Cons Sci Seminar

April 24, 2026

12:00-1:00pm

In person (preferred): 335 Borlaug Hall, UMN - St. Paul Campus

Virtual: https://umn.zoom.us/j/91587399054

My vision for trumpeter swans in Minnesota becomes reality

Carrol Henderson

Retired, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Abstract

The restoration of Trumpeter Swans in Minnesota has been a memorable conservation success story. It began with efforts by Hennepin Parks (Three Rivers Parks) in the metro area and continued with statewide efforts by the DNR's Nongame Wildlife Program that included collection of trumpeter swan eggs in Alaska, hatching and rearing the cygnets in Minnesota, and eventually releasing the swans at two years of age into wetlands of northwestern Minnesota. Much of that effort was funded by donations to the Nongame Wildlife Checkoff on Minnesota tax forms. My presentation will cover details of this conservation success story.

Biosketch

Carrol Henderson created the Minnesota DNR Nongame Wildlife Program in 1977, and he was in charge of this program with only one assistant and a $30,000 annual budget from 1977 through 1980. The Minnesota legislature created the Nongame Wildlife Checkoff on state income tax and property tax forms in 1980. The overwhelming response to the checkoff by Minnesota taxpayers provided annual donations over one million dollars. This income allowed hiring an initial staff of five field biologists that included three women in 1980 and 1981. They were the first women field wildlife biologists ever hired in the DNR Section of Wildlife. The checkoff also provided funding to initiate restoration projects for peregrine falcons and trumpeter swans. The Minnesota DNR trumpeter swan effort was carried out from 1988 through 1994. It included the release of about 370 swans. The current statewide population now exceeds over 50,000 swans nesting in 80 of the state's 87 counties.