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EnglishWhat webcams, videos, and webinars are available on the Minnesota DNR website?
Updated
The Minnesota DNR website offers three kinds of multimedia resources: live webcams (including Big Bog State Recreation Area and the Mississippi headwaters), a video collection (such as the Minnesota Biological Rare Bee Survey), and an outdoor skills and stewardship webinar series. You can also sign up for email updates to hear about new content. All of these are reachable from the DNR home page, and nothing in the site information indicates a fee or login requirement to view them.
Live webcams
The home page lists two webcam feeds:
- Big Bog State Recreation Area — a view from one of Minnesota's largest state recreation areas in the north-central part of the state.
- Mississippi headwaters — a view of the river's source area at Itasca State Park.
These are live feeds rather than recorded clips, so what you see depends on the time of day, season, and current conditions at each location. They are a low-commitment way to check conditions or wildlife activity before planning a visit.
DNR videos
The video section is a small, rotating selection rather than a full archive. The example featured on the home page is the Minnesota Biological Rare Bee Survey, which documents survey work on rare bee species in the state. A "More videos" link next to the featured item leads to the broader collection.
Use videos when you want context that a text page doesn't give — survey methods, species identification, or how a program works in the field.
Webinars: Outdoor skills and stewardship series
The Outdoor skills and stewardship series is a webinar program covering practical outdoor skills and conservation stewardship topics. Webinars differ from the webcams and videos in that they are scheduled events; the home page links to the series but does not list dates or a registration process, so check the series page for the current schedule and any sign-up steps.
Email updates
A "Get email updates" sign-up box on the home page lets you receive DNR news and announcements by email. This is the most reliable way to learn about new webinars, video releases, and seasonal content without checking the site repeatedly.
Choosing what to use
| If you want to… | Use | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| See current conditions at a specific place | Live webcam (Big Bog, Mississippi headwaters) | Real-time view; depends on weather and daylight |
| Learn how a program or survey works | DNR videos | Short produced segments; limited selection on the home page |
| Build outdoor skills or learn stewardship practices | Outdoor skills and stewardship webinars | Scheduled sessions; check the series page for dates |
| Hear about new content first | Email updates | Periodic announcements from the DNR |
Practical notes
- Start at the DNR home page; the webcam, video, and webinar links are grouped there, which makes it easy to sample each format before committing time.
- Webcams are best treated as a conditions check, not an entertainment archive — image quality and activity vary widely by site and season.
- For webinars, confirm the current schedule on the series page before planning around a session, since the home page does not publish dates.
- If you plan to visit a site you saw on a webcam, pair the feed with the site's own recreation page for hours, facilities, and any seasonal closures.