Spike Sustained: As COVID-19 policies relax, park attendance (mostly) remains strong

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many Great Lakes national parks experienced record visitation as people sought to experience the outdoors and participate in safe forms of recreation. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was one of those parks. According to unofficial data from the National Park Service, over 1.7 million people visited in 2020, the highest attendance on record.  

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/12/covid-policies-park-attendance/

Noah Bock

Grayling Revival: Researchers hope to reintroduce a once-abundant native fish

Every year, Nicole and Tom Watson take a trip to Alaska. Like the typical tourist, they enjoy fly fishing and experiencing the untamed wilderness, yet their visit is no ordinary vacation. Among their duffel bags and backpacks, there’s a special piece of carry-on luggage: a carefully sealed container of fish eggs.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/grayling-revival-researchers-native-fish/

Noah Bock

Paddle Battle: International canoe race brings families together

“I bet you can’t paddle to the lake!”

According to Phil Weiler, the AuSable River Canoe Marathon was born with those words and a friendly wager.

It’s now been 73 years since the inaugural canoe race, and what was once a friendly competition between a group of friends has become an international event, drawing professional canoe marathon paddlers from across North America.

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Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/08/international-canoe-race-michigan/

Noah Bock

See the Sturgeon: The many ways to see, touch and appreciate sturgeon around the region

When the Milwaukee River Lake Sturgeon Reintroduction Project began 16 years ago, success wasn’t immediately apparent.

Having a solid scientific foundation for the project wasn’t the problem: sturgeon were raised in the Milwaukee River so they would return there to spawn when the time came. The problem was that lake sturgeon don’t return to a river to spawn for around 15 years.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/ways-see-touch-appreciate-sturgeon-great-lakes-region/

Noah Bock

Comments Requested: Lake Ontario marine sanctuary proposal moves forward

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the beginning of a public comment period on its draft environmental impact statement and management plan for the proposed marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario, the next step toward official designation.

“Any possible new sanctuary is a big deal for NOAA, the surrounding community and the nation,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, acting director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/public-comment-lake-ontario-marine-sanctuary-proposal/

Noah Bock

PFAS News Roundup: EPA approved PFAS use for fracking, $20M for Ontario airport cleanup, PFAS Action Act set for House vote

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/pfas-epa-fracking-ontario-cleanup-action-act-house/

Noah Bock

Energy News Roundup: US invests in wave energy, Celebrities urge Biden to stop Line 3, Company seeks damages for Keystone XL cancellation

Keep up with energy-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois:

  • Illinois coal plants are closing even as fossil fuel objections stall energy bill again – Energy News Network

In a surprise announcement last Thursday, NRG said it would close its Waukegan and Romeoville coal plants, but the community impacts are unclear as “just transition” provisions remain held up in state energy bill negotiations.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/energy-investments-biden-line-3-keystone-xl-cancellation/

Noah Bock

Great Lakes Trails: Relief funds spark new investments into outdoor recreation

With a rebounding economy and plenty of federal relief funds, states across the country are finding themselves with extra money to spend.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer yesterday announced a proposal to spend $150 million of relief funds from the American Rescue Plan on state and local parks and trails.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/07/great-lakes-trails-new-planned-recreation/

Noah Bock

Public Resource: Around the Great Lakes, everyday people help make science possible

Collecting data for scientific research across large geographic areas can be challenging, but researchers have found an easy solution – the public.

The Huron River watershed covers 900 square miles, and the Huron River Watershed Council has been collecting data from the watershed for years. Yet collection from such an expansive area would not have been possible without the help of an army of dedicated citizen, or community, scientists.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/great-lakes-everyday-people-science-public/

Noah Bock

Citizen Science Opportunities: How can you get involved in scientific research?

For some, getting to contribute to scientific research might sound like a far-fetched possibility.

Jason Frenzel, stewardship coordinator at the Huron River Watershed Council, is one of the countless people working to change that assumption.

The HRWC is one of many organizations in the Great Lakes region that offer people, most with little prior scientific training, the opportunity to participate in science.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/citizen-science-opportunities/

Noah Bock

PFAS News Roundup: PFAS in bottled water and makeup, “Filthy Fifty” list generated, corporations drop toxic packaging

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/pfas-bottled-water-makeup-filthy-fifty-list-corporations-toxic-packaging/

Noah Bock

PFAS News Roundup: Companies hid dangers from FDA, professor documents stories, study shows high levels in fertilizer

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country. 

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/06/pfas-news-professor-stories-study-high-levels-fertilizer/

Noah Bock