Living laboratory

Graced with ponds and prairie grasses, forest and farmland, the U of M Morris EcoStation encompasses 140 acres outside Ashby, Minnesota—an ideal setting for hands-on learning and discovery. 

Thanks to the generous gift of land, faculty, staff, and students have used the EcoStation to conduct research, instruction, and outreach in areas like these: 

• Meteorological data collection
• Class about glacial geology
• Earthworm research
• Tree canopy research
• Herbarium specimen collection
• Jazz Band retreat
• Flora/fauna surveys
• Soil sampling

With support from donors, UMM plans to build an on-site EcoCenter, which will cover two acres and include classrooms, a lab, and gathering areas.

Watch this video to hear about one student's hands-on experience doing research at the EcoStation.