Welcome to the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC). We are proud to be one of the leading research centers conducting ecological research to support the Department of the Interior’s and other local, state and federal resource agencies management of natural resources, fish, and wildlife. For more than a half century we’ve served the public and our partners by generating quality relevant scientific products and information for the improved management of our natural resources, including water, wildlife and land. We help protect these invaluable resources to improve our health and recreational opportunities for both today’s and tomorrow’s generations.

We are located on an island in the Mississippi River near the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. It is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Center, located within USGS’s Midwest administrative area. The USGS Midwest Region promotes coordination between the Midwest Region Science Centers. UMESC’s emphasis is on the Upper Midwest, however, our research, monitoring, and technical assistance efforts extend across the nation and world.

The Center’s first mission was the control of aquatic invasive species such as sea lamprey, and has since expanded into the study of river ecology, wildlife ecology, the effects of contaminants on fish and wildlife, and geospatial technology (see UMESC’s history page). Over the years UMESC has developed partnerships with a variety of other federal departments/agencies, states, educational institutions, and organizations. These partnerships are important in ensuring the relevance of our activities and the utility of our products.