The 2026 Annual Meeting of the Organization of Biological Field Stations will take place from September 14th to 18th here! At Schoodic Institute in Winter Harbor, Maine.
This year’s theme is HOLDFAST.
Like the holdfasts of seaweed, field stations are firmly attached to place and like those seaweeds, we are adaptive to the flow of changing conditions—persisting, growing, always looking forward. While we are together for thoughtful plenary sessions, engaging workshops and concurrent sessions, and a lot of socializing, we will be seaweed—holding fast, going with the flow, and facing forward.
This Year’s Host Site
Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park is located on the Schoodic Peninsula, the only mainland section of Acadia National Park, where granite headlands meet the North Atlantic, in the homeland of the Wabanaki, People of the Dawn. The campus occupies a former U.S. Navy facility that has been transformed into a vibrant center for science, education, and community engagement. Historic buildings now house laboratories, classrooms, meeting spaces, and lodging for the year-round work and enjoyment of researchers, educators, students, and lifelong learners who gather at Schoodic. Through a unique partnership with Acadia National Park, Schoodic Institute supports research and learning focused on understanding environmental change and helping communities respond to a changing world. As a place firmly connected to its landscape and history, Schoodic provides an ideal setting for the 2026 OBFS Annual Meeting theme: HOLDFAST.
Meeting Overview
Monday, September 14: Pre-Meeting Workshops
Tuesday, September 15: Field Trips/4:30 pm Start of Annual Meeting/Evening Plenary
Wednesday, September 16: Morning Plenary/Concurrent Sessions/Lightning Talks and Poster Session/Evening Plenary/Social Event
Thursday, September 17: Concurrent Sessions/Schoodic Institute tours/Auction and Celebration
Friday, September 18: Departure Day – Meeting Adjourns/Post-Meeting Workshops
Meeting Inclusions
The registration cost of $495 will cover all meals, programming, and entertainment from Tuesday’s afternoon social hour through Friday breakfast.
Additional program days, meals, some field trips, and housing choices are available at an extra cost.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel before Sept. 8, you will receive a 95% refund. (The 5% covers credit card fees.)
If you cancel starting Sept. 8, you will get a refund of your registration fee minus 5% plus a $50 fee, and any non-refundable costs for field trips or workshops.
About OBFS
Based in the United States, OBFS is a volunteer-run non profit composed of member field stations and marine labs from around the globe. The mission of OBFS is to help member stations increase their effectiveness in supporting critical research, education, and outreach programs, a goal pursued in a manner that maximizes diversity, inclusiveness, sustainability, and transparency.
Each year, OBFS holds an annual meeting for members. Here, you will not only meet lifelong friends, you will also learn ways to improve your station’s fundraising, education, outreach, and research while finding new collaborators and colleagues.
More on OBFS here.