This week’s Nat Chat features Jarrod and Nathan along with the fashions they wish would come back in style! (Hint: both are already seen here in the Northwoods!)

Nathan Cross

Hometown: Maple Grove, MN
Graduate Naturalist

Favorite thing about being a Naturalist?

My favorite part of being a Naturalist is having the opportunity to spend every day outside breathing the fresh air, getting exercise, and geeking out about all of nature’s wonderful surprises. The best part is sharing those experiences with others!

Is there anything you wished would come back into fashion?

Mutton Chops

If you were ruler of your own country what would be the first law you would introduce?

If I was a ruler I would want to use the metric system.

What is your favorite plant? Favorite bird? What about type of cloud?

Favorite plant: Sundew
Favorite bird: Takahe
Favorite cloud: Altocumulus

If you could live in a book, TV show, or movie, what would it be?

The Magic School Bus

We all know being a naturalist is pretty great, but if you weren’t a naturalist, what would you be?

A bird (preferably the flying variety)

Jarrod Klopp

Hometown: Champlin, Minnesota
Graduate Naturalist

Favorite thing about being a Naturalist?

My favorite thing about being a naturalist is I get to see so many students come and experience the woods. I get to see all of them walk away with smiles on their faces after an eventful and tiring time at Wolf Ridge. They get to bring home so many stories and adventures to their families and friends.

Is there anything you wished would come back into fashion?

Flannel. Flannels need to come back into fashion. They are so comfy and functional. I have enough flannels for almost two weeks of complete flannel coverage. You shouldn’t have to live in the woods to sport a flannel, but it does help!

If you were ruler of your own country what would be the first law you would introduce?

If I were the ruler of my own country my first law would be to protect the natural resources we have left. Preserve wetlands, forests, parks so no future development or destruction could occur on these natural places. Increase funding towards education including environmental, nature centers, etc. To preserve our natural places for future generations.

What is your favorite plant? Favorite bird? What about type of cloud?

My favorite plant is the Pink Lady Slipper. It has such a rich natural history, copious stories associated with it, and it is such a beautiful flower that doesn’t stick around all year which makes you appreciate its sighting that much more.

My favorite bird was the white Pelican because they were so quirky and strange birds you would not expect in Minnesota but recently working with the animals at Wolf Ridge I have to say the Raven is my favorite bird. My experience working with Korppi has shown me how intelligent animals, especially ravens, are.

My favorite type of cloud  is altocumulus. These types of clouds are described as constantly changing. The reason I love these clouds is because they form different shapes in the sky; bunnies, space monkeys, or even fluffy dragons!

If you could live in a book, TV show, or movie, what would it be?

There are so many good stories out there to choose. I want to live in Santa Barbara, California when Shawn and Gus own a “fake” psychic detective agency. The show is called Psych and I would love to go around solving crimes, with those two goofballs, which no one else can solve. I love mysteries and being goofy once in a while.

We all know being a naturalist is pretty great, but if you weren’t a naturalist, what would you be?

If I weren’t a naturalist a carpenter, I would be. My grandfather used to make beautiful artwork made out of wood. I have been dabbling in carpentry and woodcarving and I just love how wood is able to be shaped into something functional as well as gorgeous. There is something very relaxing about molding a medium like wood. I would need a lot of practice before anything worth selling would take shape.