Minnesota biologists share expertise through Pheasants Forever Train the Trainer Program
August 17, 2023 by Dave Schwarz
WILLMAR — It’s one thing to plan a conservation practice, it’s quite another to see that practice come to life on the landscape.
On a warm mid-summer morning in Kandiyohi county, a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plot is teeming with vibrant prairie species.
Tall grasses grow in clumps. A small wetland is nestled in a swale near the adjoining property’s treeline. The bright blooms of narrow-leaved coneflower, gray-headed coneflower, black-eyed Susan and dozens of other prairie flowers dot the landscape.
A group of biologists and conservation specialists walks slowly through the area, noting the real-life results of those technical CRP practices and plantings. This morning’s field day is just one example of a Train the Trainer event organized by Minnesota Pheasants Forever staff members and partner agencies.
Each year, staff members organize four to six training sessions and field days for other conservation specialists in various locations throughout the state.
The concept is simple. “We’ve traditionally done presentations with small groups of landowners or others who are interested in a particular program. This is a new way to share knowledge and insight with other conservation professionals which then can have a much bigger impact,” Pheasants Forever Minnesota Coordinator Tanner Bruse said.
Training sessions are offered to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), Farm Service Agency (FSA), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and other agency staff within Minnesota.
This year’s offerings included two sessions on prescribed fire, a field day highlighting the characteristics of prairies during the first three years, The Kandiyohi County event highlighting CRP practices in the field, a native plant identification session and a field day focusing on grazing practices designed to benefit pollinators, nesting cover, waterfowl and other wildlife.
The Train the Trainer series was first held by Pheasants Forever in Minnesota in 2021.
“It’s designed to get people out of the office and into the field. Everyone has a niche that they are a little more knowledgeable on that other people find interesting that they can share and talk about,” Minnesota Pheasants Forever Private Lands manager Josh Pommier said.
“There’s a lot of good discussion that happens during these events. People that show up also share their insight and there’s a valuable back-and-forth that goes on. It helps build staff confidence and forces people to get out of their comfort zone. It’s good for them and also good for us,” Pommier added.
By Dave Schwarz, Minnesota Outreach coordinator, dschwarz@pheasantsforever.org.
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