Olmsted County Parks and Trails Newsletter - Fall 2025

by: Hope Chappuis

About 350 million years ago in the Carboniferous Period, Megaflora covered the earth. Extensive amounts of swamp and carbon sequestering plants oxygenated the atmosphere to a whopping 35%. With a unique series of holes and tubes making up their respiratory systems, insects likely had to adapt in order to maintain healthy oxygen levels.

Meganera, an ancient ancestor of dragonflies, would have been one of the main species affected by this abundance of oxygen. These insects had aquatic larvae that used oxygen dissolved in the water for respiration. With such high atmospheric oxygen levels came highly oxygenated water, so in order to avoid oxygen toxicity the larvae grew larger. With these larger larvae came larger adults. Some Meganeurans even grew to be the size of modern day seagulls. These larger bodies allowed the insects to absorb lower percentages of oxygen in ratio to their size.

The current atmospheric oxygen level is only around 21% which is well exhibited by the size of modern-day insects. It is likely that as oxygen levels started to decrease following the Carboniferous Period, larger bodied insects became less efficient and could once again evolve to manage lower atmospheric oxygen. Although no gull-sized dragonflies roam the earth now, dragonflies can still be used to determine oxygen content. Certain species of dragonflies are pollution intolerant. This means that if a body of water is lacking oxygen due to outside pollutants or even nutrient pollution from fish or other animals, dragonflies may be few and far between.

Reference: Why Giant Bugs Once Roamed the Earth | National Geographic

by: Friends of Oxbow

Exciting news from Friends of Oxbow! We’ve ordered brand-new merchandise! Follow us on Facebook to find out when it will be available for purchase this fall.

Save the dates!
We have a full calendar of events for the rest of 2025:

• Treasure Trek – Saturday, September 27: Choose between a 1- or 2-mile family-friendly trek! The first 200 hikers will receive a collectible treasure. This event is free, with a suggested
• donation of $5.
• ZooDazzle – Friday, December 5 & Saturday, December 6: Enjoy dazzling lights and festive cheer!
• Lights-Only event – Friday, December 12 & Saturday, December 13. 

Thank you for continuing to support Friends of Oxbow and our mission to support Oxbow Park. Become a member today for just $25 on our donation page!

by: Patty Trnka

Chester Woods Park has a unique feature that doesn’t exist in the other Olmsted County Parks. In the field near the developed area (with seven picnic shelters), a prairie maze has been created by mowing paths through native prairie grasses and planting wildflowers. This maze offers visitors a chance to closely observe the prairie, while providing children with a fun way to explore and find their way through various paths. The grass can grow to be five feet tall or more!

On Saturday, October 25, from 2–4 p.m., the public is invited to a Halloween-themed event in the maze. Participants can wander between stations featuring prairie-themed displays:

• A bluebird house with a nest and eggs
• A collection of seeds showcasing prairie plant life
• An exhibit on animals that call the prairie home

Each station will offer a snack or treat to children who stop by.
Costumes are optional, but they’ll help add to the festive atmosphere. For safety reasons, please do not bring dogs into the maze during the event, as they may become startled by costumed children.

Please note: In case of rain on Saturday, the event will be held the next day on Sunday, October 26, from 2–4 p.m. Come join us for our first Halloween Craze! No registration required, just show up and enjoy!

by: Lonnie Hebl

Support from the Kluck family makes the Oxbow Bear feel right at home

After zoo staff said goodbye to Zollman Zoo’s 22-year-old black bear in November of 2023, the search for a new resident began. Sometime later, while I was working at the zoo, long-time park volunteer Jason Kluck stopped by to visit and catch up. He shared that his family had recently lost his brother, Thomas, and were looking for a meaningful way to honor him at the zoo.
After discussing it with his family, they generously decided to sponsor the purchase, first-year veterinary care, and several enrichment items for a new bear. Park staff located and arranged to purchase a yearling cub from Bear Country USA in Rapid City, South Dakota. The cub, born in January 2022, arrived at Oxbow on April 9, 2024.

It took Bear a little while to settle in, but she has adjusted beautifully and is a wonderful addition to our zoo family. On April 27, Brad, Sara, Jason, Andrea, and Bennett visited Bear to officially welcome her to Oxbow. Although I never had the opportunity to meet Thomas, during that visit I truly realized how special he is and what he means to the Kluck family.

The next time you visit Zollman Zoo, please make time to stop by Bear’s exhibit and keep Thomas and the Kluck family in your thoughts.

by: Celeste Lewis

Each summer, our parks receive numerous applications from young adults eager to launch careers in the natural resources field. Chester Woods Park has the opportunity to hire one intern each year. At times, we have young seasonal maintenance workers who express interest in gaining a broader experience—similar to what the intern experiences, so we do our best to accommodate that.

The summer of 2025 has been one of those memorable seasons. We are fortunate to have two enthusiastic college students on staff at Chester Woods Park. Both are eager to deepen their knowledge and understanding of what it means to work in the natural resources field. Read on to learn more about these outstanding individuals — we’re proud to have them as part of our team.

Meet our intern: Ezra Vrieze
My name is Ezra Vrieze, and I’m serving as an intern at Chester Woods Park this summer. I chose to intern here because I wanted hands-on experience working in a park, as I’m exploring it as a possible career path. I was born in Rochester, MN, so I grew up visiting Chester Woods and was already somewhat familiar with the area.

The most enjoyable part of my job is anything that involves being out on the trails, especially labeling wildflowers along the ID trail and removing invasive species. One of my favorite aspects of the park’s culture is the respect shown by staff toward collaborators, including the volunteers, Oxbow staff, other county departments, and outside contractors. I was surprised by how many people it takes to keep the park running beyond the immediate staff and how many of them are known on a first-name basis.

Outside of work, I’m a student at St. Olaf College, entering my sophomore year. I’m double majoring in Environmental Studies and Theatre. On campus, I work in the theatre department doing lighting and sound, and I’m also involved in band and our figure skating club. I enjoy attending plays and concerts wherever I can find them and playing D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) with friends. I don’t have any solid career goals yet—there’s still a lot I want to explore before committing to something specific.

Meet our intern: Brenden Myers
My name is Brenden Myers, and I am currently attending Winona State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. This degree will help me build a career working in the conservation of Minnesota’s natural resources.
Some of my hobbies include hiking, fishing, biking, and stargazing. I love spending time outdoors and being active.
My work background consists of a retail job at Mills Fleet Farm, where I worked for over four years throughout high school and college.

My role at Chester Woods is to assist with general day-to-day operations at the park. This involves various responsibilities such as mowing, renting out watercraft, and maintaining the cleanliness of the park. This opportunity has given me a glimpse into what park work is like. Some days are especially enjoyable because I get to operate a variety of vehicles and equipment—experiences I can’t get in a classroom at Winona State.
The most valuable experience I’ve gained has been during invasive species management days, when park staff remove non-native plants that are crowding out native species. This type of conservation work is what I plan to do with my Environmental Science degree.

Overall, my favorite aspect of this job is seeing the diverse wildlife and plant life that inhabit the park each day.

Meet our intern: Nicole

Nicole is one of our interns at Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo who started on May 19, 2025. She applied after shadowing a friend during the winter and loved the experience. During her time here, Nicole has grown to love the great horned owls and the black bear. Her last day interning with us is August 7, 2025.

Nicole is currently pursuing a degree in biology with a minor in environmental studies at St. Olaf College. Her goal is to work in animal care at an AZA-accredited zoo with a focus on carnivores.

In her free time, Nicole enjoys hiking, running and anything outdoors. Her pet rabbit, Holly, does not share her enthusiasm.

Fun facts: Nicole visits at least one national park each year. This year, she visited Glacier National Park. Her favorite color is dark blue.

Meet our intern: Grace

Grace is also an intern at Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo who started on June 2, 2025. She grew up visiting Oxbow and applied immediately after her mom found an internship posting. During her time here, Grace has grown to love the badgers, saying they “both have such personalities and are really fun to watch when they’re out.” Her last day interning with us is August 9, 2025.

Grace graduated in May 2025 from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a Bachelor of Science degree in zoo and wildlife biology. She hopes to become a zookeeper and educate the public about animals and zoological facilities.

In her free time, Grace enjoys attending concerts, playing board games and crocheting. She is also an avid gym-goer. She shares her home with three pets: Luxo, a mini goldendoodle; Turbo, a lap cat; and Mittens, a fat cat.

Fun facts: Grace is a big Minnesota Vikings fan and holds season tickets. Her soon-to-be husband, Jacob, will join her at games. Her favorite color is sage green.