Education
Creating a healthy mind and spirit
At the Northland Arboretum, we are dedicated to educating the Brainerd Lakes area on the benefits of the great outdoors. We offer programs for all ages and have partnered with incredibly talented groups in the area. Scroll down to explore what we offer.
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We also offer school field trip opportunities. Call us to discuss the classes offered and how to schedule them.
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Can't find something that interests you? Give us a call - maybe you are just the person to educate us!
Nature Knapsacks
A Program for Children
This awesome new program is a perfect way to spend an afternoon on the trails. Families and children “rent” a backpack while they are on the premises of the Northland Arboretum. These backpacks include: binoculars, a journal, a bug catching net, a critter cage, compass, measuring tape, a crazy fun scavenger hunt card deck, a magnifying glass and more. The backpacks are filled with activities and items that get you closer to nature. Use the magnifying glass to see the spots on a lady bug. Measure the trunk of a tree with the measuring tape. Spot an eagle in the trees with the provided binoculars. Best of all, there is a new and exciting craft or activity each time you visit so the fun can continue time and time again. Members may “rent” a backpack for free while non-members pay a small $5.00 rental fee.
Kids Korner
The Northland Arboretum is dedicated to getting all ages involved in the outdoors – especially young and curious minds! The Kids Corner was launched in 2021 in an effort to provide a kid-friendly space for exploration. Included in our Kids Corner is a age-appropriate library filled with books about nature, a coloring station, and our new program Nature Knapsacks! Come rest your feet from your hike while your young explorers learn even more about the forest plants and animals they saw while walking the Arb.
Nature Network
The Nature Network is a coalition of nature-focused partners that encourage outdoor activities for the good of individuals, families, and the community.
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​The beautiful thing about outdoor activity is it can literally happen anywhere. Next time you’re on vacation, explore new trails, identify ways to be active outdoors, or just enjoy the sunshine and fresh air! Connecting with nature is a great way to feel in tune with your new surroundings.
Minnesota Master Naturalists
The mission of the Minnesota Master Naturalist Program is to promote awareness, understanding, and stewardship of Minnesota’s natural environment by developing a corps of well-informed citizens dedicated to conservation education and service within their communities.
Any adult who is curious and enjoys learning about the natural world, shares that knowledge with others, and supports conservation can be a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer. If you enjoy hiking, bird watching, following tracks, or identifying wildflowers, you'll love being a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer. Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteers are a motivated group of fun and interesting people: teachers, retired professionals, nature guides, hunters, eco-tour operators, farmers, and...YOU!
Crow Wing Master Gardeners
Master Gardener volunteers are University of Minnesota-trained volunteers whose job is to educate the public about a variety of horticulture subjects using readily-available, up-to-date research-based information. This educational effort is designed to enhance the public's quality of life and to promote good stewardship of the environment.
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Master Gardener volunteers complete many hours of volunteer work each year, providing a valuable in-kind contribution. These dollar figures quantify the enormous value that our volunteers provide to Minnesota.
Patio Garden Project
You may have noticed some activity in the fenced in "G101" garden lately.
Since we were not able to have the normal G101 gardening classes this year due to Covid restrictions, the Crow Wing County Master Gardeners, in conjunction with the Northland Arboretum, decided to do several things to get fresh vegetables out into the community. One of the projects out there is the Patio Garden Project.
First, several MN Master Gardeners started growing a variety of tomatoes and peppers in their homes back in March. They brought those plants to the Arb on June 1st, and the patio garden crew potted them up in 1.5 - 2.5 gallon pots, 1 plant in each.
In addition, some pots were previously planted with salad greens seeds. Each pot will be a Patio Garden, that someone can nurture and harvest throughout the summer.
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Other Master Gardener volunteers wrote educational sheets for each pot,
outlining how to care for the vegetables and ideas for their use. In all, 145 Patio
Gardens were planted. They are being distributed to various food shelves,
nursing homes, and to other people that don't have ready access to fresh
vegetables throughout Crow Wing County.
A heartfelt thank you to all of the MN Master Gardeners involved in this project.
A very satisfying project!
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