Everybody loves cranes—especially Paul Robbins, a self-proclaimed crane enthusiast and the dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

Today, he joins guest host Richelle Wilson for a fun and informative hour celebrating the crane. They talk about why Wisconsin is the global “headquarters for cranes,” the recent bill introduced in the state legislature that proposed a crane hunting season, Paul’s trip to Nebraska to see the crane migration along the Platte River, the upcoming crane count and the importance of citizen science, and what crane conservation tells us about the larger picture of environmental stewardship and restoration ecology in Wisconsin and beyond.

The Annual Midwest Crane Count takes place this Saturday, April 9 from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Central Time. Learn more about how to get involved at savingcranes.org.

For other local citizen science opportunities in Dane County, you can visit arboretum.wisc.edu.

Paul Robbins is the dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He serves on the board of directors of the International Crane Foundation.

Sandhill crane bird call audio courtesy of Shan Burson and the National Park Service, 2020. 

Cover photo: Sandhill cranes in flight over Nebraska by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash 

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