Description

Explore the intersection of science, nature, and hands-on practice through our series of immersive courses at Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories. The Science of Craft program offers courses that blend field-based science with reflective and skill-based practices. . 

Important details for registration:

• Each participant must register individually for their course(s). 
• Participants must be 18 or older. 
• All participants will stay on site for the duration of the course and share cabin accommodations with modern facilities at the historic Itasca Field Station. 
• Daily meals will be provided by the Itasca Station Dining Hall. 
• Participants will be asked about their housing and roommate preference, dietary requirements, and relevant health concerns during enrollment.
• The Drawn and Write sections run sequentially with a weekend between.  If you are registered for both courses, you can pay an additional fee to stay at Itasca for the weekend between courses.

Please contact IBSL@umn.edu with any questions about the courses being offered.

2026 Courses

• IBSL X100 - Fish26 - The Science of Fly Fishing (June 10-14)

• IBSL X100 - Drawn26 - Drawn to Nature: Observing and Documenting Itasca State Park (July 27-31)

• IBSL X100 - Write26 - Writing the Wild: A Northwoods-inspired Poetry and Prose Course (Aug 3-7)

Dual Enrollment Information

Participants enrolling in both Drawn to Nature and Writing the Wild may remain at the station continuously over the weekend between the two courses. During this two-day break, they are free to explore Itasca State Park and the surrounding area. To cover the cost of lodging and dining for this additional time, dual-enrolled participants will pay an extra fee.

Dual-enrolled participants must select the corresponding “Itasca weekend”  fee when registering for Writing the Wild and must also register separately for Drawn to Nature.