Where do Minnesota’s birds go in the wintertime? Why does a firefly glow? What is the difference between a honeybee and a bumblebee? Listen to The Wandering Naturalist podcast to find out the answers to all of these questions and more. Presented by the Three Rivers Park District and hosted by wildlife biologist Angela Grill and interpretive naturalist Brandon Baker, the podcast tackles topics as diverse as the mysteries of Minnesota’s missing winter birds to the double lives of dragonflies.
Since its debut in 2019, this award-winning podcast has featured an impressive lineup of world-renowned experts joining in to share riveting stories and fascinating facts about the wondrous wilderness around us.
For Grill, sharing these real-life conversations makes all the difference in facilitating inquisitiveness, interest and environmental stewardship in a way that’s both accessible and exciting. “The biggest hope for me is that listeners spark that curiosity,” Grill says. “We are always asking questions as we go through life but really stopping to embrace and enjoy that curiosity is rare.”
Since the beginning, the podcast has explored the connections between nature and humans and how those connections have shaped the nature in and around the Twin Cities area today.
As for the future of The Wandering Naturalist, the sky is the limit. “The future has many possibilities, and we dream big,” Grill says. “We want to continue striving for sharing diverse perspectives and telling the stories that might get easily neglected or forgotten.”
To learn more and listen for free, visit Three Rivers Park District. —Emily Deutscher
