The Observer: The Life and Writings of Bernt Olaf Wolden
"There are probably those who will say; 'All this is past. Why dwell so much on the scenes and the sounds of a long since vanished past? We are living in a different age. Live in the present.' But this is history. And some history is still being taught." - B.O. Wolden, 1962
Olaf Wolden was one of those rare people who knew his home place with an intimacy most of us can only aspire to, and he shared a bond with all the beings he lived among, a bond that is difficult to find in our modern age. A naturalist in every sense of the word, Olaf had a personal devotion to tracking bird migrations and flower bloomings, a scientific drive to catalogue mosses and lichens with exacting precision, and a desire to share his passion for the natural world with others.
From 1930-1968, he contributed a column titled Nature Notes to The Estherville Daily News where he shared musings and observations about the natural world. Olaf's story reaches back to the early 19th century, a time when northwest Iowa was a wilder place than the one we have today. This book tells the story of Olaf's childhood in Island Grove and his development as a naturalist and botanist. Readers will experience Olaf's love of nature in his own words through a curated selection of his Nature Notes and an accompanying biography written by Amie Adams.
Events
2025
Saturday, March 15 |10 AM - 3 PM: Prairie Woods Nature Center, Hawardan, IA
Morning Session (Adult discussion) 10:00-11:30am
This session will include a short lesson about naturalists from Iowa’s past, a book talk and Q&A about The Observer, and a nature walk (feel free to bring your favorite field guide or your binoculars). This session is geared toward adults of all ages.
Lunch Chat 11:45-12:25pm
This is your opportunity to bring your lunch and picnic with the author.
Afternoon Session (Family Discussion) 1:30-3:00
This session will include a short lesson about naturalists from Iowa’s past, a few stories from The Observer, and an interactive nature walk where we think about how to tell our own stories about our favorite places (feel free to bring your favorite field guide or your binoculars). This session is geared toward families.
May 30 - June 1: Loess Hills Prairie Seminar
I will be leading a session called Conservation, Collages, and Creative Writing. Here’s the description! How can we use visual art and writing as tools for conservation? In this hands-on session, we will get creative with upcycled magazines, field guides, found materials and writing prompts to help us imagine hopeful futures for the Iowa landscape and the places we care about deeply.
Past Events
Saturday, Feb 24: Exhibitor at the Iowa Prairie Network Winter Seminar
May 31-June 2: Presentation & Writing Workshop at the Loess Hills Prairie Seminar.
Tuesday, July 9 @ 6:30 PM: Book Talk at the Clear Lake Public Library
Saturday, March 18 : Presentation at Emmet County Conservation Banquet
Saturday, April 22 : Presentation at Emmet County Conservation Open House
Tuesday, June 6 @ 7:00 PM: Tuesday Lecture Series, Lakeside Laboratory
Thursday, July 20 @ 7:00 PM: Book Talk at Dog Eared Books in Ames, IA
Saturday, October 7: Book Talk at the Women, Food, and Agriculture Conference
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