Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories

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Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories

Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories is among a global network of field stations that enable "place-based" teaching, research, and public engagement.

The official page of the UMN Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories © 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota.All rights reserved.The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Itasca, however, is like no other place. It is a sentinel on the edge of forest and prairie biomes, a source for waters of the Mississippi River, and a common ground for people in nature since 1909.

08/27/2026

Immerse yourself in freshwater science at the Minnesota State Fair with Itasca Biological Station! Hands-on activities will showcase the research happening at Itasca and the Mississippi headwaters. Come connect with us Thursday, September 3 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Eco Experience building at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!

Learn more 👉 z.umn.edu/CBSStateFair26

08/24/2026

Cassidy and Layne are finishing a stellar summer as the 2026 Itasca Station Interns. They have been instrumental to the station's field research, outreach (particularly with We Are Water MN) and operations work this year. They were a great addition to our station community.

Cassidy is majoring in Forest and Natural Resource Management, entering her senior year, and Layne is a rising junior in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology.

Thank you, Cassidy and Layne!

08/10/2026

What an incredible finale to our We Are Water MN programming at Itasca State Park! Around 400 visitors joined us for Wet and Wild Mississippi River Day last week, exploring a scenic 3/4-mile stretch from the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Visitor Center to the We Are Water exhibit at the Lakeside Museum.

We had 16 different educational stations led by various groups, including Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Dragonfly Society, University of Minnesota researchers, Itasca Biological Station interns, friends of Itasca and Itasca State Park interns. Topics covered water safety, fisheries (a live tank with fish!), dragonflies (live aquatic nymphs and adults), wild rice, loons, freshwater science at the biological station, aquatic invasives, a Water Bar (water tasting!) and more.

Thank you to everyone who came out to explore, learn and celebrate Minnesota's connection to water with us! 💧

08/08/2026

Take a tour of Itasca Station on Monday, August 10 at 10 a.m. to get a close-up view of the facilities that support our research and teaching efforts! We co-lead these tours with Itasca State Park naturalists who will share information about the station's history and its relationship with the park. Station staff will also share information about our long-term environmental monitoring efforts, current research projects and educational programming. Open to the public!

08/07/2026

Cam Sharpe and Madison Misterek presented their Itasca research projects this week as part of the University of Minnesota Summer Undergraduate Research Expo! Both students were mentored by longtime Itasca Field Biology Program faculty Joe Whittaker, who teaches Field Studies in Mammalogy, and Brian Wisenden, who teaches Animal Behavior in the Field.

Cam's research focuses on the expansion and increased competition of the Southern Flying Squirrel in Itasca State Park, and the decline in the native Northern Flying Squirrel population. Cam worked on the project with fellow student researcher Maddy Schilling of Gustavus Adolphus College. The research was funded, in part, by an Itasca Seed-to-Root fellowship.

Madison investigates how the recolonization of mollusk-eating pumpkinseed sunfish in a lake in Itasca State Park led to a dramatic drop in brain parasites among fathead minnows. The findings suggest that sunfish disrupt parasite transmission by preying on the snails that host them.

These projects highlight how Itasca’s field-based coursework can intersect with faculty-mentored research, giving students the opportunity to apply what they’re learning in the field to active research projects.

07/30/2026

Did you know that dragonflies are aquatic insects, spending most of their lives underwater before emerging as powerful fliers? Discover the remarkable journeys of North America’s largest dragonflies — the darners. Learn how researchers study their long-distance migrations, explore their underwater nymph stage up close and watch for flying adults during this hands-on program through We Are Water MN led by Itasca Associate Director Dr. Emily Schilling.

📅 Monday, August 3
⏰ 10-11 a.m.
📍 Biome Center, Itasca Station

Learn more at z.umn.edu/WeAreWater

07/29/2026

Step into a morning of creativity and calm at Wellness by the Water: Nature Journaling, happening Saturday, August 1, 10–11:30 a.m. at the Lakeside Museum picnic shelter.

Nature journaling invites you to notice more: the patterns in the trees, the movement on the lake, the tiny details that often slip by. With guidance from Dr. Jennifer Powers, professor of Plant and Microbial Biology and Itasca Drawn to Nature instructor, we’ll explore how drawing and writing can deepen your connection to the natural world. A limited supply of notebooks and colored pencils will be available; feel free to bring your own favorites.

Find more details at z.umn.edu/WeAreWater.

07/28/2026

Ever wondered what researchers are discovering right in our backyard? Join us on July 30 at 10 a.m. for Nature of Science (NatSci)! Through this program, scientists engage with park visitors who are curious to learn about the natural world through the lens of scientific research. With the support of station staff and state park interpretive naturalists, scientists lead a one- to two-hour event to share their science with the public. Our upcoming session will be geared towards kids and focus on hummingbirds.

Learn more about our public programming at z.umn.edu/ItascaOutreach

07/27/2026

Join us for a public seminar co-presented by Zhaashiigid Nooding (Ojibwe knowledge-holder from the White Earth Nation Reservation and Red Lake Nation citizen) and Crystal Ng (settler hydrologist and professor at the University of Minnesota) on July 30 from 7-8 p.m.

Manoomin (in Ojibwe), or natural wild rice, is an aquatic plant central to the cultural identity of Indigenous peoples throughout the Upper Great Lakes region. Tribal harvesters also hold generations of understanding about the natural and human factors that influence its well-being. Nooding and Ng will share their collaboration story of bringing together Indigenous knowledge and Western science to protect Manoomin, an endeavor that protects all the water and human and non-human beings around it.

Learn more about We Are Water MN programming at z.umn.edu/WeAreWater.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Minnesota State Parks and Trails

07/23/2026

What can we learn from one another about water and how we can protect it?

That’s the central question behind We Are Water MN, a statewide initiative featuring a traveling exhibit and event series co-hosted by Itasca Biological Station and Itasca State Park. Throughout the summer, park visitors and community members can connect to ongoing freshwater research and foster a deeper appreciation for water’s value and preservation.

“[We Are Water] presented a very special opportunity for us to highlight the value of collaboration and how what we do at the station intersects with efforts by Itasca State Park and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,” says Itasca Station Associate Director Emily Schilling.

Join the conversation and build a deeper understanding of Minnesota’s waters! The We Are Water Minnesota exhibit runs through August 10 with programming offered until September 12.

👉 Learn more at z.umn.edu/WeAreWaterStory

Address

28131 University Cir
Lake Itasca, MN
56676

Telephone

+12186993550

Website

http://cbs.umn.edu/itasca/

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