Rooted in the Estuary

February 8, 6:30-8:30 pm

3 Marina Dr, Superior, Wisconsin

FREE



Join us for an evening of fun focused on FOLSR, the Lake Superior Reserve and the intersection between science, art and culture with Ojibwe artist Sam Zimmerman. After brief FOLSR updates, Sam will share what inspires him to paint and the personal connection he has to his homeland. Socialize with others with a passion for the environment and enjoy refreshments, door prizes, stories, and more. See the full article and agenda here.

On December 30, 2023, FOLSR had the honor of hosting Superior's annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the first time! Folks came from Wisconsin and Minnesota to help collect data on our area's winter bird species. The information they collected will add to 124 years of ongoing citizen science collated by the National Audubon Society. Due to this year's warm El Niño conditions, we saw some unusual bird behavior and a few unexpected feathered friends.

More details and the full count results can be found here.

As per usual, there is no shortage of achievements and projects happening at the Lake Superior Reserve!

Hannah Ramage, Reserve Monitoring Coordinator, earned the National Estuarine Research Reserve System's Technical Service Award in November 2023. This award recognizes Hannah's technical skills and support for the System-Wide Monitoring Program and data management. Congratulations, Hannah!

Karina Heim, Coastal Training Program Coordinator, partnered on an online and in-print publication, Ganawenindiwag (Ojibwe for "they take care of each other"), which empowers users to grow, promote, and use plants adapted to coastal areas of Gichigami (Lake Superior). This two-year project was in partnership with the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, the Lake Superior Research Institute, and the Division of Extension Natural Resources Institute.

Deanna Erickson, Reserve Director, was appointed to serve a four-year term on NOAA's inaugural Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee, helping to advise coastal conservation efforts nationally. Congratulations, Deanna!

See more noteworthy Reserve projects, news, and details here!



Get ready for another chilly day of fun on Barker's Island at this year's Ice Festival, January 26-27! Enjoy refreshments, games, fireworks, and more as community partners come together to provide some winter surprises.

Don't forget to stop by and say, "Hi!" to your Friends! The Estuarium will be open from 5 - 8 pm on Friday and 10 am - 5 pm on Saturday.

See full event information here.

On March 6-8, join the Reserve and many community partners for a multi-day opportunity to learn and share information about current research, projects, and ideas regarding the St. Louis River.

Since 2010, the Summit has brought together people working on the wellbeing of the region. Register today on the Reserve website ($60, students are free).

Registrants can access presentations about current St. Louis River work, networking sessions, an evening Poster and Art reception, and field trip opportunities. Hope to see you there!

Meet Kate McCall!

Kate and her husband Dean have lived next to the estuary since 1991. Kate has served on FOLSR's Board of Directors for the past 3 years ably coordinating volunteers and advising the direction of the organization. She is cycling off the Board this year and we wanted to say, "We will miss you, Kate!"

About FOLSR, Kate said, "After working 40 years in the medical field, I was ready to pursue work in my other passion, the environment. This led me to becoming a board member for FOLSR. I wanted to learn about the rich history of the land and waters in the place where I live, work and play. I wanted to get acquainted with what has recently been done, what is currently going on, and future plans. I wanted to learn about invasive species and how we can counteract the problem. Most of all, I wanted to meet the people doing the work. The staff at Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve are a wonderful group! They are so knowledgeable, work hard in many different areas, and welcome the volunteers with a smile. The FOLSR Board vision and mission is needed and appropriate for this wetland area, this national estuary. It has been a rewarding time working on the board, and I look forward to volunteering with them in the future."