Great Lakes Echo is one of 23 newsrooms in a climate collaborative representing both long-standing and emerging media groups.

The post New project promises to amplify reach of Great Lakes climate reporting first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/09/27/new-project-promises-to-amplify-reach-of-great-lakes-climate-reporting/

Guest Contributor

Proposed state regulation of sand and gravel mining would wrest control from local authorities and could lead to a similar loss of authority over other issues, according to local and environmental officials. 

The post Push for state regulation of sand and gravel mining draws opposition in Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/09/23/push-for-state-regulation-of-sand-and-gravel-mining-draws-opposition-in-michigan/

Guest Contributor

Michigan’s hemp industry could get up to $100 million in federal funds to help it compete globally under a proposal pushed by a nationwide growers association.

The post Michigan’s growing hemp industry faces roadblocks first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/09/21/michigans-growing-hemp-industry-faces-roadblocks/

Guest Contributor

A federal grand jury has indicted two business rivals in Western Pennsylvania for alleged interstate trafficking in wild ginseng, a perennial herb whose root is valued for its reputed aphrodisiac and medicinal properties, including as a panacea or cure-all for some diseases. 

The post Business rivals indicted for ginseng trafficking first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/09/13/business-rivals-indicted-for-ginseng-trafficking/

Eric Freedman

Michigan’s fire history, as told by its fire-scarred tree stumps, has something to say about the future of fire.

The post Tree-ring research illuminates early fire history of Lower Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/23/tree-ring-research-illuminates-early-fire-history-of-lower-michigan/

Marie Orttenburger

By McKoy Scribner Capital News Service The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is assessing the state’s water quality, something that’s necessary in a state that’s rich in water resources. The department is conducting its annual surface water sampling to protect human health and aquatic life and to maintain recreational suitability. Water sampling is […]

The post State sampling surface waters to assess quality first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/08/11/state-sampling-surface-waters-to-assess-quality/

Marie Orttenburger

Mosquitoes are out in full force this summer, which also means a risk of mosquito-borne illnesses.

The post Michigan county health department on lookout for mosquito-borne diseases first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/07/23/michigan-county-health-department-on-lookout-for-mosquito-borne-diseases/

Guest Contributor

Since 1988, the Isle Royale Moosewatch Expedition has sought volunteer backpackers for a community science project.

The post Search for Isle Royale’s bone bounty yields environmental clues, new friends, wilderness salvation first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/07/21/search-for-isle-royales-bone-bounty-yields-environmental-clues-new-friends-wilderness-salvation/

Guest Contributor

Scientists from the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station first noticed an invasive population of zebra mussels in Gull Lake in the mid-1990s.

The post Researchers find relationship between invasive zebra mussels, toxic algae first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/07/08/researchers-find-relationship-between-invasive-zebra-mussels-toxic-algae/

Guest Contributor

A former supervisor of a Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority plant is expected to plead guilty to a felony charge for allegedly ordering employees to discharge sludge into the Allegheny River.

The post Guilty plea expected in Allegheny River pollution case first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/07/06/guilty-plea-expected-in-allegheny-river-pollution-case/

Eric Freedman

In an effort to battle invasive species, Michigan State University is becoming a more welcoming place for bees, butterflies and other native pollinators.

The post Campus works to become more pollinator-friendly first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/07/02/campus-works-to-become-more-pollinator-friendly/

Guest Contributor

Sept. 1, 2019, was a deadly day for a 700-pound black bear illegally shot with a compound bow near a garbage dump on Minnesota’s Red Lake Indian Reservation.

The post Poached black bear lands Minnesota poacher behind bars first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/06/30/poached-black-bear-lands-minnesota-poacher-behind-bars/

Eric Freedman

Michigan farmers, especially soybean farmers, could benefit from higher sales to Cuba, state agricultural organizations say. 

The post Michigan farmers could benefit from easing trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba, experts say first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/06/28/michigan-farmers-could-benefit-from-easing-trade-relations-between-the-u-s-and-cuba-experts-say/

Guest Contributor

Federal authorities have charged the owner and manager of more than 100 buildings in Buffalo with conspiracy for violating laws intended to protect tenants from lead paint poisoning.

The post Feds file conspiracy charges against owner, manager, of Buffalo properties with long-running lead paint violations first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/06/21/feds-file-conspiracy-charges-against-owner-manager-of-buffalo-properties-with-long-running-lead-paint-violations/

Eric Freedman

The owner of the Old Cavern Boutique in Montreal has been arrested on charges of illegally trafficking in wildlife parts and sending them from Canada into the United States.

The post Skullduggery at the border: Feds crack skull-smuggling operation first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/06/07/skullduggery-at-the-border-feds-crack-skull-smuggling-operation/

Eric Freedman

A historic archaeological site on the shore of the Grand River in Ottawa County’s Crockery Township may contain the largest collection of Upper Great Lakes cache pits ever excavated.

The post Abandoned food caches offer evidence of Native American survival strategies first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/06/02/abandoned-food-caches-offer-evidence-of-native-american-survival-strategies/

Guest Contributor

An Ontario shipping company has agreed to pay a $500,000 fine and to implement an environmental compliance program after accepting responsibility for the illegal dumping of 11,887 gallons of oily bilge water into Lake Ontario.

The post Canadian shipping company fined for dumping oily bilge water into Lake Ontario first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/24/canadian-shipping-company-fined-for-dumping-oily-bilge-water-into-lake-ontario/

Eric Freedman

Despite the cataclysmic effects the pandemic had on Michigan’s county fair events in 2020, most are expected to take place this year, at least in some form.

The post Despite last year’s cancellations, county fairs are coming back in Michigan first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/21/despite-last-years-cancellations-county-fairs-are-coming-back-in-michigan/

Guest Contributor

As the COVID-19 pandemic closed animal shelters to the public, Detroit-area pet rescue and adoption organizations had to come up with new ways to connect their dogs and cats to families.

The post Pandemic creates challenges, opportunities for animal shelters first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/18/pandemic-creates-challenges-opportunities-for-animal-shelters/

Guest Contributor

A new Environmental Protection Agency mobile app will help communities track water quality at their beaches.

The post A new EPA app aims to help track water quality at beaches first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/14/a-new-epa-app-aims-to-help-track-water-quality-at-beaches/

Guest Contributor

The new hitchhikers in the Great Lakes region aren’t stopping drivers with a thumbs up. They’re riding moss balls across the ocean.

The post Forget freighter ballast, these mussels got here on moss balls first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/05/03/forget-freighter-ballast-these-mussels-got-here-on-moss-balls/

Guest Contributor

Disease and a newly identified fungus have been killing Michigan’s blue spruce population for roughly a decade, and the dangers show no signs of slowing.

The post Blue spruce fungus hits Christmas tree, landscape tree growers first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/04/28/blue-spruce-fungus-hits-christmas-tree-landscape-tree-growers/

Guest Contributor

A World War Two fighter plane that was lost in a training accident in the 1940s will be recovered and displayed, according to Wayne Lusardi, a state maritime archaeologist at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, an underwater preserve in Lake Huron.

The post How archeologists excavate Great Lakes wrecks first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/04/28/how-archeologists-excavate-great-lakes-wrecks/

Guest Contributor

As the COVID-19 pandemic has upended much business as usual in the last year, charter fishing ventures on the Great Lakes say they’ve experienced higher demand for their services and look to this summer with anticipation.

The post On course for a ‘phenomenal year’: Charter captains hope for boom in 2021 first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/04/16/on-course-for-a-phenomenal-year-charter-captains-hope-for-boom-in-2021/

Guest Contributor

A Land Ethic Mentorship program run by the Wisconsin-based agriculture nonprofit organization, Sand County Foundation, will help poor, beginner or socially disadvantaged farmers across the nation practice conservation.

The post Mentors to teach conservation farming to beginners, veterans, socially disadvantaged first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/04/06/mentors-to-teach-conservation-farming-to-beginners-veterans-socially-disadvantaged/

Guest Contributor

With the recent confirmation of Deb Haaland to lead the Department of the Interior, the nation has its first Native American cabinet member.

The post ‘We now have a seat at the table:’ Michigan tribes embrace new Interior secretary first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/04/05/we-now-have-a-seat-at-the-table-michigan-tribes-embrace-new-interior-secretary/

Guest Contributor

The Michigan Craft Beverage Council recently awarded $34,644 to study how to produce new varieties of apples for cider making.

The post Red-fleshed apples could keep Michigan cider makers in the black first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/30/red-fleshed-apples-could-keep-michigan-cider-makers-in-the-black/

Guest Contributor

Two Great Lakes Echo reporters were recently honored for excellence in journalism by the Michigan Press Association's 2020 College Better Newspaper contest.

The post Echo reporters honored for journalism excellence first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.

Original Article

Great Lakes Echo

Great Lakes Echo

http://greatlakesecho.org/2021/03/26/echo-reporters-honored-for-journalism-excellence/

David Poulson