A conversation about conservation with Carrol Henderson

The event honoring Carrol Henderson was a unique and engaging gathering, with about 20 attendees participating at The Thinking Spot. Although Carrol could not attend in person, he was successfully dialed in over the phone. His publisher, Georgia, kicked things off by giving the audience background on his incredible career and opening the floor for a rich Q&A session.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the insights, stories, and conservation efforts Carrol discussed during the event:

Carrol’s Background and Mission

Carrol shared that he grew up on a farm in Iowa surrounded by wildlife, which sparked his lifelong passion. He worked at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for 41 years as the first-ever supervisor of the nongame wildlife program. Having authored nearly 20 books on wildlife conservation, bird feeding, and landscaping, his latest works aim to provide a fresh look at how to attract and enjoy birds in backyards, while also serving as a guide for young people interested in pursuing careers in wildlife conservation.

Conservation Programs and Funding

A major topic of discussion was how wildlife programs are funded and expanded:

• The Tax Checkoff Program: Carrol highlighted the importance of the nongame wildlife checkoff (the loon line) on Minnesota state tax forms. He noted that the state now provides a two-to-three-times match for every citizen dollar donated, drastically multiplying the impact for species management and field surveys.

• Going National: Minnesota, alongside Oregon and Alaska, was one of the first three states to establish this voluntary tax checkoff. Because of his success, Carrol traveled to over a dozen other states—from North Dakota to Florida—to teach their biologists how to promote their own checkoff programs and raise voluntary donations.

Species Spotlights

During the Q&A, attendees asked about specific birds and animals, prompting Carrol to share his expertise:

• Chimney Swifts: When asked why chimney swifts weren't featured in his latest book, Carrol explained that they have suffered dramatic population declines over the last two decades. As old chimneys and schoolhouses disappear, the human-provided habitats they rely on for nesting are vanishing.

• Trumpeter Swans: Carrol shared a massive success story regarding the restoration of trumpeter swans. Starting with an initial release of about 37 swans over a 10-year period, the population has boomed to an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 swans across Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Manitoba. He noted that they are fiercely protective parents and highly loyal to their nesting territories.

Habitat Restoration (The CREP Program)

Carrol practices what he preaches on his own 69-acre family farm in Iowa. He converted half of his row-crop farmland into native prairie wildflowers and grasses. Recently, through the CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program), he installed a 7-acre marsh with ridges to purify water runoff. The water flows back and forth between the ridges, filtering out contaminants before it reaches the local creek. The program covered all the costs in exchange for a permanent easement to protect the wetland.

Memorable Wildlife Stories

Carrol captivated the audience with some of his favorite personal stories and life lessons:

• Oscar the Otter: Early in his career, Carrol was given a semi-tame, smuggled river otter from Lake of the Woods. Unsure of what to do while home alone, he put the highly intelligent otter in his bathtub with an ice cream bucket full of live minnows, which the otter happily hunted one by one. The next day, Carrol took the otter to his son's 5th-grade classroom, where "Oscar" ran under the desks and played with the Venetian blinds, sending the kids jumping up like popcorn in delight.

• The Plover and the Elephant: Carrol shared a story from a guide in Kenya about a mother plover bird who built her nest in the middle of an elephant game trail. When a herd of 11 elephants approached, the tiny bird flew up and repeatedly slapped the lead elephant right between the eyes with her wings. After the fourth slap, the massive elephant simply stepped aside and walked around the nest, with the rest of the herd following suit.

• International Connections: When asked about his favorite international trip, Carrol named Costa Rica, where he studied tropical ecology in 1969. He expressed his amazement at the interconnectivity of nature, noting that neo-tropical migrants seen in Minnesota during the summer travel all the way to the tropical dry forests of Costa Rica and South America for the winter.

The event concluded with attendees expressing how much they loved the stories and the beautiful images in his book. The hosts thanked Carrol for accommodating the phone arrangement, noting that his vivid storytelling made it feel as though he was right there in the room with them.