Extension and Outreach

Extension education comprises outreach in many formats. Faculty organize and teach at public and professional workshops and conferences, consult with resource agency personnel and county extension educators, conduct applied field research, and answer inquiries from the general public. The goal is to facilitate the flow of research based information from the University of Minnesota to the user public through non-classroom educational means.

Extension and Outreach Projects

  • Biological Control of Eurasian Watermilfoil

  • Canada geese in the Twin Cities

  • Insect Fair
    A science fair focused on field ecology, with insects as focus organisms. Courses have strong inquiry basis, and include several short field studies.

  • Minnesota Master Naturalist Program
    Minnesota Master Naturalist is a volunteer program that teaches adults about Minnesota's natural resources, empowers them to educate others, and provides opportunities to do conservation projects. 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.

  • Monarchs and More: Insect Ecology for Teachers
    These ten day summer courses for K-6 teachers are focused on field ecology, with insects as focus organisms. Courses have a strong inquiry basis, and include several short field studies.

  • Monarchs in the Classroom
    This nation-wide outreach program helps adults working with children to promote inquiry-, schoolyard ecology- and insect-based research. The program includes classroom visits, many instructional materials, and annual updates on monarch butterfuly biology and conservation.

  • Schoolyard Ecology Explorations
    Schoolyard Ecology Explorations is a professional development workshop for teachers. Its goal is to increase student and teacher expertise in ecological research, natural history and sustainability. Through summer workshops, teachers learn to utilize their schoolyards as sites for student investigations into the natural world. Schoolyard Garden Grants provide funds for teachers to plan new or expand schoolyard gardens.

  • The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project
    A nationwide, citizen science program in which volunteers collect data on the distribution and abundance of monarch eggs and larvae.

People to Contact for Information on FW Extension Topics

Animal Damage Control (vertebrates only)

  • Community/Residential Canada goose control
  • Commercial structural or field control involving unprotected species
    • Bell Museum: Wildlife Tips: 612-624-1374 or 612-624-3595
  • Residential structural and grounds control involving unprotected species
    • Bell Museum: Wildlife Tips: 612-624-1374 or 612-624-3595
    • InfoU: 612-624-2200
  • Commercial/Residential structural and ground control involving protected species

General Fisheries/Wildlife Management