Carly Aulicky, PhD is a Conservation Program Manager with the Minnesota Land Trust, where she helps landowners with conservation easements and works to preserve natural areas in the Twin Cities Metro region. Prior to joining the Land Trust, Carly worked in prairie conservation in Texas. Carly completed her doctorates at the Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Kansas State University in 2020, where she researched lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). Before her work in Kansas, Carly worked with tropical birds for her M.S. in ecology completed in 2014 at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and received her B.S. in ecology and natural resources from Rutgers University. When she’s not out with Meghan their dog Kipo exploring nature at the speed of botany, Carly plays D&D, writes poetry and fiction, and practices martial arts.

Meghan Cassidy is a data analyst by day, and a naturalist, nature educator, and photographer by night. Meghan is fascinated by native plants, snakes, insects, and everything in class arachnida! An avid proponent of the importance of citizen science, Meghan is the iNaturalist super user wildcarrot, where she may have helped identify one of your spiders.

Meghan has been learning about spiders for the last 10 years and has been conducting nature education with a focus on spiders for almost 6 years. She enjoys sharing her love for spiders with the public and is available for presentations in-person in Minnesota and remotely.

Meghan is passionate about wildlife photography, and specializes in macrophotography of tiny critters in-situ! Her photos can be found in several books, scientific publications, species accounts, and online articles. View and learn more about Meghan’s photography!

Meghan can often be found in Minnesota parks taking macro photography of tiny critters with Carly and Kipo, but she also enjoys reading epic fantasy, concerts, and women’s hockey.

Kipo is a border collie mix named after the fabulous cartoon character from Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts! Kipo enjoys herding eastern bumblebees, finding beetles and other small critters with her ears and nose, and long stare downs with squirrels. She can often be found shoving her whole face into tallgrass prairie while her moms are out taking pictures of nature. When not out hiking or camping, Kipo can be found cuddled up to someone on the couch, or singing the songs of her people until the family snack options improve.