Longtime Whitewater State Park naturalist Dave Palmquist to retire

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Longtime Whitewater State Park naturalist Dave Palmquist to retire
(Released December 29, 2011)

After nearly 38 years of public service as a full-time, year-round interpretive naturalist at Whitewater State Park in southeastern Minnesota, Dave Palmquist is preparing to retire, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Palmquist’s last day at the park will be Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Over the course of his career, Palmquist has provided interpretive programs for more than 400,000 visitors. Through fun activities and other interpretive services, he has shared important resource stories, issues and recreational skills. Activities included rare baby turtle rescuing, geocaching and maple syrup making. On his field trips, visitors explored caves, found fossils, came to better understand watershed management and saw hundreds of migrating bald eagles in a day. About a third of the participants in Palmquist’s programs were school students.

“Perhaps I’m most proud of youngsters that participated regularly in programs with their families or school classes and then went on as adults to work in fields of natural and cultural resource management, research and education,” he said. “I have found that enthusiasm for the natural world – author Rachel Carson’s ‘sense of wonder’ – is contagious and very important in creating an environmentally aware and involved citizenry.”

In his nearly 38 years at Whitewater State Park Palmquist:

Witnessed the dramatic 2009 return of nesting peregrine falcons to Whitewater State Park (where they had not nested in 47 years).
Worked with volunteers to help restore the park after the massive flood in 2007.
Served on the design team for the Whitewater Valley Visitor Center and designed exhibits.
Helped save the Marnach House (a pioneer stone house) and the Elba Fire Tower for educational and recreational use.
Shared park and nature news during a twice-a-month radio show on KNXR in Rochester.
Planted more than 20,000 trees with volunteers.
Palmquist has also served as a mentor for other park naturalists, interns and volunteers, readily sharing his techniques and tools of the trade to foster budding interpreters.

“Dave’s passion and enthusiasm is contagious and inspiring, especially in that it hasn’t changed over the 20 years I have had the pleasure of working with him,” said Kathy Dummer, interpretive operations coordinator for the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails. “Dave has been instrumental in shaping the high-quality interpretive program Minnesota state parks is recognized for today.”

Palmquist added, “It has been a privilege and honor to work with the wonderful visitors, staff, volunteers and resources at Whitewater State Park. The park is part of my soul and will be forever. I will continue to care about the park and be involved in some capacity.”

Year-round interpretive services at Whitewater State Park will continue under the leadership of Sara Grover, the park’s other interpretive naturalist.