Conventional farming practices have eroded much of the topsoil from a region of the Midwest known as the corn belt, according to a recent study.
The post As much as a third of the topsoil in the corn belt may be gone first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/17/as-much-as-a-third-of-the-topsoil-in-the-corn-belt-may-be-gone/
Chicago environmental groups are pushing to protect urban gardens from fines levied for having too many weeds.
The post Chicago could adopt garden registry soon first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/16/chicago-could-adopt-garden-registry-soon/
By Samuel Blatchford Capital News Service Amtrak is trying to get back on track after ridership dropped on Michigan routes over 40% since the pandemic started last March. Amtrak operates three routes in Michigan: The Wolverine, which runs between Detroit and Chicago; the Pere Marquette, which runs between Grand Rapids and Chicago; and the Blue […]
The post Full steam ahead: Amtrak focused on resuming regular service to Michigan routes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/15/full-steam-ahead-amtrak-focused-on-resuming-regular-service-to-michigan-routes/
As farmworkers from other states and countries come to work in Michigan, the need for safe and affordable off-farm housing options is becoming increasingly important, a recent task force report said.
The post Farmworkers need more off-site housing, Michigan task force says first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/15/farmworkers-need-more-off-site-housing-michigan-task-force-says/
With extreme weather across the nation and the failure of water infrastructure systems in Texas, Michigan residents may be wondering if the state is up to dealing with extreme and unexpected weather conditions such as floods and tornadoes.
The post Extreme weather threatens aging water infrastructure first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/12/extreme-weather-threatens-aging-water-infrastructure/
Large airports in Michigan such as those in Detroit and Grand Rapids have seen a loss in revenue and passengers since the pandemic began. Small airports in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are confronting those same problems, but the negative effects are bigger.
The post Small airports suffer big hits amidst pandemic first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/12/small-airports-suffer-big-hits-amidst-pandemic/
Some anglers and conservationists oppose a controversial catfishing bill introduced in the Michigan Legislature.
The post Conservation experts wary of legalizing trotlines and juglines first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/11/conservation-experts-wary-of-legalizing-trotlines-and-juglines/
The rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2, or RHDV2, is highly contagious and almost always fatal. Although humans cannot contract the virus, it can still be spread through human-to-rabbit contact.
The post Deadly infectious disease causes concern for rabbit owners first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/11/deadly-infectious-disease-causes-concern-for-rabbit-owners/
Scientists are simulating Great Lakes walleye on computers to find out how contaminants harm the fish.
The post Virtual walleyes fight new threats to real ones first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/10/virtual-walleyes-fight-new-threats-to-real-ones/
In 2020, Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy filings fell by 7 percent.
The post Higher prices, pandemic payments help Michigan farms stay afloat in 2020 first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/10/higher-prices-pandemic-payments-help-michigan-farms-stay-afloat-in-2020/
Thanks to a spongy M&M-like technology, contaminated soil in the Detroit River downstream of the MacArthur Bridge has been contained.
The post Massive filter keeps Detroit River contaminants in place first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/09/massive-filter-keeps-detroit-river-contaminants-in-place/
The former luxury mansion of a Detroit automaker is the site of an attempt to recreate the scarce natural shoreline along Lake St. Clair.
The post Ford House collaborates to restore Lake St. Clair shoreline first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/08/ford-house-collaborates-to-restore-lake-st-clair-shoreline/
A new understanding of how genes affect which fish can see deep in Lake Superior could help scientists understand how to preserve them.
The post Fish vision genes could inform Great Lakes restoration first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/05/fish-vision-genes-could-inform-great-lakes-restoration/
The switch to virtual classes, meetings and social activities during the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult for any student, but imagine not understanding the reason for making the change. That’s what students with autism cope with every day.
The post Virtual classes especially hard for 22,500 students with autism first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/02/05/virtual-classes-especially-hard-for-22500-students-with-autism/
COVID-19 has affected many people’s sleep, whether they’ve had the virus or not. Sleep neurologists call it “COVID-somnia,” a phenomenon where people have trouble sleeping because of the virus. And its effects can last even after the pandemic ends.
The post Experts treat insomnia, anxiety caused by COVID-19 first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/02/03/experts-treat-insomnia-anxiety-caused-by-covid-19/
The collection of nature essays was recently selected by the Library of Michigan as one of the 2021 Michigan Notable Books.
The post A light to guide trees and people: “The Star in the Sycamore” is a broad take on the natural world first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/02/01/a-light-to-guide-trees-and-people-the-star-in-the-sycamore-is-a-broad-take-on-the-natural-world/
From local restrictions on gathering sizes to gym closures, staying fit during the COVID-19 pandemic might seem a near-impossible task. Despite that, many communities in Michigan and elsewhere in the Great Lakes region have adapted existing physical fitness programs and implemented new ones.
The post Outdoor exercise in the time of COVID-19 first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/27/outdoor-exercise-in-the-time-of-covid-19/
More than 70 films are showcased at the virtual festival that ends this Sunday.
The post Ninth-annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival moves online first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/26/ninth-annual-thunder-bay-international-film-festival-moves-online/
Increased ozone emissions in several southern Michigan counties could lead to new motor vehicle maintenance inspections if researchers can’t blame them on western wildfires.
The post Michigan could avoid new air regulations if pollution increase is from California wildfires first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/25/michigan-could-avoid-new-air-regulations-if-pollution-increase-is-from-california-wildfires/
The final part of a 5-part series on trans-border U.S. and Canadian environmental research projects.
The post Thirty-five years of restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern has a hopeful future first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/22/thirty-five-years-of-restoring-great-lakes-areas-of-concern-has-a-hopeful-future/
The fourth part of a 5-part series on trans-border U.S. and Canadian environmental research projects.
The post With all eyes on Great Lakes freshwater, concerned cross-border researchers work to conserve it first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/21/with-all-eyes-on-great-lakes-freshwater-concerned-cross-border-researchers-work-to-conserve-it/
The first (second, third etc.) part of a 5-part series on trans-border U.S. and Canadian environmental research projects.
The post U.S., Canadian researchers conduct binational birds conservation research first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/20/u-s-canadian-researchers-conduct-binational-birds-conservation-research/
The second part of a 5-part series on trans-border U.S. and Canadian environmental research projects.
The post Herring gull eggs help monitor Great Lakes ecosystems first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/19/herring-gull-eggs-help-monitor-great-lakes-ecosystems/
The first part of a 5-part series on trans-border U.S. and Canadian environmental research projects.
The post A look at binational scientific research on the Great Lakes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/18/binational-research/
With the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders forcing people to be cooped up in their homes, schools such as the Detroit Waldorf School in Detroit and the Cambridge Farm and Forest School in Ontario are giving students new outdoor learning options.
The post Great Lakes classrooms move outdoors during pandemic first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/11/great-lakes-classrooms-move-outdoors-during-pandemic/
Throughout human history, gardens have embodied a sense of near-mystical escapism. From enchanted hedgerows in the English countryside to tranquil Japanese gardens, the time-honored art of horticulture shows no signs of stopping.
The post The great escape of gardening first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/08/the-great-escape-of-gardening/
Foraging for medicinal and indigenous foods is a prehistoric practice that not only has boosts immune systems, but has gained increased attention due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The post Foraging for medicinal plants gains popularity first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/07/foraging-for-medicinal-plants-gains-popularity/
Many festivals in the Great Lakes region were cancelled due to the pandemic, though tourists still visited in droves.
The post 2020 Festival cancellations deal blow to local economies first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/06/2020-festival-cancellations-deal-blow-to-local-economies/
This Great Lakes Echo series, “Renaissances: Environment Creative Culture,” illustrates how some of us have adapted to societal changes unlike any that the modern world has experienced.
The post Renaissances: Environment Creative Culture first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/05/renaissances-environment-creative-culture/
Winter ushers in activities such as sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing—and dogsledding.
The post Winter brings the return of dogsledding first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/01/04/winter-brings-the-return-of-dogsledding/
Fertilizer runoff from seasonal heavy rainfall on Midwestern farms is traveling down the Mississippi River and creating a “hypoxic zone,” or low oxygen zone in the Gulf of Mexico, a recent study by Iowa State University scientists warns.
The post Midwestern farms suffocating Gulf of Mexico ecosystems first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/31/midwestern-farms-suffocating-gulf-of-mexico-ecosystems/
The Sault Ste. Marie Commercial District, settled in 1668 by European immigrants but occupied by Native Americans thousands of years earlier, is worthy of recognition for its commercial history, ethnic culture and architecture, according to the National Park Service.
The post Sault Ste. Marie Commercial District joins National Register of Historic Places first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/30/sault-ste-marie-commercial-district-joins-national-register-of-historic-places/
Great Lakes Echo reporter Claire Moore chats with University of Waterloo, Ontario, professor Daniel Scott about how climate change may affect skiing and other winter sports in eastern North America in the coming decades.
The post Podcast: Climate change and winter sports first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/29/podcast-climate-change-and-winter-sports/
"Accidental Wilderness" is a collection of essays and photographs describing the origins and ecology of Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto, named for a former Toronto Parks commissioner.
The post "Accidental Wilderness" explores unique experience of an urban landscape first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/28/accidental-wilderness-explores-unique-experience-of-an-urban-landscape/
Federal funding helped Michigan transit agencies stay in good shape throughout the pandemic. It’s the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, 2021, that transportation authorities worry about.
The post Michigan transit agencies look to uncertain future as COVID-19 related expenses rise first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/24/michigan-transit-agencies-look-to-uncertain-future-as-covid-19-related-expenses-rise/
Stargazing, the outdoor activity practiced by curious humans throughout history, is getting a new appreciation during the era of COVID-19.
The post Stargazing offers welcome reprieve from pandemic first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/23/stargazing-offers-welcome-reprieve-from-pandemic/
The Trump administration recently announced that it will remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list in the lower 48 states.
The post Protection for wolves still stirs controversy first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/22/protection-for-wolves-still-stirs-controversy/
"A Fine Canopy" is Alison Swan's new book of poetry.
The post "A Fine Canopy" brings you outdoors while the world is stuck inside first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/21/a-fine-canopy-brings-you-outdoors-while-the-world-is-stuck-inside/
Many joys of the holiday season, such as getting together with loved ones, are on hold this year. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, restrictions on travel and sizable gatherings remain in place. However, many outdoor venues remain open, including national parks in the Great Lakes region.
The post National parks offer visitors a wintertime escape first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/18/national-parks-offer-visitors-a-wintertime-escape/
Microplastic particles, typically studied as aquatic pollutants, are also common in coastal dunes on Great Lakes’ shorelines, according to a new study.
The post From lakes to shores, microplastics are spreading everywhere first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/17/from-lakes-to-shores-microplastics-are-spreading-everywhere/
The same pandemic that restricts travel and manufacturing is having a measurable impact on decreasing air pollution in parts of the Great Lakes region, experts say.
The post Pandemic lockdown created clean air gains first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/16/pandemic-lockdown-created-clean-air-gains/
Wilder Harrier, a Canadian pet food company, is using another unlikely alternative protein source to have a low environmental impact, yet a nutritious meal for dogs.
The post Asian carp goes from water to dog dishes first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/15/asian-carp-goes-from-water-to-dog-dishes/
A newly funded project in Ohio’s Ottawa Soil and Water Conservation District aims to reduce water nutrients and sediments that flow into Lake Erie, causing excessive growth of algae.
The post New nutrient trapping program takes off first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/14/new-nutrient-trapping-program-takes-off/
After four years in the making, a set of maps has been created to show what lies underneath the water in the Milwaukee Harbor and what restoration efforts could help get the harbor removed from the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration’s list of heavily contaminated Areas of Concern.
The post New maps for the Milwaukee Harbor shows what lies beneath the surface first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/09/new-maps-for-the-milwaukee-harbor-shows-what-lies-beneath-the-surface/
Most of the state’s 240 farmers markets survived during the pandemic that upended the way fresh produce, baked goods and other items are sold at the popular venues.
The post Michigan farmers markets adjust to the pandemic first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/12/02/michigan-farmers-markets-adjust-to-the-pandemic/
Welcome to the COVID economy: Lumber prices and tent sales soared. Great Lakes shipping took a dive. Home sales were up. And energy sales shifted from manufacturing plants to home offices.
The post Pandemic drives Michigan economy first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/11/30/pandemic-drives-michigan-economy/
Touring is the winter art of enjoying the woods and the company you're with. You just happen to do this on cross-country skis.
The post A scenic drive becomes a scenic ski first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/11/25/a-scenic-drive-becomes-a-scenic-ski/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/11/23/covid-shutdown-cuts-crashes-and-road-repairs-but-more-people-die/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/11/20/climate-change-threatens-maple-syrup-production/
Great Lakes Echo
http://greatlakesecho.org/2020/11/19/asian-carp-on-our-plates-not-in-our-water/
