recycle food related stretchy plastics such as bread bags, produce bags, or food storage bags, please clean out all food material beforehand.
    
2. Collect these plastics. It is helpful to designate a spot in your house to store collected plastics. Having a spot makes it easier to know what to do with the plastics as we use them, instead of just tossing them in the trash.
    
3. Bring your collected bundle of plastics to Ney. During open weekday office hours, our staff will be happy to take the plastics you have gathered. Our recycling storage bin is located just under the landfill display board.
   
4. Celebrate our new bench when we reach our goal of 1,000 pounds of collected plastics!

With your help, we believe that we can reach our recycling goal. Thank you for supporting our young learners as they gain a better understanding of how they can participate in something they care about.  

The mission of Ney Nature Center is to inspire appreciation and respect for nature, and as we approach 2025 we want to recognize and acknowledge one of the biggest moments in the origin of the nature center, the discovery of the deformed frogs in Ney’s frog pond in 1995. In the 30th year since this discovery, we want to celebrate the origins of this mission and where we are headed in the next 30 years. Curious what we have planned? We will update you on social media and our website as we get closer so don’t forget to follow along! If you’re already excited, consider submitting for our art contest!

What is the story of the deformed frogs? The now-famous Frog Pond, widely recognized as the site of the discovery of deformed frogs in 1995, was originally “just a slough” when European settlers arrived in the mid-1800s. One can only imagine the plethera of wildlife that existed in and around the prairie pothole wetland when small scale farming began here. As agriculture expanded in the early 1900s, the pond was drained to make way for more cropland. Highly productive in drought years, less so in wet cycles, crop production at the site was inconsistent.

Ruby Ney’s vision of letting the land go back to nature was realized when Don Ney, her nephew, had the pond restored in 1989. On a field trip in 1995, Minnesota New Country School (MNCS) students found dozens of deformed leopard frogs that they began to document before sending that information to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Judy Helgen, the MPCA biologist who spearheaded the investigation of the phenomenon, described finding frogs with missing or extra legs in numbers she had never seen before. In her role with the MPCA, Helgen studied wetland health and helped create benchmarks that assess the health of wetlands.

Their documentation of this phenomenon caused the agency to launch a scientific investigation that would continue for several years. In total, over 13,000 frogs were collected across Minnesota as a part of this study. Learn more about Judy Helgen and her work with the frogs and the MPCA here. Although research on the cause ended in 2002 without definitive answers, the discovery raised global awareness about the environmental consequences of human activity on wetlands and other fragile ecosystems. As the news spread of the original discovery, people from all over the country began reporting & documenting their own findings of deformed frogs.

MNCS students were at the heart of this investigation and advocacy surrounding the protection of these wetlands; they are part of the reason that today we still have a strong community base supporting the preservation of Ney’s 446 acres. Becky Pollack, now the Executive Director of Ney Nature Center, was a student at MNCS in 1996 when the frogs were found, and her experience watching the investigation unfold and participating in it is part of the reason why she found herself working in environmental education and eventually at Ney so many years later.

Since then, we are happy to report that no deformities have been found in the years since the large populations of affected frogs in 1995 and 1996. The pond hosts a variety of waterfowl and attracts mammals such as coyotes, deer, raccoons, and foxes, in addition to many species of frogs. Ruby would likely be pleased to see her vision become reality at the Ney Pond!

One of the many ways we plan to mark this anniversary is by holding an art contest to involve the community. We are looking for artists to create a design to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the discovery of the deformed frogs at Ney’s pond! We will have two contest winners, one adult and one youth. Our goal with this contest and the year of special events will be to center the community in the narrative history of the land & water. Oh, and of course, we will give our winners a Ney camp mug and some 2025 maple syrup! If you’re interested, visit our contest submission link to learn more.
Keep an eye out for upcoming information on our anniversary plans in 2025, and please tell your friends and family to consider submitting art for the contest! We have forms available at the nature center, but you can download and submit the forms online as well!

Greetings from Ney Nature Center! We are preparing for our 16th annual Fall Fling Fundraiser.   As I reflect back to the first ever Fling fundraiser, I am overwhelmed by how far this amazing event has come.  The board, with me newly hired into my position as a part time director, was ready to begin planning the first fundraiser dinner, held in the Nature Center’s education building with Art & Barb Straub as our featured speakers; they will forever be my favorite speakers. The Fling was originally held in the Spring, the first one being April of 2008.  With approximately 60 guests we quickly realized our event was a success, we couldn’t fit anymore people into the education building!  The next year we moved the Fling off site and it has traveled around to other local venues, using various caterers, and included many engaging speakers ever since.  Our largest attended Fling has 165 guests, that was 2012 with Don Shelby as our speaker.  

Eventually the Fling was moved to fall as spring weather was sometimes an issue, especially in 2018 when a blizzard shut the whole thing down.  That year we were hosting the Fling in Arlington.  I can’t express my relief that I was able to reschedule the venue, caterer, and speaker all on another date, that was the saving grace!  Some tickets were refunded as guests had a schedule conflict with the new date, some guests could attend the new date, and guests unable to attend the original date due to schedule conflicts were pleased to be able to attend the rescheduled date.  After all the stress of rescheduling, the Ney Board began the process of moving the event to Fall.  

I enjoy the time spent with donors who love Ney and our Mission, I am so grateful for the generosity of our community, and I am so proud of my staff who work through all the details to make this event a success.  As always from the very first year to this year, every donation we receive through this fundraiser helps us maintain our efforts to inspire appreciation and respect for nature.  We have multiple ways to support our fundraiser:

Sponsor the Fling:  We are asking for your support during this fundraising event with a tax-deductible sponsorship. There are several sponsorship levels, now titled with unique autumn themed names, available to accommodate varying giving capacities. All sponsors will receive the benefit of name recognition at our event, on our website, and in our annual report. Additionally, Bronze Leaf Contributors and Silver Maple Patrons will receive two complimentary tickets to the Fall Fling. Lastly, Golden Sunrise Sponsors will receive a complementary eight guest VIP table and, new this year, logo recognition on previously listed locations.  Please note that we are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, so your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. You can make a sponsorship donation online by clicking here.

Your sponsorship helps us continue to further our mission; this includes expanding educational programs for all ages, protecting the Ney Wildlife Preserve, and inspiring generations to positively experience nature. 

Donate to the Auction:  We are asking for your support through a tax-deductible donation of an item(s) to feature in our online silent auction. For the first time in program history, we have decided to host the silent auction online with the hope of expanding access to the excellent donation items we receive. While we greatly appreciate a wide variety of donations to include, themed baskets, handmade items, sports paraphernalia, and gift certificates tend to be popular auction items each year.  

All donors will receive the benefit of name recognition at our event, on our website, and in our annual report. We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, so your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. A form to go with the donations can be found on our website if you scroll to the bottom! Please bring both the form and the item(s) to Ney Nature Center before October 25th or give us a call and we are happy to pick up your donation and form.  

Attend the Fling: This year’s benefit dinner will be held on Saturday, November 9th at Caribou Gun Club’s Banquet Hall in Le Sueur, MN. The highly anticipated Al Batt, a storytelling humorist from Hartland, MN, is this year’s featured speaker. Event attendees can also look forward to the cocktail hour, a silent auction, and door and raffle prizes.  Tickets can be purchased online at https://ney-nature-center-3.square.site/. Member tickets cost $55.00 each, non-members $75.00. VIP Tables for 8 people are $800.00, which includes reserved seating for 8, individual memberships for all guests, a drink ticket, and a Ney branded token of appreciation. Dinner Menu: Parmesan Crusted Chicken topped w/a sage cream sauce and served with Wild Rice, Garlic & Chive Baby Reds, Green Beans.  Our vegetarian/Gluten Free menu options are in the works.  

Buy a Raffle Ticket: Raffle Tickets are for sale!  There are only 300 available, the top prize is $1,000.00 with second and third prizes being $250.00 each.  Tickets will be on sale from now until they run out and can be purchased in the Ney office or from a Ney Board Member.  Tickets cost $20.00 each.  Must be 18 and older to win and need not be present at the time of the drawing.  Winners will be drawn at the Fling Dinner on Nov. 9^th at the Caribou Gun Club Banquet Hall.

Bid on Auction Items: For the first time in program history, we have decided to host the silent auction online with the hope of expanding access to the excellent donation items we receive.  Auction items are viewable as they come in on our GiveButter Fundraising auction platform, bidding begins on Friday Nov. 1^st and will end the evening of our in-person event, Nov. 9^th.   Register early and watch as new items are added.   Our online auction provides:

• Convenience: Donors can participate from anywhere, at any time, without needing to attend the in-person event.
• Flexibility: Allows donors to bid at their own pace over several days, providing more opportunity to engage.
• Easy Payment Options: Secure online payment platforms streamline the process, making it easier and quicker for donors to contribute.
• Real-time Updates: Donors receive instant notifications about their bids, making the experience more engaging and interactive.  Online auctions can create a fun, competitive environment, encouraging donors to participate more actively.
• Privacy: Donors can bid anonymously, making it comfortable for those who prefer privacy over public recognition.

Thank you so much for helping build the Ney Nature Center into a strong nonprofit organization that manages and protects the Ney Wildlife Preserve through education and interaction with the natural world.  With your support, we look forward to another successful Fall Fling Fundraiser. 

The Ney Nature Center is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable nonprofit organization.  EIN: 41-1842392  Donations to Ney Environmental Education Foundation (dba: Ney Nature Center) are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Mailing Address: PO Box 93, Henderson MN 56044; Phone: 507-357-8580

This month at our Lifelong Learner Lunch we talked about volcanoes.  We covered how they formed, the differences between various kinds of volcanoes,  some famous eruptions, and how scientists predict eruption.  This is a fun topic, as it helps us to understand more of the processes of plate tectonics as well as the landscapes we live in.  Without volcanoes, we wouldn’t have beautiful things like gemstones or the fascinating block formations of the rocks at Gooseberry Falls.

Volcanoes are places around the world where hot, molten rock spills out of fissures in the Earth’s crust.  The molten rock then cools upon contact with the (relatively) cold air or water and forms new land.  When molten rock is inside the world’s crust, we call it magma.  We call it lava once it has erupted.  While volcanoes are creating new land, other geologic features are melting and recycling other, older stretches of land. You can find a wonderful diagram here from Britannica that visualizes the process very nicely.

Some kinds of volcanoes, like Mt. St. Helens, are known for their loud, explosive, and destructive eruptions.  These volcanoes are called Stratovolcanoes and tend to occur along the edges of plate boundaries close to the ocean.  Stratovolcanoes are tall and tend to be found along the edges of continents.  Other volcanoes, like Mt. Kilauea, are known for their flowing lava rivers and fountains, fascinating lava lakes, and nonexplosive eruptions.  These tend to be Shield Volcanoes, which are known for having low-viscosity lava.  Shield volcanoes are long and low volcanoes that form from repeated deposition of low-viscosity lava.  The higher the silica content that magma has, the more explosive the eruptions tend to be.  Stratovolcanoes have high silica content due to the melted continental crust that feeds their magma chambers.

Most of the eruptions that happen on Earth actually happen underwater, along the mid-ocean ridges.  These volcanic mountain ranges consist of divergent plate boundaries where the tectonic plates are literally pulling apart from each other.  As this happens, lava surges up into the opening, where it comes into contact with ocean water and cools dramatically.  The black smokers (hydrothermal vents, pictured on right below) associated with these volcanoes are places where volcanic gasses are released.  The gasses precipitate quickly upon contact with cool water, which is why it looks black.  These gas plumes also release heat into the surrounding waters, creating fascinating ecosystems not found anywhere else in the world.

If you are interested in lunch and a 90-minute program on various topics, I encourage you to sign up for our Lifelong Learner Lunches!  Our upcoming programs are as follows:

Sat. Oct. 12 – Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd with Minneopa State Park Speaker
Thurs. Nov. 21 – Intro to Backyard Birding
Sat. Dec. 14 – Christmas Bird Count

The Bison program will be presented by a guest speaker from Minneopa State Park.  Ney staff will be presenting both the Intro to Backyard Bird Watching and the Christmas Bird Count programs.  As always, please register ahead of time for these programs so that we can make sure that we have enough food and beverages for everyone.  You can register online or call the office to sign up.

I hope that you have a great day!
-Liz Sheppard
Ney Nature Center Naturalist

With summer coming to an end and spiders looking for safe places to spend the winter, I wanted to take some time and try to break some common stereotypes about these incredible creatures. While many people may be uncomfortable around spiders, most spiders are harmless and beneficial in many ways. 

With over 500 species of spiders in Minnesota, they can be found almost anywhere. While spiders can easily be moved outside of their preferred habitat by a wide variety of factors, each species has a hunting method that limits where they are commonly found. Some species, for example, the Yellow Garden Spider, prefer tall grass to place their web and can commonly be found in prairies. Some, such as fishing spiders, need bodies of water in order to obtain food and can even be seen floating on water or diving to hunt for food. Others, like wolf spiders, chase their prey without using webs. Spiders all over the world have adapted unique ways of hunting specifically in their habitat.

Banded Garden Spider in the Northern Prairie at Ney. Photo by Sam Retz.

Having different methods of hunting allows spiders to catch a wider variety of prey and helps prevent pest species from overpopulating. For example, the fishing spiders mentioned earlier will often feed on mosquito larvae, while other spiders may feed on adult mosquitoes. Spiders can also catch wasps, flies, and other insects that can cause harm to us. Within our homes, they continue to control insect populations, helping our homes to stay cleaner and us to stay healthier.

Many prey insects of spiders can be found concentrated around plants and flowers where spiders continue to play a crucial role in the environment. Aside from eating many insects such as aphids that can damage plants, spiders spread pollen to flowers as they hunt. While they are not attracted by flowers, they can be attracted by insects visiting specific flowers allowing pollination to occur. 

Jumping Spider at Ney. Photo by Sam Retz.

Jumping spiders such as the one pictured above sit within flowers and wait to ambush their prey. Their small size allows them to crawl deeper into flowers and reach the pollen bearing anthers. 

Finally, spiders also play a role as prey to larger animals such as many birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. As discussed earlier, spiders can be found almost everywhere. This, along with the larger size of some spiders, makes them an excellent option for animals. 

Aside from wild animals, spiders have one more predator to look out for: us! Spiders make many people uncomfortable or nervous and are often killed or removed without a second thought. While it’s okay not to be comfortable with them, it is important to know the importance they play in the environment and in our lives. 

Dew-covered spider web. Photo by Sam Retz.