An Invitation from the Director

David Biesboer, Itasca Director.

The Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories is one of the oldest continuously operated inland field stations in the United States. The Station is located within Itasca State Park on the shores of Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River.

The Station was opened in 1909, not long after the establishment of Itasca State Park by the State of Minnesota, and thus is an integral part of a well-protected ecosystem. It is the perfect place to study many organisms in their natural environments because the Station is near the intersection of the northern coniferous forest, the eastern deciduous forest, and the western prairie.

The Itasca Biological Station and Laboratory is a unit of the College of Biological Sciences of the University of Minnesota. It is host to a large teaching program in the field sciences that is open to all college and university students in the U.S. or internationally. If you are an undergraduate or graduate student in good standing at any institution of higher learning, you can enroll for one of our courses at the Station. These credits are fully transferable to your institution.

Outside of the teaching program, the IBSL hosts other units and activities in many disciplines. During the summers, we have programs in the neurosciences, cell biology, molecular techniques, high school teacher training, and international programs with Brazil and the Czech Republic.

Our facility has dining hall facilities and living space for approximately 120 people. Consider it for your special meetings, teaching programs, or retreats.

We also have a number of sponsored scientific research projects each year at the Station. If you are a researcher and wish to use the Itasca Station for your research work, please feel free to contact us to explore the possibilities.

On behalf of the staff and faculty of the Lake Itasca Forestry and Biological Station, I invite you to attend a class or use the facilities for research or your group meetings. If you have any questions, please contact the associate director Dr. Jon Ross, the program administrator Erin Fider, or me via phone or email. We can provide information about availability of the facilities and current fees. We look forward to speaking with you.

~ Professor David Biesboer, Ph.D., Director, IBSL