Research and Monitoring

The Lake Superior Reserve conducts ongoing scientific research of its own while also partnering with natural and social scientists from research universities and government agencies. The Reserve employs two full-time research and monitoring staff who coordinate scientific research and operate the Reserve’s System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) and Sentinel Site Program. Our onsite research deals in large part with the estuary and lake ecosystems, though our partners also conduct social science research. Our research and monitoring, as well as our partners’ research, is guided by several priority themes: climate change, invasive species, pollutants, freshwater estuary research, species of special interest, restoration research and social science that improves our understanding of the socio-economic aspects of the St. Louis River Estuary. We encourage researchers who are interested in partnering with the Reserve to learn more about our research priorities and onsite capabilities.

Science is strengthened by collaboration and broad participation. We recognize that understanding the St. Louis River Estuary and its natural and human communities is not a task we can do alone. We partner with many researchers from local universities and state and federal agencies, and we plan to expand into broader and more informal scientific research partnerships with local citizens in the near future. If you are interested in learning how you could help us with our research goals, please contact the Friends of Lake Superior Reserve to learn more about volunteer and citizen science opportunities.