About Osprey Wilds
Osprey Wilds is a 501(c)(3) public charity, residential environmental learning center and conference & retreat center nestled on the shores of Grindstone Lake in east-central Minnesota.
We are committed to developing an understanding, ethics and responsibility regarding the environment and stewardship through formal and informal teaching that links nature and humans.
It is our goal that every visitor feels connected to the natural environment and feels that the protection of nature is also the protection of mankind.
A healthy environment starts with and is perpetuated by a personal connection to it. We been providing environmental and outdoor education programs since 1971 and are committed to providing lifelong learning experiences to people of all ages, including programming in natural history and science, team-building, adventure/challenge, wildlife, energy, outdoor skills and human history.
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We offer:
- Year-round experiential environmental Outdoor School programming
- School field trips and nature immersion learning experiences
- Youth and family camps
- Programs and events for all ages
- College courses
- Adult learning experiences
- Day tours and programs
- Wildlife programs… on-site and off-site
- Comfortable lodging for 162+ people plus rustic and camping options
- Wonderful, scratch-based meal service
- Conference & retreat center rentals
Explore
Osprey Wilds
Learn about our rich history, 780 acres of unique lakeside refuge that encompasses a diverse range of habitat and ecosystems, plethora of renewable energy systems, variety of lodging accommodations, and a highly trained staff offering a wide selection of immersive nature learning experiences for people of all ages.
History of Osprey Wilds
Learn about our rich history - from the days when the Ojibwe occupied this land through the farming of the property by Schwyzer family, the establishment of the Audubon Center of the North Woods and how Osprey Wilds came to be.
Stewardship
We've made it a top priority to ‘walk the walk’ and have implemented a wide variety of renewable energy sources and energy conservation measures. Learn about the earth-friendly green initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint.
Our Property
At Osprey Wilds, you will be surrounded only by the soothing sounds and sights of nature. Our property includes old growth pine forest, deciduous forest, managed woodlands, wetlands, and restored prairie. Learn more about our facilities and land.
Charter School Authorizer
Our Charter School Division (CSD) in Minneapolis authorizes charter schools that have recognized the importance of experiential and environmental education as a means to advance our mission.
Explore
Osprey Wilds
Learn about our rich history, 780 acres of unique lakeside refuge that encompasses a diverse range of habitat and ecosystems, plethora of renewable energy systems, variety of lodging accommodations, and a highly trained staff offering a wide selection of immersive nature learning experiences for people of all ages.
History of Osprey Wilds
Learn about our rich history - from the days when the Ojibwe occupied this land through the farming of the property by Schwyzer family, the establishment of the Audubon Center of the North Woods and how Osprey Wilds came to be.
Stewardship
We've made it a top priority to ‘walk the walk’ and have implemented a wide variety of renewable energy sources and energy conservation measures. Learn about our earth-friendly green initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint.
Our Property
At Osprey Wilds, you will be surrounded only by the soothing sounds and sights of nature. Our property includes old growth pine forest, deciduous forest, managed woodlands, wetlands, and restored prairie. Learn more about our facilities and land.
Charter School Authorizer
Our Charter School Division (CSD) in Minneapolis authorizes charter schools that have recognized the importance of experiential and environmental education as a means to advance our mission. Learn more at auduboncharterschools.org.
Our Mission, Vision & Values
Mission
To instill a connection and commitment to the environment in people of all communities through experiential learning
Vision
A healthy planet where all people live in balance with the Earth
Core Values
Healthy Relationships — We demonstrate respect, care and passion for the earth, all people and all living things, recognizing our interconnectedness with each other and the natural world.
Equity – We actively incorporate the lenses of equity and representation in our education, environmentalism, and leadership.
Action – We practice and encourage informed, intentional living that helps restore and maintain healthy ecosystems.
Life-long Learning – We promote life-long learning through positive shared experiences with the natural world.
The initial letters of our core values form the acronym HEAL, a reminder that demonstrating these values can result in healing for ourselves, others, and the planet.
Equity Statement
Osprey Wilds actively incorporates the lenses of equity and representation in our education,
environmentalism and leadership. We do this by dismantling and re-designing processes and systems to be accessible to and welcoming of all people; creating programs and services in collaboration with diverse communities; and valuing those who work with and for us.
Land Acknowledgment
Osprey Wilds acknowledges that our property sits upon the ancestral and traditional homelands of
Indigenous people, most recently the Ojibwe, whose land was seized by the United States government by
the Treaty of 1837 and colonized by European settlers. The Ojibwe continue to reside throughout East
Central Minnesota and have a sovereign infrastructure of schools, roads, health care, services, housing,
and more. From their ancestors to current day, the Ojibwe are committed to protecting and preserving
natural resources. Osprey Wilds shares this commitment and works to ensure responsible care and
attention through developing an understanding, ethics, and responsibility regarding the environment
through formal and informal teaching that links nature and humans. While land acknowledgment does
not deliver justice for the loss of the land and the damage done to people and cultures, Osprey Wilds will
continue to deepen our knowledge and relationships, enriching practices that respect and honor the past,
present, and future of the region’s Indigenous communities.
Indigenous Learners Acknowledgment
Osprey Wilds acknowledges that Minnesota is located within the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary homelands of Indigenous people, specifically on Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho Chunk land seized by the US government in a series of treaties between 1805 and 1867* and colonized by European settlers. Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for this region, Mni Sota Makoce — “the land where the waters reflect the skies.” In addition, Osprey Wilds authorizes schools across Minnesota on Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho Chunk land and serves students from Indigenous communities across the world. It is important to acknowledge the peoples on whose land we live, learn, work, and play and ensure that the schools we authorize provide support, resources, and culturally relevant education that recognizes the experiences, histories and cultures of Indigenous students, families, teachers, and staff.
*Specifically the Treaties of 1805, 1837, 1847, 1851, 1854, 1855, 1858, 1863, 1864, 1866, and 1867
ENGAGE WITH OSPREY WILDS
You can help us make an impact on thousands of people’s lives so they may in turn make informed decisions and take actions that help the planet. Learn more >>
Check out our current job openings, learn about our Environmental Education Fellowship Program, and explore volunteer opportunities as ways to get involved and make a difference.
Subscribe to our eNewsletter to keep up-to-date on upcoming events and how you can make a difference, as well as peruse current and past issues our twice-yearly print newsletters.
From Audubon Center of the North Woods to Osprey Wilds
In January 2020, the Audubon Center of the North Woods formally changed its name to Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center. Our name and look has changed, but our mission, approach, values and work remains the same
There was a lot of confusion around the word “Audubon” in our former name—many people thought that we were focused on bird conservation and/or that we were part of National Audubon Society and not a separate, independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It did not allow us to have our own brand identity due to the strong word associations with “Audubon”.
The Osprey Wilds logo was born out of our heritage as the Audubon Center of the North Woods. An osprey has served as our logo since our organization’s inception when founding staff and board members observed one flying over Grindstone Lake on their first visit. The Osprey is a continued symbol of natural beauty and gives context for the experiences offered at the center. Acknowledging our long history, we maintain the osprey as our logo and the educational opportunities it presents and to maintain that continuity with our long history.
Not wanting to limit ourselves, our impact and future opportunities, the osprey serves as the perfect ambassador for our ability to spread our wings as an organization into unchartered and open waters.
- The osprey is one of the few bird species found on all six continents that humans live on. In that regard, it serves as a connection point to communities and ecosystems all around the world.
- Ospreys are migratory raptors that further connect us to other areas they inhabit.
- Ospreys are dependent on healthy waterways, as are we, and encourage us to examine our stewardship of our resources.
- Not bound by physical barriers, ospreys are adaptable in where they reside and make their presence.
fostering Earth Stewards
Connection is Key
Visitors to Osprey Wilds are not only immersed in opportunities to discover, learn about and learn from nature, but also to recognize their place in it and the role they have in the future health of the planet.
There are many things a student can learn about the natural world, but in the end it is our goal that every visitor feels connected to the natural environment and feels that the protection of nature is also the protection of mankind. It is our students who will change the world.
A philosophy and culture of environmental stewardship is common throughout all of our programs, classes, office and food service practices, conservation measures, maintenance procedures and land management plans. We model earth-friendly, sustainable choices in every meal, activity, and experience.
Our programs use the environment as the blackboard and laboratory to educate our visitors. Through education and observation, we empower our visitors to make choices for sustainability in their own lives and be able to transfer that knowledge to home, school, and community.