Native Skywatchers - Turtle Island Skywatchers
Minnesota Research and Data Visualization Project
(on left) Endangered Blanding Turtle (photo by Angela Grill & team), Digital artwork by Annette S. Lee ©2025
"Turtle Island Skywatchers
Minnesota Research and Data Visualization”
Project Summary - Minnesota Research and Data Visualization project works to protect Minnesota water, wildlife, and natural resources while empowering Indigenous youth as leaders and all citizens as researchers.
Turtles are of great importance to many Indigenous traditions. Recent investigations have documented that turtles & many understudied species previously believed to be mute, communicate with diverse sounds. Paired visual and acoustic recordings are essential data collection methods to document this behavior.
Two Field Sites: Crow-Hassan Park Reserve (Three Rivers Park District) and Mound Springs (MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge)
Field Site 1 - Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Field Site 2 - Mound Springs Park, part of the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge
"Native Skywatchers - Turtle Island Skywatchers - Research grant "
Feb 2025 to Jun 2026
This is a three-fold science research-based project at the intersection of research and community.
(1) Collect images and acoustic data from turtles and their habitats, analyze the data, and explore research questions.
(2) Data visualization of Minnesota place-based animals especially related to Indigenous constellations, climate crisis, and environmental stewardship.
(3) Engage residents of Minnesota in a citizen science research-based call to action. Raw data collected by our team will be streamlined into an easy-to-participate online initiative.
Field Site 1 - Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Field Site 2 - Mound Springs Park, part of the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Field Site 1 - Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Field Site 2 - Mound Springs Park, part of the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Field Site 1 - Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Field Site 2 - Mound Springs Park, part of the MN Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Project Team:
- Annette S. Lee-PhD, DSc, MFA, MFA, Scientist-Artist, Indigenous Science, Media & Communication, Native Skywatchers, Principal Investigator
- Gary Casper-PhD, Wildlife Biologist-Acoustic Ecologist, Mequon Nature Preserve, Co-Investigator
- Carmen Gavin Vanegas-M.S, M.A., South High School, All Nations Program, Science Lead Teacher, Co-Investigator
- All-Nations Program, South High School Students, South High School, Researchers
- Angela Grill, Wildlife Supervisor, Three River Parks District, Collaborator
- Kassie Benjamin-Ficken, Teacher, Math, South High School, Contributor
- Bezh David Butler, Culture and Language, South High School, Contributor
- Sheila Zepheir, South High School, Contributor
- Pat Kruse, Teacher-Artist, Cultural Knowledge Holder, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Contributor
- Charles Grolla, , Cultural Knowledge Holder, Teacher at Cass Lake Bena Schools, Contributor
- Ramona Kitto Stately, Cultural Knowledge Holder, We are Still Here Minnesota, MN Indian Education Association, Contributor
- Stan Tekiela, Wildlife Biologist and author, Nature Smart, Contributor
Below are ArcGIS StoryMaps created by our research team that are based on the bioacoustic data analysis at the two Field Sites: Crow-Hassan Park Reserve and Mound Springs part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
At the bottom of each StoryMap are button links to the other Native Skywatchers StoryMaps for this research project.
StoryMap: "Endangered Voices - Crow-Hassan Park Reserve Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
StoryMap: "Story 1 - Common Birds in Decline ... Crow-Hassan Park Reserve Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
StoryMap: "Story 2 - Grasslands ... Crow-Hassan Park Reserve Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
StoryMap: "Story 3 - Wetlands ... Crow-Hassan Park Reserve Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
StoryMap: "Endangered Voices ... Mound Springs MN Valley NWR Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
StoryMap: "Story 1 - Common in Decline ... Mound Springs MN Valley NWR Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
StoryMap: "Story 2 - Sacred Sites ... Mound Springs MN Valley NWR Field Site" Click here to open in a new tab or view in the window below.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. Currently 40% of net Minnesota State Lottery proceeds are dedicated to growing the Trust Fund and ensuring future benefits for Minnesota’s environment and natural resources.
P: (612)-314-9717 Contact Us
nativeskywatchers@gmail.com Art website visit
annettelee.com
Acknowledgement: Native Skywatchers is located on the traditional and treaty land of the Dakota people, who along with the Ojibwe are the Indigenous peoples of this land, Mni Sota Makoce or Minnesota.