Nature Center celebrates 40 years

Published 6:44 am Monday, October 18, 2010

This photograph of a gray fox taken by John Duren is one of the photographs included in the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center's 2011 calendar to commemorate the center's 40th anniversary. - Photo submitted

The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center is prepared to celebrate its 40th anniversary in style.

A commemorative calendar was compiled to recognize the nature center’s 40th anniversary. The calendar includes photographs from seven local photographers, Phenology and historical data about the nature center.

Along with migration dates, the calendar highlights key events from the nature center’s past. For example, it lists the days when the nature center’s 150-year-old bur oak collapsed in two stages — July 29, 1990, and June 15, 1992. The calendar also highlights events like RE-Fest coming up next year.

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“If you have any ties to the nature center at all, the historical data is there for you to go through,” Director Larry Dolphin said.

The calendar was made at the nature center. Intern Maria Anderson compiled the information and photographs for the calendar, and was tasked with matching the photographs to the season.

“It was like putting together a puzzle,” she said.

John Duren, one of the photographers featured in the calendar, spends a great deal of time at the nature center waiting for animals to come to him.

“If you sit and wait long enough, the animals can kind of come to you,” he said.

Duren tries to blend in with his environment to seek a more natural shot.

“Before I take any pictures, I like to wait until the animals have accepted me into their environment,” he said.

Using this technique, Duren was able to photograph a gray fox — an animal Dolphin said he’s only been able to see a handful of times.

The calendar is a limited edition and will only be available at the 2010 Thanksgiving Feast auction. Ten calendars autographed by the photographers will be auctioned at the feast. Dolphin said they currently plan to order 100 calendars, most of which are expected to sell at the Thanksgiving Feast.

However, Dolphin said people interested in buying a calendar can call the nature center and a second calendar order will be placed if there is enough interest.

The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center’s eighth annual Thanksgiving Feast will be held Oct. 30 at the St. Edward’s Corcoran Center, 2001 Second Ave. NW.

Rydjor Bike Shop donated a bike for the live auction. Other auction items include an aerial plane ride over Austin, Vikings tickets, an evening and dinner at the Blue Bell Inn in St. Ansgar, and Dolphin’s Prairie Chicken Rendezvous.

Tickets to the Thanksgiving Feast are $35 and are available at the nature center (437-7519) or by calling Joann Aho at 433-6928.