PELLSTON – If you’re curious about the scientific work being done at the University of Michigan Biological Station, visitors can get a close look at their ongoing projects and research during an open house Sunday.
Located near Pellston, the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) includes laboratories and cabins on a 10,000-acre site along Douglas Lake. The station has been in operation since 1909 and serves as a place for researchers to conduct their work on the Northern Michigan ecosystem, as well as a place for students to learn and gain experience in field research.
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During their time at UMBS, students participate in various research studies. Many of these studies are based on long-term data collection, meaning that several generations of students work on them.
According to UMBS, the station’s primary mission is to “advance environmental research in the field, engage students in scientific discovery, and provide information needed to understand and conserve ecosystems from local to global scales. In this interdisciplinary, interactive community, students, faculty, and researchers from around the world come together to learn about and benefit from nature and to seek solutions to the critical environmental problems of our time.”
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The open house, which will take place on Sunday, July 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., will allow guests to explore the main research campus and meet researchers. Most notably, the Great Lakes Piping Plover breeding team, which has been working to save the endangered shorebird species for over 30 years, will be on site.
Visitors are also invited to attend a poetry workshop with the artist-in-residence at UMBS in July at 12:30 p.m.
Admission to the open day is free and open to everyone.
“We are thrilled to welcome local community members and families to one of the largest and longest-operating field stations in the country,” said Dr. Aimée Classen, director of UMBS and a professor in UM’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, in a press release. “Founded in 1909, the station is a site of scientific discovery that is changing the way we view the world. Together, we can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of local lake ecosystems and improve public engagement in support of conservation.”
Refreshments will be served at the open house at 9133 Biological Road in Pellston.
For more information, visit lsa.umich.edu/umbs.
– Contact Jillian Fellows at [email protected].
This article originally appeared in The Petoskey News-Review: Take a closer look at the UM Biological Station at the open house
