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.

Big science happening at Itasca! We are thrilled to celebrate Iowa State University geochemist Elizabeth (Betsy) Swanner...
10/14/2026

Big science happening at Itasca! We are thrilled to celebrate Iowa State University geochemist Elizabeth (Betsy) Swanner, and her research group, whose work on Deming Lake contributed to a study just published in Science Science Magazine! For years, Betsy and her team have made Itasca Biological Station their homebase for research on Deming Lake, a rare, permanently stratified Lake, where deep waters never mix with the surface. This unique, low oxygen environment, makes it an exceptional place to study aquatic processes. Samples collected at Deming helped an international research team demonstrate a more precise way to measure denitrification – the natural process through which microbes convert nitrate into nitrogen gas. The new method could help scientists understand nitrogen cycling and water quality. We’re proud that Deming Lake continues to contribute to scientific discovery, and that Itasca Biological helps make this kind of research possible. Tap our stories for a direct link to the future article.

The 2026 The Nobel Conference, focusing on the Mississippi River, was a wonderful opportunity for Itasca Biological Stat...
10/07/2026

The 2026 The Nobel Conference, focusing on the Mississippi River, was a wonderful opportunity for Itasca Biological Station to share the freshwater science happening here at the Headwaters with students and the public. ~65 participants joined us for our Discover the Headwaters breakout session yesterday, where we explored the value of our long term datasets and how scientists are using lake sediments, water monitoring, dragonflies and loons to understand changing ecosystems across our landscape. We also loved hearing from so many speakers from across the Mississippi River basin - including UMN colleagues and beyond - sharing their research and perspectives on the river. Thank you Gustavus Adolphus College for bringing us all together around the Mississippi!

At Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories, research and education go hand in hand. Since the early 1900s, the statio...
10/02/2026

At Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories, research and education go hand in hand. Since the early 1900s, the station has been conducting water monitoring at the headwaters of the Mississippi River, building a long-term record that helps us understand environmental change and protect the river at its source.

Thanks to generous donors, student interns help keep this important work going, gaining hands-on experience in field research and sharing what they learn with thousands of Itasca State Park visitors through outreach programs like We Are Water MN this summer.

Watch the video to meet this past summer's interns and learn how IBSL is helping steward the future of water in Minnesota! 👉 z.umn.edu/SummerInterns2026

Minnesota State Parks and Trails

From identifying novel cyanophages to examining drivers of fungal community composition across forest types, Itasca’s 20...
09/22/2026

From identifying novel cyanophages to examining drivers of fungal community composition across forest types, Itasca’s 2026 Seed-to-Root and Seed-to-Sow student and postdoc research fellows engaged with place-based field science through our seed grant program.

Learn more about applying for funding at z.umn.edu/SeedtoRoot.

Itasca Station leadership just wrapped up the week at the annual meeting of the Organization of Biological Field Station...
09/19/2026

Itasca Station leadership just wrapped up the week at the annual meeting of the Organization of Biological Field Stations (Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS)) at the Schoodic Institute (Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park) in Acadia National Park, convening with ~160 colleagues from field stations across North America to share our science, education, and outreach efforts - and to learn from each other. Grateful for the conversations, collaborations, and ideas that keep our field station community connected and strong.

Last weekend, just ahead of the start of the fall semester on campus, we welcomed University Honors Program students to ...
09/09/2026

Last weekend, just ahead of the start of the fall semester on campus, we welcomed University Honors Program students to the station for “Dear River”, an Honors College Nexus experience that combines learning about the Mississippi River watershed with creative writing. Students wrote and mailed postcards to the river - honoring her, expressing gratitude and curiosity, and reflecting on their connection to this amazing water flowing through an incredible landscape. 💦🌲

We had a great year at the Minnesota State Fair this year in the EcoExperience building. All of our freshwater themed ac...
09/08/2026

We had a great year at the Minnesota State Fair this year in the EcoExperience building. All of our freshwater themed activities were developed as part of We Are Water MN for our summer programming in Itasca State Park. So fun to bring them to the fair! Thanks Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for hosting us at the community table and thanks to our College of Biological Sciences student volunteers.

Come join us at the Minnesota State Fair today, September 3, and immerse yourself in freshwater science! Hands-on activi...
09/03/2026

Come join us at the Minnesota State Fair today, September 3, and immerse yourself in freshwater science! Hands-on activities will showcase the research happening at Itasca and the Mississippi headwaters. We'll be in the Eco Experience building from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

See you at the Great Minnesota Get-Together! 🎡

Learn more 👉 z.umn.edu/CBSStateFair26

Are you a University of Minnesota undergraduate student curious about field courses, but want a sneak peek? From October...
09/01/2026

Are you a University of Minnesota undergraduate student curious about field courses, but want a sneak peek? From October 2-4, you’ll explore a variety of habitats and hands-on sampling methods in the heart of iconic Itasca State Park. Guided by experienced faculty and field instructors, this is your chance to experience firsthand what fieldwork and life are like at a biological field station. Priority will be given to students who express interest by September 24.

Visit z.umn.edu/FindYourField to apply now!

Starry skies and a headwaters moonrise. Summer is winding down at Itasca.
09/01/2026

Starry skies and a headwaters moonrise. Summer is winding down at Itasca.

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28131 University Cir
Lake Itasca, MN
56676

Telephone

+12186993550

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