The 15th Annual St Louis River Summit. An Estuary Mosaic: Understanding the Pieces, Appreciating the Whole UW-Superior Yellowjacket Union, March 4 through 6, 2025. Next to these words, an image collage composed of a photo of wild rice (manoomin), a view of the estuary through trees, and a participatory audience from the Summit in years past, all framed by a lilypad mosaic graphic theme.

15th Annual St. Louis River Summit

An Estuary Mosaic: Understanding the pieces, appreciating the whole

March 4-6, 2025 • UW–Superior Yellowjacket Union

The 15th Annual St. Louis River Summit took place once again at the Yellowjacket Union on the campus of UW–Superior. A fully in-person multi-day event, the 2025 Summit featured a single main session track of speakers, an evening poster and art session, breakout networking sessions, student opportunities, as well as local field trips on the final day, continuing it’s run as an important community-driven event. 

We are grateful to all the presenters and artists for bringing their meaningful work to the 2025 Summit, and the many sponsors that helped make this event possible. We also thank the hundreds of attendees for their thoughtful participation, insightful questions, and continued interest and enthusiasm to engage with the river and with each other.

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View the Full 2025 Summit Program
View The Full 2025 Abstracts Agenda

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What is the St. Louis River Summit?

The Summit is a multi-day opportunity to learn and share about the St. Louis River.

Like an estuary, the St. Louis River Summit is a place where people meet and mix. It provides a diversity of solutions and strategies for a healthy St. Louis River watershed and nourishes the community with education and outreach opportunities. Since 2010, the St. Louis River Summit has brought together key audiences working in the region. You can view the proceedings of all past Summits to see what has been presented over the years.

The Summit provides many learning and connection opportunities for river enthusiasts and curious minds.
Join us during the program to engage with:

  • The status and findings of current research connected to the St. Louis River estuary
  • The results of projects that have been implemented
  • Ideas and discussion of future work in and around the estuary
  • Ways that people are connecting with the river

Thank you to our awesome 2025 sponsors.

Watershed

Lake Superior Research Institute Established 1967
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

River

City of Superior, Wisconsin. Living up to our name
City of Duluth, Minnesota, Parks and Recreation
Wisconsin Coastal Management Program
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Tributary

Barr Engineering Company
Cardno, now Stantec
Friends of the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve
GEI Consultants
Limnotech – Water, Environment, Scientists, Engineers
Minnesota Sea Grant
University of Minnesota, Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute Water Research, and Forest and Land Research Groups - Driven to Discover
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District. Clear Answers for Clean Water

Nonprofit

Duluth Pottery and Tile
The Izaak Walton League of America McCabe Chapter of Duluth, Minnesota
University of Minnesota Duluth Large Lakes Observatory – Driven to Discover
Minnesota Land Trust
Nitrogen Elimination Company Clean water fertile soil serious science
Wrenworks, LLC

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUMMIT?

Contact:
Karina Heim, Coastal Training Program Coordinator
karina.heim@wisc.edu

FIND INFORMATION ABOUT PAST SUMMITS

The proceedings of all past Summits have been summarized and made available in a downloadable PDF format. View past summit proceedings.

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A NOTE ABOUT ADVOCACY AND THE ST. LOUIS RIVER SUMMIT

The St. Louis River Summit is intended to facilitate shared community dialog related to socio-ecological issues and natural and social science in the St. Louis River estuary. The Summit is organized and financially supported by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, with help from many generous sponsors. As a part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension and the NOAA-led National Estuarine Research Reserve system, the Reserve itself does not engage in advocacy and as state employees, staff follow clear guidelines. The views of presenters and sponsors who participate in the Summit are theirs or their organizations and do not represent the views, mission or work of the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve.