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Air Quality Coastal Management Ecosystem Management Habitat Islands Land Use Sustainable Development Wetlands Water BeachCast Conservation Levels and Hydrology Quality Quantity and Use Rivers and Lakes Watersheds Flora and Fauna Biodiversity Endangered Species Forests Invasive Species Invasive Mapping People Plants Wildlife Pollution Air Toxics Areas of Concern Human Health Pollution Prevention Soil Erosion Toxic Contamination References Agencies & Organizations Environmental Justice Laws and Policy Sanctuaries and Reserves Research Weather and Climate Legislative Tracking Great Lakes Priorities Legislative News Lake Conditions Lake Erie Lake Huron Lake Michigan Lake Ontario Lake Superior Also: Lake St. Clair |
Environment of the Great Lakes Region What's New | Overview | General Resources | Agencies & Organizations | Discuss 
What's New Michigan tax ruling could power wind energy projects Great Lakes Echo (1/25) A recent personal property tax ruling that will cost Michigan counties millions of dollars in revenue could prove vital for utility companies and energy manufacturers around the state. The Great Lakes State thrives under DNR Director Keith Creagh MLive (2/21) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is flourishing under the direction of Director Keith Creagh. Mapping project aims to restore the Great Lakes, cut restoration costs The International (12/28) As widespread environmental degradation continues across the world, efficient restoration projects are becoming increasingly important. The Great Lakes Mapping Project is one example of how environmental restoration, human benefit, and economic viability can co-exist. My Green Apps (12/11) The U.S. EPA website My Green Apps features more than 100 smartphone apps to help people understand and protect the environment. In addition to finding apps, you can also tell the EPA what apps you’d like someone to make and suggest an existing app that could be added to the site. Share your ideas for mining discussion with Lake Superior Binational Forum The Superior Daily Telegram (12/7) The Lake Superior Binational Forum offers its third and final public meeting on March 15 at the Mesabi Range Community and Technical College in Virginia, Minn. The focus is on how nonferrous mining operations may impact the economies and environment of the Lake Superior basin. GLIN December Site of the Month (12/4) GLIN's December site of the month is the Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative, a regional partnership established to improve communication and collaboration and lead to more coordinated, efficient and strategic approaches to Phragmites management, restoration and research across the Great Lakes basin.
Overview The environment of the Great Lakes region is blessed with huge forests and wilderness areas, rich agricultural land, hundreds of tributaries and thousands of smaller lakes, and extensive mineral deposits. The region's glacial history and the tremendous influence of the lakes themselves create unique conditions that support a wealth of biological diversity, including more than 130 rare species and ecosystems. The environment supports a world-class fishery and a variety of wildlife, such as white-tailed deer, beaver, muskrat, weasel, fox, black bear, bobcat, moose and other furbearing animals. Bird populations thrive on the various terrains, some migrating south in the winter, others making permanent homes. An estimated 180 species of fish are native to the Great Lakes, including small- and large-mouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, lake herring, whitefish, walleye and lake trout. Rare species making their home in the Great Lakes region include the world's last known population of the white catspaw pearly mussel, the copper redhorse fish and the Kirtland's warbler. The region's sand dunes, coastal marshes, rocky shorelines, lakeplain prairies, savannas, forests, fens, wetlands and other landscapes contain features that are either unique or best represented withink the Great Lakes basin. For example, the world's largest freshwater dunes line the shores of Lake Michigan. Over the course of history, many types of pollution have inflicted and been reduced in the region, yet significant challenges remain. These range from threats to divert water out of the Great Lakes basin to the introduction of nonindigenous invasive species and airborne toxics into the basin. Protection of water quality and sustainable development remain long-term goals.
General Resources Great Lakes Atlas U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) This Environmental Atlas and Resource Book is an excellent resource on the Great Lakes, including physical characteristics, natural processes, people, concerns, joint management and new directions (mirrored on Environment Canada's site). Great Lakes Radio Consortium The Great Lakes Radio Consortium produces environmentally focused radio features and news featured on more than 100 public radio stations around the Great Lakes region and several national radio programs. Illinois Natural Resources Information Network Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Provides natural resource-related information to the citizens of Illinois so that individuals and groups can make informed decisions about natural resource management and policy. Science & The Environment Bulletin Environment Canada This bimonthly publication provides information on leading-edge environmental science and technology. Includes collections on habitat, pollution, species at risk, water and related topics. Software for Environmental Awareness United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Purdue University produce free interactive software programs on environmental topics. Summary of Environmental Law in North America Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) The CEC created this summary to improve public access to the environmental law of the three parties to the North American Free Trade Agreement; i.e., Canada, Mexico and the United States. Visualizing the Great Lakes U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) GLNPO has an extensive collection of images from around the Great Lakes that is available for you to use.
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