Minnesota DNR looking for volunteers to count loons

Photo credit Ryan Humphrey

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking for volunteers to help count loons on lakes across the state this summer. 

To help the process, the DNR says it is launching a new online system that will allow volunteers determine where they can help.

Volunteers would be required to dedicate a morning between June 28 and July 8 to count loons on at least one of 150 lakes in Aitkin, Becker, Crow Wing, Cook, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Lake, and Otter Tail counties. Volunteers would have to commit two to four hours per lake sometime between 5 a.m. and noon on the given day to count.

The DNR says its annual count is a critical process to protect the loon population.

If you are interested in helping out, you can head to the DNR’s website for more information.