Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute
Encyclopedia
The Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute is the outreach arm of Northland College
in Ashland, Wisconsin
. On August 27, 1971, a little over a year after the celebration of the first Earth Day
, Northland College
hosted its first environmental
conference. Among those invited to address the two-day conference were United States Senator Gaylord Nelson
, and Sigurd Olson. The conference became "the instrument of origin of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute," as Robert Matteson, the founder of the Institute, wrote. With energy to move in a new and exciting direction, and guided by the philosophies of Sigurd Olson, the Institute opened its doors in spring of 1972, embarking on more than 30 years of serving Northland College and the Lake Superior
region.
The Institute, in the spirit of Sigurd Olson, empowers citizens to be good stewards of the environment by facilitating solutions to environmental problems in the North Country
through education, research, and citizen involvement.
Since 1992, and in the spirit of celebrating Sigurd’s literary legacy, the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute (SOEI) at Northland College has recognized remarkable environmental adult literature that captures the spirit of the human relationship with the natural world, and promotes the values that preserve or restore the land for future generations.
Since 2004, the SOEI has recognized a children's book of literacy nature writing—nonfiction or fiction—that captures the spirit of the human relationship with nature, and promotes the awareness, preservation, appreciation, or restoration of the natural world for future generations.
Monitoring
Wisconsin Department of Transportation: Roy Johnson West Wetland Mitigation Bank, Wal-Mart Supercenter stormwater basin, John F. Kennedy Memorial Airport Wildlife Hazard Assessment
Wisconsin Department of Transportation: Beartrap Creek Wetland Mitigation Bank groundwater.
Outreach Education
Brickyard Creek Learning Walks, Citizen Based monitoring, Tree Campus USA, Ecological Restoration
Community Based Research
Watershed Management: Bay City Creek, Brickyard Creek, Geospatial Interpretation, Multimedia Learning, Green Infrastructure
Planning and Restoration
Bony Lake shoreline restoration, Beartrap Creek Wetland Mitigation bank, Private Land Stewardship, Fish Creek Watershed Project.
Island School runs each May and is held on various islands in the Apostle Islands archipelago. Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute started developing this unique learning experience in 1985 in cooperation with the Northland College Outdoor Education Department and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. For 19 years, the program curriculum and instruction has been led by outdoor education students at Northland College as part of their senior capstone. The Apostle Island School program works in collaboration with the Northland College Outdoor Education Department, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and the Apostle Island Cruise Service.
The Apostle Island School hosts two different outdoor-educational experiences.
Day Trips:Available for both fifth and sixth-grade students, the day is spent on Madeline Island in search of the island's history, natural ecosystems, geological formation, and growth/development of the historic town of La Pointe. The day includes a ferry ride, visitation of the Madeline Island Historical Museum or Big Bay State Park, Grant's Point Beach, a tour of La Pointe, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Residential trips:Available to sixth-grade students, the two-and-a-half day excursion begins by boarding an Apostle Islands Cruise Service boat in Bayfield, bound for Stockton Island, home of base camp for the next two nights. During the course of the trip, students will work on developing cooperative skills, participate in group cooking, explore Lake Superior, discover the natural history of the region, learn about the geological formation of the region, and participate in a multitude of fun-filled games.
Northland College (Wisconsin)
Northland College is a small, coeducational, liberal arts college in Ashland, Wisconsin, USA. Founded as the North Wisconsin Academy in 1892, the college was established in 1906. Originally affiliated with the Congregational Church, the college remains loosely tied to the Congregational Church's...
in Ashland, Wisconsin
Ashland, Wisconsin
Ashland is a city in Ashland and Bayfield counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The city is a port on Lake Superior, near the head of Chequamegon Bay. The population was 8,695 at the 2010 census....
. On August 27, 1971, a little over a year after the celebration of the first Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
, Northland College
Northland College (Wisconsin)
Northland College is a small, coeducational, liberal arts college in Ashland, Wisconsin, USA. Founded as the North Wisconsin Academy in 1892, the college was established in 1906. Originally affiliated with the Congregational Church, the college remains loosely tied to the Congregational Church's...
hosted its first environmental
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
conference. Among those invited to address the two-day conference were United States Senator Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Anton Nelson was an American politician from Wisconsin who served as a United States Senator and governor. A Democrat, he was the principal founder of Earth Day.-Public service and leadership:...
, and Sigurd Olson. The conference became "the instrument of origin of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute," as Robert Matteson, the founder of the Institute, wrote. With energy to move in a new and exciting direction, and guided by the philosophies of Sigurd Olson, the Institute opened its doors in spring of 1972, embarking on more than 30 years of serving Northland College and the Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
region.
The Institute, in the spirit of Sigurd Olson, empowers citizens to be good stewards of the environment by facilitating solutions to environmental problems in the North Country
North Country
-Locations:North America*The extreme northern regions of the continental United States, bordering Canada **North Country Trail, a long-distance foot trail...
through education, research, and citizen involvement.
Loonwatch
LoonWatch, a program of the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, protects common loons and their aquatic habitats through education, monitoring, and research. Though their primary focus is Wisconsin, their education and research activities extend to Upper Great Lakes region, such as Michigan and Minnesota. The Watch also lends support to North American conservation efforts by working with loon conservation organizations across the United States and Canada. LoonWatch, its Advisory Council, and volunteers are all working toward common goals of loon conservation and protection.Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award
In 1974, inspirational conservationist and writer Sigurd F. Olson won the John Burroughs Medal for his book, Wilderness Days.Since 1992, and in the spirit of celebrating Sigurd’s literary legacy, the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute (SOEI) at Northland College has recognized remarkable environmental adult literature that captures the spirit of the human relationship with the natural world, and promotes the values that preserve or restore the land for future generations.
Since 2004, the SOEI has recognized a children's book of literacy nature writing—nonfiction or fiction—that captures the spirit of the human relationship with nature, and promotes the awareness, preservation, appreciation, or restoration of the natural world for future generations.
Land and Water Stewardship
The Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute has a long history of combining programs, workshops, and outreach activities to assist with environmental protection and restoration in the Lake Superior region. Working collaboratively with private landowners, businesses, public agencies and tribal governments Northland College faculty, staff and students utilize a unique interdisciplinary approach to assessment, monitoring and planning. This collaborative approach provides services to the community and hands on engagement for our students. Current projects cover a spectrum that includes environmental monitoring, outreach education, community-based research, planning, and restoration. Specific examples:Monitoring
Wisconsin Department of Transportation: Roy Johnson West Wetland Mitigation Bank, Wal-Mart Supercenter stormwater basin, John F. Kennedy Memorial Airport Wildlife Hazard Assessment
Wisconsin Department of Transportation: Beartrap Creek Wetland Mitigation Bank groundwater.
Outreach Education
Brickyard Creek Learning Walks, Citizen Based monitoring, Tree Campus USA, Ecological Restoration
Community Based Research
Watershed Management: Bay City Creek, Brickyard Creek, Geospatial Interpretation, Multimedia Learning, Green Infrastructure
Planning and Restoration
Bony Lake shoreline restoration, Beartrap Creek Wetland Mitigation bank, Private Land Stewardship, Fish Creek Watershed Project.
Lake Superior Binational Forum
The Lake Superior Binational Forum is a model partnership of 24 volunteer members from various sectors including small businesses, environmental organizations, industry, Native Americans, First Nations and academia. Its purpose is to provide input and analysis to the governments about critical issues relating to Lake Superior such as discharge of toxic substances, pollution prevention and restoration efforts. The members are also responsible for developing creative new strategies for eliminating pollutants and contributing toward the foundation of a sustainable economy.Apostle Island School
Apostle Island School is an environmental education program aimed at providing regional youth with an outdoor experience to increase students’ awareness of both the regional history and the wide array of local resources of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Lake Superior.Island School runs each May and is held on various islands in the Apostle Islands archipelago. Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute started developing this unique learning experience in 1985 in cooperation with the Northland College Outdoor Education Department and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. For 19 years, the program curriculum and instruction has been led by outdoor education students at Northland College as part of their senior capstone. The Apostle Island School program works in collaboration with the Northland College Outdoor Education Department, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and the Apostle Island Cruise Service.
The Apostle Island School hosts two different outdoor-educational experiences.
Day Trips:Available for both fifth and sixth-grade students, the day is spent on Madeline Island in search of the island's history, natural ecosystems, geological formation, and growth/development of the historic town of La Pointe. The day includes a ferry ride, visitation of the Madeline Island Historical Museum or Big Bay State Park, Grant's Point Beach, a tour of La Pointe, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Residential trips:Available to sixth-grade students, the two-and-a-half day excursion begins by boarding an Apostle Islands Cruise Service boat in Bayfield, bound for Stockton Island, home of base camp for the next two nights. During the course of the trip, students will work on developing cooperative skills, participate in group cooking, explore Lake Superior, discover the natural history of the region, learn about the geological formation of the region, and participate in a multitude of fun-filled games.