Chance Encounter Connects Perpich Students with Robin Wall Kimmerer, Celebrated Environmental Author

May 14, 2026

What began as a field trip for Perpich’s Environment and Sustainability and Biology classes to the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary on May 13, 2026 quickly became a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Perpich students and staff when they unexpectedly encountered acclaimed author and scientist, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer with Derek Debrauske, Science Instructor, and students in Environment and Sustainability and Biology classes

Kimmerer, best known for her bestselling book “Braiding Sweetgrass”, was visiting the Twin Cities for a book event celebrating her recent publication, “The Serviceberry”. During the hike, she joined students in exploring the sanctuary, stopping often to identify plants, discuss ecosystems, and observe wildlife.

“It was such a treat,” said Derek Debrauske, Science Instructor. “With Dr. Kimmerer, we wandered through Eloise, identifying plants and birds along the way. She was charming and seemed to love the company of my students and me.”

The group encountered a barred owl, bitterroot, early meadow rue, and countless migratory warbler species throughout the walk. For students, the experience brought classroom learning vividly to life.

“She would stop and explain how certain plants support specific animals,” said Iris Patterson (Visual Arts 2027). “For someone so well known in the botany community, she acted like a completely normal person. She was super nice.”

Kimmerer’s work is celebrated for blending Western science with Indigenous ecological knowledge and emphasizing reciprocity with the natural world through the philosophy of the Honorable Harvest. Debrauske shared that these teachings have deeply influenced his own approach to environmental education. “This philosophy is a common thread through all of my teaching practices,” he said.

Students also reflected on how Kimmerer connected environmental awareness with the arts. “She was really interested in our school and how being artists shapes the way we think about environmental sustainability,” said Armonn Burns (Music 2026). “She pointed out things about music and nature that I’d never considered before, especially bird songs. It was really interesting to see how she connected everything together.”

Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer with Derek Debrauske, Science Instructor

Students were especially excited by the chance to learn directly from Kimmerer in the field. “She was such a nice person,” said Kolby Meyer (Visual Arts 2026). “I feel like I learned a lot just from being around her.”

English Instructor, Ryan Meaney, described “Braiding Sweetgrass” as “probably the most important nonfiction book of our time.”

The visit also highlighted the importance of ecological preservation at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary, the oldest wildflower preserve in the country and a longtime inspiration for Perpich’s campus restoration efforts. “This park is the North Star for all of our ecological restoration projects on campus,” Debrauske said.

A recording of Kimmerer’s Twin Cities interview about “The Serviceberry” will be shared by the Hennepin County Library.

Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She is the author of The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.”

The visit took place at the historic Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary, the oldest wildflower preserve in the United States and a longtime inspiration for ecological restoration efforts at Perpich. Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary is an 18-acre curated botanical garden with over 500 plant & 130 bird species, plus guided & self-guided trails. Opened on April 27, 1907, it was the first public wildflower garden in the United States.