Northern Landscapes Festival

Spring is an explosion of life in the North! Discovering the birds, wildflowers, insects and more of this dynamic and rich northern landscape is the focus of this festival. Participation in the festival is open to anyone interested in hands-on learning and curious about the dynamics of the northern landscape. Field-focused courses form the backbone of the event, with evening presentations rounding out the full weekend schedule. This year, renowned ecologist Bernd Heinrich returns to campus as the Featured Guest to teach and speak. Bernd will offer a two day course exploring his book Bumblebee Economics.

Featured Presentations

FRIDAY, June 1, 7:00 p.m. FREE | in the Blue Building

Summer Sky Spectacular: Planets, Satellites and the Milky Way with Bob King

Pull up a patch of ground, lean back and be prepared to be mesmerized by starry summer nights. From campsites in the Boundary Waters to the vastness of Lake Superior’s shore, Cook County is blessed with very dark skies, very little light pollution and great locations for contemplating the heavens. Join Duluth-based astronomer Bob King for an introduction to our northern summer night sky: it’s going to be a great season for gazing this year. Bob will discuss the many features you can see with eyes and telescope this summer including the magnificent Milky Way, a bright asteroid and a plenitude of planets. If it’s clear, Bob will set up a telescope to observe Venus and Jupiter around 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, June 2, 7:00 p.m. Free for members of North House, $5 suggested donation for all others | Red Building on the North House campus

Bluejays, Crows and Ravens: Behavior and Ecology with Bernd Heinrich

Few people know more about the world of corvids than Bernd Heinrich, having spent a lifetime observing and studying the smartest birds on the planet. Discover the rare abilities of our commonly observed feathered friends, the bluejay, crow and raven as Bernd shares images and stories of these unique creatures.