You’re invited to the Twin Ports Freshwater Folk (TPFF) event on September 2, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This month’s speaker will be Molly Wick, research coordinator at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve.
In-person attendees are invited to the Duluth MPCA conference room at 11:30 a.m. for networking, sandwiches, and plenty of fresh water. The online and in-person presentation will begin at noon. Sadly, the Zoom option is sandwich-free.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required for in-person and virtual attendance.
When
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CDT
Location
Duluth EPA Lab, Ontonagon Room
6201 Congdon Blvd.
Duluth, MN 55804
Registration
- In-person registration
- Virtual registration
Event schedule
- 11:30 a.m. Lunch and networking (in-person only)
- 12:00 p.m. Attendee announcements
- 12:05 p.m. Presentation
- 12:50 p.m. Moderated question and answer session
- Adjourning by 1 p.m. at the latest.
Presenter info
Molly Wick is the research coordinator at the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve in Superior, Wisconsin. She received a Ph.D. and an M.S. in water resources science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She also holds an M.S. degree in Earth and planetary science from the University of New Mexico and a B.S. in geology from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Wick is a social-ecological scientist with expertise in cultural ecosystem services, human-nature relationships, aquatic ecosystem assessment, coastal and estuarine habitat restoration, and environmental decision-making. She has lived, worked, and played in the St. Louis River estuary region since 2011.
Presentation abstract
The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve’s new research coordinator, Molly Wick, will share a vision for the future of the Reserve’s research program and preliminary findings from an ongoing Reserve research needs assessment.
Focused on the St. Louis River estuary, the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve is part of the University of Wisconsin- Madison Extension and is one of 30 reserves in the United States and Puerto Rico, and one of two in the Great Lakes. The Reserve System is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and coastal states that protects over 1.4 million acres to support research, monitoring, education, and stewardship of estuaries and coastal ecosystems.
In the 16 years since the Lake Superior Reserve was designated, staff have established a System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) that produces long-term wetland monitoring data and continuous water quality monitoring data. The program has gained assets like research facilities, equipment, and vehicles that can be leveraged in partnership with collaborators with shared goals. The Reserve offers opportunities for students and advanced researchers to connect with an expansive partner network spanning regional academic and non-academic partnerships and the greater Reserve system. There are opportunities to integrate and develop research with other Reserve programs like stewardship, education, and coastal training programs to increase research impact.
An ongoing research needs assessment is informing a vision for the Reserve research program. The research program’s focus is to advance knowledge of freshwater estuarine patterns and processes, improve understanding of how communities influence and depend on freshwater estuaries, and apply this information for improved restoration and stewardship decision-making. The Reserve research program aims to be a source for the leading science on the St. Louis River estuary and coastal Lake Superior environments by leading, collaborating on, facilitating, and communicating innovative estuarine research. In this talk, Molly will share an overview of key research areas emerging from the needs assessment. The program will include opportunities for attendees to provide feedback on this developing vision.
About TPFF
Twin Ports Freshwater Folk (TPFF) is an informal gathering of individuals from the Twin Ports who are involved in freshwater research, policy, or regulatory issues. Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of every month and include networking, informal discussion, and a seminar.
Event Sponsors
- Minnesota Sea Grant
- Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Large Lakes Observatory at the University of Minnesota Duluth
- Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota Duluth
Subscribe
Sign up to receive notifications about upcoming TPFF events.
Contact
Alex Frie, research and fellowship coordinator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth. [email protected].