Virtual St. Louis River Summit, March 1-3rd via Zoom

St. Louis River Summit goes virtual

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (Lake Superior Reserve) will hold its 11th annual St. Louis River Summit March 1-3 virtually via Zoom.

The theme for the summit, “Resilient Ecosystems, Resilient Communities,” highlights the ways the St. Louis River Estuary contributes to community well-being in the Twin Ports and beyond. The goal of the summit is to bring together key audiences working in the region to share information about the St. Louis River and encourage coordination of activities and funding proposals. 

“We are adapting the event to fit a virtual format but will provide the opportunities for engagement that are a central feature of the summit,” said Deanna Erickson, Lake Superior Reserve director. “There will still be a poster session, a River Talk, and chances to connect with colleagues and community. We hope people will join us to learn about and celebrate the healing power of the estuary as we share our successes and look toward the future.”

Keynote speakers include photographer and author Dudley Edmondson who will present will present, “The Disconnect Between African Americans and the Outdoors” and longtime Great Lakes champion Cameron Davis who will present, “A Field Guide to Hugging the St. Louis River.”

On March 1, a special meeting titled “St. Louis River Landscape Conservation Design Project System Analysis Update” will allow participants to learn about a collaborative effort to sustain the health of the estuary once it’s no longer a U.S. EPA-designated Area of Concern.

A virtual poster session will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 2. The Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve (FOLSR) will also be holding a legislative listening session.

During the morning of March 3, small-group, socially distanced field trips will be held. Options include birding with the FOLSR, Kingsbury Bay and the Waabizheshinkana Trail, snowshoeing near Pokegema Bay, and revitalization efforts on and around Barker’s Island. 

At 7 p.m. on March 3, a presentation will feature poets from across the country reading their poems about rivers. This “River of Poems” is being held as part of the popular monthly River Talk series, which is free and open to the community.

Students from local schools and institutions are invited to attend the summit to learn more about the research community and river projects. Admission for students is free, but registration is required.

The cost to attend the summit is $30. To register and view the agenda, visit lakesuperiorreserve.org/summit/.

Initial sponsors include Duluth Pottery, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute, the Lake Superior Research Institute, the Large Lakes Observatory, LimnoTech, Inc., the Minnesota Land Trust, Roen Salvage Company, the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute, the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.