Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. A task force of 11 federal agencies developed an action plan to implement the initiative. This action plan covers fiscal years 2010 through 2014 and addresses five urgent issues:


  1. Cleaning up toxics and areas of concern;
  2. Combating invasive species;
  3. Promoting nearshore health by protecting watersheds from polluted run-off;
  4. Restoring wetlands and other habitats; and
  5. Tracking progress and working with strategic partners.

With input from citizens, three key priorities will guide restoration for 2012 and 2013:

  • Cleaning up Areas of Concern,
  • Reducing nutrients entering the Lakes, and
  • Preventing the introduction of new invasive species.

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Find a GLRI Project

Use the map below to find GLRI project information. Or, see a list of all GLRI projects.
(Note: the points on the map show the actual location of the project and/or the location of the entity managing the project.)

Highlights

In 2011, a GLRI grant from the Forest Service supported an effort to clear non-native invasive species from a trail near Bayfield, Wis.

Forest Service seeking proposals for 2013 GLRI grants; applications due March 12, 2013

The U.S. Forest Service is accepting applications for 2013 GLRI grants. Roughly $3 million will be distributed across four program areas: Restore Urban and Community Forests, Mitigate Emerald Ash Borer Impacts, Reduce Toxic Substances in Brownfield Sites, and Develop Ecosystem Services Markets.

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Michigan's Au Sable River

Au Sable River Large Wood Restoration Project Success!

In September 2012, the Au Sable River Large Wood GLRI project was completed on the Huron National Forest. Co-funded by the Michigan DNR, the project used a helicopter to place a total of 126 trees in the Au Sable River below Alcona Dam. This project marked completion of a large-scale restoration effort that has placed more than 1,200 trees in a ten-mile stretch of river. The Au Sable River watershed drains approximately 2,000 square miles into Lake Huron and is one of Michigan's premier recreational assets.

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When agitated by boat motors, silver carp will jump out of the water. Depending on the size of the fish, this can pose a hazard to recreational boaters.

EPA Awards 21 Grants to Combat Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Basin

EPA announced 21 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants totaling nearly $8 million for projects to combat invasive species in the Great Lakes basin. "These EPA grants will prevent the spread of invasive species, increase the accuracy of early detection techniques, and control non-native flora and fauna that have invaded the Great Lakes basin," said Susan Hedman, Great Lakes National Program Manager / Region 5 Administrator.

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