What can we learn from one another about water and how we can protect it? That’s the central question around which the We Are Water Minnesota project revolves. Created in 2008 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Humanities Center, the project moves to different locations around the state, providing the public with the opportunity to engage with these critical questions.
This summer, Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories (IBSL) and Itasca State Park are co-hosting this interdisciplinary, statewide initiative, which features a traveling exhibit and a series of water-focused events inviting the public to participate in guided outdoor experiences, scientific talks and other interactive programming.
“[We Are Water] presented a very special opportunity for us to highlight the value of collaboration and how what we do at the station intersects with efforts by Itasca State Park and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR),” says IBSL Associate Director Emily Schilling. “We have a lot of research and education efforts around water through the biological station [and] the DNR is doing a lot of interpretation, as well as their own water monitoring.”
Throughout the summer, park visitors and community members can view the exhibit and participate in public programs hosted by the biological station and state park, including a public seminar series exploring the science of water. The series connects the community to ongoing freshwater research and aims to foster a deeper appreciation for water’s value and preservation.
In addition, IBSL and the state park are co-hosting a series of participatory programs featuring interactive activities, demonstrations and outdoor experiences. Among these are “Loon Afternoon,” an event focused on Minnesota’s state bird, and “Wet and Wild River Day,” a tabling event at the Mississippi headwaters. IBSL student interns will act as docents for the exhibit and engage with visitors through activities like the “Water Bar,” serving flights of locally sourced drinking water from wells and local municipalities to spark conversations about drinking water.
Connie Cox, a lead interpretive naturalist for Itasca State Park who is co-leading the project with Schilling, captures the mission: “If people take away just one moment that made them think, ‘You know, I never thought about that.' How our water moves through the system, or how climate might be affecting our water or how my personal actions can affect it. That will be a success.”
Whether it’s hearing a local story from a community member, adding a personal water experience to the exhibit storyboard, taking part in a hands-on activity or joining a seminar, visitors will come away with a deeper understanding of the value of water and its importance to Minnesota. –Briana Galbraith
The We Are Water Minnesota exhibit runs through August 10 with programming offered until September 12. Learn more at z.umn.edu/WeAreWater.