LSC Symposium
Bringing together conservation professionals from across Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin.
About the Symposium
The Lake Superior Collaborative Symposium is an annual event designed to share and discuss current projects, data, and ideas while strengthening connections among professionals working on conservation, restoration, and climate-adaptive projects in Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin.
The Symposium provides valuable networking opportunities and space for group input and action planning that help shape collaborative efforts for the future. Participants share success stories, explore new research, and identify opportunities for collaboration across organizations and disciplines.
Each year, the Symposium brings the Collaborative network together at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, Wisconsin.
2027 Symposium
Celebrating Resilience Through Connection
January 19 to 21, 2027 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, Wisconsin. January 21 is available for workgroup and initiative meetings following the main Symposium.
Lodging: A hotel block is available at the Cobblestone Inn & Suites in Ashland. Use the group code Lake Superior Collaborative when booking.
Sponsorship: Sponsorships help cover registration for attendees who would otherwise face cost barriers. View sponsorship opportunities. Sponsor by December 18, 2026.
Updates: Want Symposium updates? Subscribe to our newsletter.
Registration
Registration is now open for the 2027 Symposium. Registration closes January 6, 2027.
Program
The full program, including sessions and speakers, will be posted here as it is finalized.
Coming Soon
Agenda at a Glance
- 12:00 PMRegistration & Check-In
- 1:00 PMWelcome
- 1:15 PMKeynote
- 2:15 PMBreak
- 2:30 PMAfternoon Workshops
- 4:30 PMEnd of Day
- 8:00 AMPoster Session: Kringle & Mingle
- 9:30 AMLightning Talks
- 10:30 AMBreak & Network with Presenters
- 11:00 AMLightning Talks
- 12:00 PMLunch
- 1:00 PMLightning Talks
- 2:00 PMBreak & Network with Presenters
- 2:30 PMAfternoon Workshops
- 4:30 PMAdjourn
- 5:00 – 8:00 PMEvening Social at the Sandbar
- 9:00 AM – 2:00 PMBonus Workshop: Preparing for Extreme Weather Events from a Human Health, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Lens
Celebrating Resilience Through Connection
Resilience doesn't happen in isolation. The communities, ecosystems, and organizations working across Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin have faced real challenges including extreme weather, habitat loss, aging infrastructure, and shifting funding landscapes. Through it all, they continue to show up for each other and for the land. The 2027 Symposium is an opportunity to pause, recognize that progress, and deepen the connections that make it possible.
This year's theme invites participants to reflect on resilience as a quality of partnerships, communities, and people, as well as an ecological concept. We'll share stories from the field, learn from each other's work, and explore where deeper collaboration can help us go further together.
Symposium Recaps
Each year's Symposium builds on the last, deepening connections and advancing collaborative conservation in Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin.
Stronger Together: Linking Land, Water, and People
83 participants came together for workshops, lightning talks, a poster session, and a keynote — plus a surprise visit from Governor Tony Evers. The event was rescheduled due to the federal government shutdown and ultimately held January 26–27, 2026.
Read the Recap →Widening the Horizons of Restoration
Over 50 attendees from 24 organizations explored restoration initiatives, pitch parties, and field tours. The event set the stage for further action and collaboration across Wisconsin's Lake Superior communities.
Read the Recap →Connect With the Collaborative
Have questions about the Lake Superior Collaborative (LSC) or want to get involved? We'd love to hear from you.
Program Coordinator
Catie Geib
Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center
29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 54806
715-820-1852
catie.geib@wisc.edu