Gabby Arnold | Community Programs Educator
The Nature Place is beautifully nestled between bluffs, marshland, forests, and prairie. The biodiversity surrounding our center makes exploration a simple task, and our Explorer Backpacks provide tools that will amplify the outdoor experience. Each backpack serves a different purpose and provides a different experience. Try out our free opportunities to go birding, sweep netting, dip netting, and litter cleanup.
The water from the marsh does not simply appear, it pours in from the La Crosse River which is fed by the fantastic Mississippi River. Birds utilize the river as a migration route called the Mississippi Flyway. The La Crosse River Marsh is a natural reservoir that provides these migratory birds a resting and nesting site for their great journey across the country. The birding backpack has 3 pairs of binoculars that grant a chance to observe these countless bird species flying through our landscape. Each backpack is also equipped with a birding book to help identify these winged wonders.
The birds are not the only fascinating aspect of our marsh; the birds are drawn to the ample sustenance hiding beneath the surface of the water. Aside from fish like northern pike, walleye, and muskellunge, this can also include crawdads, shellfish, tadpoles, water striders, giant water bugs, dragonfly larvae, and so much more. The dip netting backpack can provide insight into this robust ecosystem with a provided dip net, water tray, and species guide. As you sweep across the water with a dip net, don’t forget to count the amount of turtles basking on logs.
Although the sweep net set may sound similar, it opens up a completely different world. Our meticulously maintained native gardens surrounding The Nature Place are home to endless species of butterflies, moths, bees, beetles, spiders, and other bugs. Borrow one of our sweep nets and step into our prairie. Repeatedly sweep back and forth at the top of the flowers – you are more likely to catch many bugs this way rather than specifically chasing one butterfly. Once you’ve swept a couple times, take a look inside the net and see what you’ve found. The sweep netting backpack also has small containers to store the fun bugs you found, but be careful not to harm these creatures, and make sure to release them when you’re done.
The final pack is my personal favorite: litter cleanup! All these marvelous lifeforms that we share our landscape with deserve a safe and clean habitat. Believe it or not, a part of the marsh used to be a dumping ground for the city of La Crosse. The area has been restored, but it takes a community’s effort to keep it as beautiful as it is now. Our cleanup set has trash grabbers, gloves, a first aid kit, and bags to help the process of reducing the pollution in our ecosystem. It is uplifting to lend a hand to wildlife, keep the wetland waste free, and simultaneously enjoy walking along the marsh or through the forest. In fact, sometimes you will find interesting treasures on hunts for trash.
As previously mentioned, these backpacks are free to use. To check one out, visit our front desk and request the specific backpack you would like. We just need to borrow something from you (such as a form of identification) to ensure our materials get returned in order for others to enjoy them as well. If no one is there, find our button to ring for assistance. So go outside and discover new plants, bugs, and birds. The great outdoors will always be there waiting to be explored.
