Naturalist John Haarstad found big picture in the small

For more than 30 years, John Haarstad, resident naturalist at the Minnesota Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel, made discoveries about the big world of nature in the small nature preserve owned by the University of Minnesota.

Haarstad, with a doctorate in biology, specialized in the study of dragonflies and burying beetles.

He died of lung cancer Nov. 17 in White Bear Lake.

He was 62.

"Cedar Creek is 9 square miles, and he knew every inch of it," said Jared Trost, research coordinator at Cedar Creek. "I have never seen anybody with so much passion for a place."

Haarstad grew up in Norwood, Minn. After earning a bachelor's degree in biology from Carelton College in Northfield, he served in the Peace Corps in Nigeria, teaching science in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

He returned to the Twin Cities to pursue graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, earning his Ph.D. in the mid-1980s.

Clarence Lehman, faculty member of the University of Minnesota's Department of Ecology, said Haarstad thought of himself as an old-time naturalist, "wanting to understand the way the world was put together," but he "was a modern dispenser of knowledge to the world."

He placed thousands of pages of photos and scientific work about Cedar Creek's insects and plants on his website.

"His insect collection is one of the best of its kind anywhere for its quality and accuracy of identification and the breadth of its coverage," said Lehman.

For years, Haarstad led biology students on treks through Cedar Creek, inspiring many to continue their studies.

Kally Worm of St. Louis Park, a former intern, now an employee at the center, said he inspired her.

"We all fell in love with the area because of him," she said, noting the dragonfly emergence that he introduced to students "is a spectacular thing."

He used his drawing talent and sense of humor to tease interns, putting up signs on the trails, advertising the approach of deer fly season.

Some of those signs depicted shriveled interns, drained of blood by the biting flies. Others showed a deer fly sitting at a restaurant, perusing a menu that offered fresh intern blood.

"He was a quiet man and had a great sense of humor," said Trost.

Haarstad's brother Carl of Port Angeles, Wash., said he was an avid traveler, visiting Africa, Europe, other parts of North America and South America.

Barbara Delaney of Dresser, his former wife, said, "He made science accessible to young people, because he never talked down to anyone."

In addition to Carl and Barbara, he is survived by his mother, Viona of Norwood Young America; his other brother, Earl of Hutchinson, Minn., and sister, Pamela Rahkola of White Bear Lake.