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Osprey Wilds Environmental Learning Center (ELC)
'', formerly Audubon Center of the North Woods (ACNW), on Grindstone Lake near

Sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

residential

environmental A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...

learning center,

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animal species (biology), species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous ...

rehabilitation facility, and conference/retreat facility. Located about west of Sandstone, the Osprey Wilds ELC provides

environmental education Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating discip ...

about the various renewable energy systems that it uses, including geothermal heating and cooling (Geothermal exchange heat pump, ground source heat pumps), Wind turbine, wind generators, biodiesel-powered vehicles which run on used vegetable oil, and grid-connected Photovoltaic module, solar arrays. The ELC includes over of hiking and Cross-country skiing, cross-country ski trails through a variety of habitats, such as old-growth red and white pines, hardwood forests, restored wetlands and prairies. On December 30, 2021, Osprey Wilds completed the acquisition of the Blacklock Nature Sanctuary in Moose Lake, Minnesota, Moose Lake, MN, located 30 miles north of the main

campus. The Blacklock property was a gift of 414 acres by Craig and Honey Blacklock. The purchase of additional property adjoining the sanctuary east of Moose Lake added another 148 acres to the acquisition. Both the

and Moose Lake, Minnesota, Moose Lake (Blacklock) campuses include property that is protected by conservation easements through th
Minnesota Land Trust

References

Nature centers in Minnesota National Audubon Society Protected areas of Pine County, Minnesota Education in Pine County, Minnesota Summer camps in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Pine County, Minnesota {{edu-org-stub