Get Wild Inspired!

 Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge  has been inspiring nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts for decades. Though it's primarily a refuge and breeding ground for birds and wildlife, visitors also "find refuge" there. With the Wild Inspired app, visitors will be able to share their experiences on the refuge through images, audio, and writing (video to come). These experience can then be shared on Tamarac's interactive refuge map for other visitors to view. We hope that you will join us in sharing your creativity, insights, and inspiration with this exciting interactive social experience.

Option 1. Wild Inspired is is currently available to download for iOS from the App Store and for Android at the Google Play store.

The Wild Inspired Map hosts creative submissions from the app! The legend includes the different types of entries such as School Field Trip, Recreational, and The Wildlife.

By Kelly Blackledge, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge

Last year a partnership began with Tamarac Refuge and Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) to create a project that would engage visitors through the creative arts. The team was awarded a Minnesota Innovation Grant after a "Shark Tank" presentation of the project, Finding Refuge: Using GIS Technology to unite natural, historical, cultural, and creative experiences in the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. Wild Inspired is the mobile app the team is creating.

“When we see a beautiful landscape or a loon, that moment of amazement is when we get that sparkle,” says Kevin Zepper, professor of English at MSUM and one of the Finding Refuge team members. “We’re trying to capture and share that moment of awe with everyone.”

The Finding Refuge team is multidisciplinary and includes: Professor Travis Dolence (distance learning/web librarian), Professor Alex Fogarty (graphic communications), Professor Tonya "TJ" Hanson (economics, law and politics), Professor Kevin Zepper (English), Dr. David Kramar (NDSU Extension, research specialist), and Kelly Blackledge (visitor services manager, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge). MSUM students are also a part of bringing this project to fruition. From graphic design to marketing and testing, college students are playing a vital role in the development of the Finding Refuge project and Wild Inspired app.