Slide Presentations and Talks

(Can be given either in-person or virtually.)

Illuminating the Web

1-hour slide presentation (a version without slides is also available)

A shimmering web of relationships connects everything. Through stories of scientists studying hungry plants, wandering warblers, and ghost pipe’s surprising value, you’ll find that all Beings are endlessly connected in life and beyond death. Emily is the author of Natural Connections: A Web Endlessly Woven, and the award-winning Natural Connections 2: Dreaming of an Elfin Skimmer. $120 + travel

Finding the Stories in Nature

1-hour slide presentation (a version without slides is also available)

Do you also love finding adventure and intrigue in strange places? Join Naturalist Emily Stone to be transported across the moat into a magical world where nature is better than fiction. Pioneers help each other eke out a living in the miniature, stained-glass world of a pitcher plant leaf. Globe-trotting orchids land and blossom on an enchanted island with the help of a mysterious stranger. A leaf miner grows up before your eyes. By using the grammar of animacy and science to tell stories, Emily wields a magic that makes the whole world feel more alive. Emily is the author of Natural Connections: Exploring Northwoods Nature through Science and Your Senses, and the award-winning Natural Connections 2: Dreaming of an Elfin Skimmer. $120 + travel

The Northwoods: Woven by Water

1-hour slide presentation

The landscape glitters with ice, shimmers with waves, flows with life, and weaves a web with water. Trace those connections and our beloved Northwoods emerge. Naturalist Emily Stone will take you on a very wet journey through the process of becoming the Northwoods from stardust to raindrops. $120 + travel

Anaamaagon: Under the Snow

1-hour slide presentation

Anaamaagon is the Ojibwe word for the Subnivean Zone. This is a hidden realm where mice play, weasels hunt, and life depends on deep snow. The drifts may look deserted, but dive down and you’ll be amazed by the way little lives thrive in winter. We’ll learn all about them through Indigenous and Western Sciences and beautiful artwork. $120 + travel

Why Butterflies Need Volcanoes

1 hour presentation

Naturalist Emily Stone traveled to Michoacán, Mexico, in December 2022 to visit the sanctuaries where monarch butterflies overwinter. The temperate fir forests that cradle the butterflies sit atop high peaks of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. In a delicate balance between staying cool enough to conserve fat stores and warm enough not to freeze, the monarchs seek out a variety of microhabitats even as the climate changes around them. The tangle of relationships will astound you. $120 + travel

The Near Shore Critter Corps

1-hour presentation

Edge habitats are known for their diversity and lakes are no different. This talk will weave in and out of the water as otters play, loons hide, beavers chew, warblers fly catch, flycatchers warble, turtles sun, dragonflies summersault, snails graze, spiders dive, landowners care, and the food web encompasses them all. These neighbors are worth getting to know. By using science to tell stories, Emily wields a magic that makes the whole world—include the edges of lakes—feel more alive. $120 + travel

The Unsung Heroes of Nature

1-hour presentation

We may feel a bit squeamish about bugs, worms, fungi, and bacteria, but these and other misunderstood critters play essential roles in our ecosystems and gardens. Not only that, they have surprising adaptations and are sometimes even beautiful. Join Naturalist Emily Stone–advocate for the underdogs–to learn about their positive contributions to the web of life. $120 + travel

Scatology!

1-hour presentation

Kids of all ages love talking about poop. Scat is just a fancy word for animal poop, and scatology makes it into a science! This fun program will teach you how to identify herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore scat, look for clues to who ate who, and help you get to know your hard-to-spot wild neighbors. We’ll also talk about how important scat can be to scientific research. By the end, you’ll understand why being able to identify animal scat can significantly enhance your outdoor experience! $120 + travel

A Naturalist’s View of Death

1-hour presentation

All matter and energy in the universe moves in cycles. We are made of stardust, and are trading molecules with new things every day. As a naturalist without much religious background, this fact provides me with comfort, inspiration, and connection. I can’t wait to share some of my favorite examples of what Mary Oliver calls “one long muscle” with you! $120 + travel

How Animals Learn

1-hour slide presentation

The science of behavior has come a long way since Pavlov’s experiments with salivating dogs. With Naturalist Haley Selen, we’ll discover why a bear returns to the same backyard night after night, how the Museum’s raptors learn to stay calm in front of school groups, and the best ways to teach your pets. We’ll even practice training each other! $120 + travel

Lakes Alive!

1-hour interactive slide presentation

What life lurks beneath our lakes? Dive in and find out! During this engaging slide show we’ll learn about a lake food chain in order to explore the cycles, systems, and mysteries of lakes. We end by putting on a skit about who eats who. Join naturalist and author Emily Stone to discover these cool creatures, and you’ll never look at lakes the same way again! $120 + travel

Treasures of the Secret Fen

1-hour slide presentation

Cross the moat to discover carnivorous plants, devious orchids, shimmering dragonflies, buried treasure, ripening jewels, and a floating floor. It sounds like fantasy, but it’s all science! Naturalist Emily Stone will give a guided tour of the botany, chemistry, ecology, and mysterious depths of a special local wetland. $120 + travel

The Call of the Loon

1-hour interactive presentation (no slides necessary)

Common loons are anything but ordinary. Diving deep, flying fast, and fighting hard, these Northwoods icons are ready to capture your imagination with their precisely tuned adaptations to life on our lakes. This presentation by naturalist and author Emily Stone will help you learn all about these fascinating creatures through hands-on specimens and plenty of time for questions. Then try your hand at decoding their eerie calls.  $120 + travel

Spring Wildflowers of Lois Nestel

1-hour slide presentation

From hepatica to sundew, spring wildflowers of northern Wisconsin are as numerous as they are unique. Curator Naturalist Mollie Kreb-Mertig will introduce us to a variety of these blooms through a historic slideshow presentation originally created by Lois Nestel, a local naturalist and the Museum’s founding Director. View these recently-digitalized slides from the Museum’s collection with additional commentary and recent photographs from Mollie.  $120 + travel

Pollinators of the North

1-hour slide presentation

The tundra is carpeted with a swirling rainbow wildflowers each summer, but who can brave the elements in order to pollinate them? Cable Natural History Museum Naturalist/Education Director Emily Stone spent the summer of 2018 in Alaska asking herself that very question. $120 + travel

Adventures in Alaska

1-hour slide presentation

Why are wildflowers on the tundra so diverse? How many snowshoe hares can you catch in three days? What else will you find when looking for caribou? Emily visited and volunteered with scientists all around Alaska during a four-month sabbatical in 2018. Come learn about her road trip and the flora and fauna of that amazing place. $120 + travel

Finding the Stories in Nature           

1.5-2 hour slide presentation/workshop for educators of all sorts

Stories are powerful tools for engagement, learning, and relating. But we don’t need to invent anything—nature has already done it for us. Scientists are busy translating. These stories can make natural phenomenon come alive for any audience! During this workshop, Emily will share some of her favorite stories and photos, including readings from her Natural Connections books. Then, through a series of props, writing, and speaking exercises, participants will have a chance to practice finding and telling the stories in nature. Presenter: Emily Stone, Naturalist/Education Director, Cable Natural History Museum, author of Natural Connections: Exploring Northwoods Nature through Science and Your Senses, and Natural Connections 2: Dreaming of an Elfin Skimmer. $120 per hour + travel

Field Experiences

Family Snowshoe hike

1-2 hour program

Explore the winter woods with a naturalist! Learn about animal tracking, winter botany, the magic of the subnivean zone, and more! The Museum will provide snowshoes at no extra cost. Trail options include Wayside Wanderings Natural Play Area, the Forest Lodge Nature Trail, Juniper Rock Overlook, and more. Contact us to decide on a trail that works for your group! Dress for the weather. $120 per hour + travel

Mushroom Hike

1 to 3 hour hike, June through September

Several hundred species of mushrooms grow in the Northwoods, and many can be found beginning late summer through autumn. Join Mollie Kreb-Mertig, Naturalist at the Cable Natural History Museum, for a guided hike to explore nature with a focus on local fungi. This is a great hike for families who have no experience with fungi, beginner foragers, or visitors looking to familiarize themselves with common mushrooms found in our area. Mollie will work with your group to explore some of her favorite trails or areas for mushroom adventures. Mollie is an active member of the Wisconsin Mycological Society and North American Mycological Association. She has been leading mushroom programs for five years and is a Wisconsin Certified Wild Mushroom Identifier. $120 per hour + travel

Foraging Feast

2 to 4 hour interactive program, May through September

Join Mollie Kreb-Mertig, Naturalist at the Cable Natural History Museum, for a fun-filled adventure of gathering local wild edibles that are as nutritious as delicious. In order to forage safely and effectively, Mollie will lead participants through a few exercises and share considerations for developing our observation skills. Then, the group will visit a local trail, public natural area, or other appropriate location for gathering wild edibles. Seasonal ingredients including wild herbs, greens, berries, or mushrooms will be identified. Mollie had been leading foraging/wild edible programs for over six years through the Museum and other organizations. $120 per hour + travel

Loon Pontoon Tour

2-3 hour program

Learn amazing facts about these ancient birds and the beautiful lakes where they live while touring on a pontoon boat. A Museum Naturalist will share stories about the facts and fantasies behind this Northwoods icon. The tour could be located on any of several local lakes, or take place on your own pontoon boat. $400 total if we provide the pontoon, or $120 per hour + travel if you provide your own pontoon. 

Natural Connections Hike

1 to 3 hour hike

Join Emily Stone, a Naturalist and Education Director at the Cable Natural History Museum, on a guided hike to explore nature through science and our senses and to find real-life examples of natural connections. You can choose the location—a local trail, natural area, or your own backyard! $120 per hour + travel

Finding the Stories in Nature Walking Workshop

1 to 3 hour outdoor workshop for educators of all sorts

Join Emily Stone, a Naturalist and Education Director at the Cable Natural History Museum, on a guided hike to explore natural connections through science and our senses. She’ll give tips and tricks for finding the stories in nature, and we’ll all practice creating mini-narratives about the characters we meet along the way. As naturalists, infusing our teaching and communications with stories can be an effective way to engage both hearts and minds. $120 per hour + travel

A Curator’s Tour

1 to 2 hour interactive program

Explore the depths of a natural history museum and how it functions. Curator Mollie Kreb-Mertig at the Cable Natural History Museum will guide participants through the lifetime of a museum specimen—from when it is first brought indoors to exhibit display. Experience first-hand the various duties of a Curator, including specimen preparation, conservation, and finding ways to make these objects available to the public. Enjoy an exclusive tour of the facility with commentary from Mollie. Hands-on activities to explore include insect pinning, plant pressing, photography with our digital microscope, and more. $120 per hour + travel

Birding Field Trips

Guided field trips

Join Naturalist Haley Selen to explore one of the area’s best birding destinations. Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area (spring, summer, fall) hosts a variety of wetland birds and an impressive number of Sandhill Cranes during fall migration. Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (fall) sees thousands of raptors migrating through Duluth in September and October. Winter-hardy birders at Sax Zim Bog (winter) have the chance to see boreal species like Great Gray Owls and Boreal Chickadees. $120 per hour + travel

Forest Lodge Tour (Currently Unavailable)

2-3 hour program

Explore the historic Forest Lodge Estate with a Northland College tour guide. Hear stories of its cultural and natural history and learn about the exciting developments for this educational campus. Participants will be on their feet for 2.5 hours, walking less than a mile over uneven terrain, rain or shine. Meet your Northland College guide at the Forest Lodge Nature Trail parking lot. Cost is $10 per person with a 4-person minimum.