Each year, we typically observe Arbor Day by planting trees. Not this year! Here, in the end of April, much of Minnesota still drops below freezing temperatures at night. This makes for a very slow ice and snow melt!
My wife and I just traveled north to visit friends for a weekend on Long Lake. Although the Minneapolis area is snow free, Long Lake received 4 inches of snow the day we arrived and still has an estimated 16 inches of ice. Over dinner one night, we looked at the “ice out” dates for last 40 years and were amazed at the differences. The ice went out on March 26th in 2012, but the very next year, the lake didn’t clear until May 11th -- almost two months later. (That variability does add fun to the local “Pick the Ice-Out Date” raffles!)
The still-frozen ground postponed another one of our annual spring rites: setting up wood duck houses on the lakeshore. I’m hoping to accomplish that in two weeks. But the late spring didn’t delay our partner Flannel River, whose mission centers around accessibility to and stewardship of our great outdoors. Founder Matthew Chaplinski provided this update:
Hey Dan! I took some kids out to the Rush River to install a few barred owl nesting boxes as well as some wood duck nesting boxes with predator guards. We couldn’t wait for the river to flow so we [changed plans] and will be collecting data from the boxes for educational purposes. Kids will be involved in all aspects along with a middle school biology teacher.
What a great example of adapting your plans rather than cancelling them.
Whether you’re still awaiting the thaw or not, I hope you get out there and enjoy nature.
Daniel Nelson, founder and CEO, CLFP
