History

Land Acknowledgement

We collectively acknowledge that the University of Minnesota Duluth and the Land Lab is located on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Indigenous people. The University resides on land that was cared for and called home by the Ojibwe people, before them the Dakota and Northern Cheyenne people, and other Native peoples from time immemorial. Ceded by the Ojibwe in an 1854 treaty, this land holds great historical, spiritual, and personal significance for its original stewards, the Native nations and peoples of this region.

The Land Lab acknowledges the history of Land Grant Universities and their role in the oppression and marginalization of sovereign indiginous communities. We seek to partner with our indigenous communities and utilize our resources to support their sovereignty specifically as it relates to food production, food systems, and food sovereignty.

Northeast Experimental Station

Four black and white photos of the Northeast Experiment Station

From 1912-1976, the research and field studies center was a part of the Northeast Agricultural Experiment Station, one of many sites around the state that conducted research to support the Minnesota agricultural community. The UMD Land Lab revitalized this asset in 2009 to create an innovative interdisciplinary space for addressing food systems and environmental challenges for the 21st century, while incorporating students and the wider Northeast Minnesota community.