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In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, Michigan, News, The Blue Economy
An $80M cleanup made Muskegon Lake trendy. Will ‘eco-gentrification’ follow?

New luxury homes, yacht slips, and trendy hotels and restaurants are cropping up along the glittering waterfront of this west Michigan city.

Nothing unusual for the Lake Michigan coast, long known for beach towns that cater to summer vacationers and wealthy second-homers. But to those familiar with Muskegon’s blue collar history, it’s a stunning transformation.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/an-80m-cleanup-made-muskegon-lake-trendy-will-eco-gentrification-follow/

Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

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In: Chicago, Detroit, Feature Homepage, great lakes travel, Illinois, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, News, Ontario, public transportation, Toronto, transit
Buses vs. Trains: The Future of Public Transit in the Great Lakes Region

Cities around the Great Lakes region are trying to make transportation cheaper for riders and more environmentally friendly by expanding their public transit networks. Two modes that are often pitted against each other are light rail and bus rapid transit (BRT). While not every BRT line meets the same standards, in general, they have been upgraded for higher capacity and speed, although they have fewer stations.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/buses-vs-trains-the-future-of-public-transit-in-the-great-lakes-region/

Sean Ericson, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Blue Economy, Feature Homepage, fishing, great lakes fish, Latest News, News, The Blue Economy
Keeping the $5.5 billion Great Lakes fishery afloat as Trump administration considers cuts

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station is based in a building that was constructed in 1917, originally as a federal fish hatchery. It wasn’t the first on this site. An earlier hatchery was built in 1894.

The U.S. government was trying to replenish the fish population.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/keeping-the-5-5-billion-great-lakes-fishery-afloat-as-trump-administration-considers-cuts/

Lester Graham, Michigan Public

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In: Blue Economy, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Water determines Great Lakes region’s economic future

Livelihoods and economies in the Great Lakes region always centered on water. From the manoomin, or wild rice, grown and revered by the Ojibwe people to the whitefish catch in Lake Michigan, to the water-dependent ports, steel mills, and manufacturers that dot thousands of miles of Fresh Coast lakeshore. The area’s liquid assets and the industries that developed around them form a “blue economy.”

The treasure trove of clean fresh water is seen as a competitive edge in a region hungry for growth and whose leaders boast about exporting the scientific breakthroughs and infrastructure hardware to solve the world’s water challenges.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/water-determines-great-lakes-regions-economic-future/

Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

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In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, News
One man’s quest to bring more of North America’s largest native fruit, the pawpaw, to Wisconsin

By Jeff Robbins, Wisconsin Public Radio

This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio.

If you’ve never tasted the fruit from a pawpaw tree, you’re not alone. Due to its extremely short shelf life that renders the fruit edible for only days after being picked, pawpaw is an all-too-rare treat.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/one-mans-quest-to-bring-more-of-north-americas-largest-native-fruit-the-pawpaw-to-wisconsin/

Wisconsin Public Radio

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In: Authors, Biggest Week in American Birding, birding, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, News, Ohio, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research, Tourism
Everything you need to know about the Biggest Week in American Birding

A fledgling birding festival that hatched 15 years ago has become an international event drawing visitors from around the world to northwest Ohio. While the stars of the show at the Biggest Week in American Birding (BWIAB) are migrating warblers, there are dozens of other species which draw crowds from every state and continent including wading and shore birds, tanagers, songbirds, waterfowl and raptors.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-biggest-week-in-american-birding/

James Proffitt, Great Lakes Now

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In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, News
Nature as a spiritual salve for grief? Cleveland Botanical Garden looks at healing power of outdoors

By Zaria Johnson, Ideastream Public Media

This story was originally published by Ideastream.

An exhibition at the Cleveland Botanical Garden features more than 30 artists whose work explores the role nature plays in overcoming painful emotions and experiences.

The botanical garden partnered with local gallery Deep Roots Experience to bring together The Nature of Healing, an exhibition exploring ways the outdoors can help process grief and trauma.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/nature-as-a-spiritual-salve-for-grief-cleveland-botanical-garden-looks-at-healing-power-of-outdoors/

Ideastream Public Media

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In: Feature Homepage, First Nations, Fish, Birds and Animals, Lake sturgeon, Latest News, News, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, Tribal Governments and First Nations
Meet the people trying to keep a prehistoric fish alive

By Leah Borts-Kuperman, The Narwhal

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS, Michigan Public and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/meet-the-people-trying-to-keep-a-prehistoric-fish-alive/

The Narwhal

On:
In: dark sky parks, Feature Homepage, Latest News, light pollution, News, northern michigan, Recreation and Tourism, Tourism
On the importance of dark sky parks

Summer is just around the corner, and for many in the Great Lakes region, the coming season is synonymous with weekends at the beach, camping trips and — if you’re lucky — stargazing. There are many places in the Great Lakes where the skies are dark enough to enjoy the stars and planets overhead, but specific recognition for such places varies by state.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/the-importance-of-dark-sky-parks/

Anna Sysling, Great Lakes Now

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In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, News
I Speak for the Fish: How to photograph mysterious freshwater fish

I Speak for the Fish is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/i-speak-for-the-fish-how-to-photograph-mysterious-freshwater-fish/

Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

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In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, Waves of Change
Waves of Change: Meet artist, mom and gardener Halima Afi Cassells

Waves of Change is an online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.

For Earth Month, we spoke with Halima Afi Cassells, an award-winning interdisciplinary community-engaged artist, mom of three and avid gardener with deep roots in Waawiiyaataanong also known as Detroit, Michigan.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/waves-of-change-meet-artist-mom-and-gardener-halima-afi-cassells/

Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Food, foraging, Latest News, nature, News, plants, Recreation and Tourism
Spring Break Staycation: Foraging with the Family

This is a part of “A Year in the Wild Kitchen of the Great Lakes,” a series in partnership with expert forager Lisa M. Rose, with the mission of nurturing a deeper connection with the natural world through foraging. To get started with your foraging journey, begin here with our “Framework to Sustainable and Safe Practices.” 

This spring break, transform your usual holiday into an educational excursion that connects your family with the natural world.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/spring-break-staycation-foraging-with-the-family/

Lisa M. Rose

On:
In: community garden, Detroit, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, Food, Forests and Plants, gardening, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research
How community gardens serve as ‘third places’ for Detroiters

Toward the end of 2023, I was newly unemployed and living by myself for the first time. 

In between jobs, searching for employment and a means of fulfillment and community, I began to reflect on how my mom got into gardening. In the dead of winter, memories of childhood summers spent pulling weeds, tilling soil and fleeing the occasional garter snake alongside her began to color my mind. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/community-gardens-third-places-for-detroiters/

Ethan Bakuli

On:
In: Art, Authors, Books, Authors, Art and Music, Buffalo, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, History and Culture, James Proffitt, lake erie, Latest News, New York, News, Science, Technology, Research, water, Wildlife
Alberto Rey: Art all about Earth

Alberto Rey’s artistic passions are wide-ranging. But water and wildlife may most succinctly describe them. The retired State University of New York — Fredonia professor of art has waded into drawing, painting, ceramics and filmmaking all while diving headfirst into the deepest affection for the natural world.  

The 64-year-old Cuban-born artist moonlights as an Orvis-endorsed fly fishing guide on Western New York’s Lake Erie tributaries.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/alberto-rey-art-all-about-earth/

James Proffitt, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, Chicago, environmental protection agency, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Experts explain criticality of regional EPA office

Change is happening since Donald Trump took office and began making good on campaign pledges to reduce the size and scope of the work of the federal agencies that serve the country.

And the 50-year-old focus of the U.S. EPA to protect the environment has not been immune.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/experts-explain-criticality-of-regional-epa-office/

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Habitat Restoration, invasive species, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Work
Could the Great Lakes lose billions in restoration funding?

The Great Lakes, the world’s largest system of fresh surface water, supply drinking water to about 40 million people. But industrial pollution, agricultural runoff, and invasive species have caused significant problems. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was created to address these issues and has received bipartisan support since its inception.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/could-the-great-lakes-lose-billions-in-restoration-funding/

Great Lakes Now

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, John Hartig, Latest News, News
Autoworkers’ long history of protecting our environment

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

April 22, 1970 was the first Earth Day. On that day, two boats — one with an American flag representing American autoworkers and one with a Canadian flag representing Canadian autoworkers — met in the middle of the Detroit River to hold a wake, symbolizing the death of the river from pollution.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/autoworkers-long-history-of-protecting-our-environment/

John Hartig, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Agriculture, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, food security, health, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
As bird flu wreaks havoc in the Midwest, researchers say vaccines offer a way out

This article is the first in a series called The Great Lakes Promise: Cost, Resilience and Refuge. This series was made possible in partnership between Great Lakes Now and Planet Detroit. 

Bird flu has hit the Great Lakes region hard this winter, killing nearly 5 million birds — including laying hens, ducks and other fowl — in Ohio and Indiana in the past two months.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/as-bird-flu-wreaks-havoc-in-the-midwest-researchers-say-vaccines-offer-a-way-out/

Brian Allnutt

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In: Agriculture, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, food security, health, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
As bird flu wreaks havoc in the Midwest, researchers say vaccines offer a way out

This article is the first in a series called The Great Lakes Promise: Cost, Resilience and Refuge. This series was made possible in partnership between Great Lakes Now and Planet Detroit. 

Bird flu has hit the Great Lakes region hard this winter, killing nearly 5 million birds — including laying hens, ducks and other fowl — in Ohio and Indiana in the past two months.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/as-bird-flu-wreaks-havoc-in-the-midwest-researchers-say-vaccines-offer-a-way-out/

Brian Allnutt

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In: Agriculture, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, food security, health, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
As bird flu wreaks havoc in the Midwest, researchers say vaccines offer a way out

This article is the first in a series called The Great Lakes Promise: Cost, Resilience and Refuge. This series was made possible in partnership between Great Lakes Now and Planet Detroit. 

Bird flu has hit the Great Lakes region hard this winter, killing nearly 5 million birds — including laying hens, ducks and other fowl — in Ohio and Indiana in the past two months.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/as-bird-flu-wreaks-havoc-in-the-midwest-researchers-say-vaccines-offer-a-way-out/

Brian Allnutt

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In: Advocacy, Chicago, Climate change, environmental protection agency, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature-Chicago, Illinois, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, pollution, Science, Technology, Research
‘Everyone deserves clean air,’ says a Chicago EPA worker who fears her job will end

By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, WBEZ

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between WBEZ and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for WBEZ newsletters to get local news you can trust.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/04/everyone-deserves-clean-air-says-a-chicago-epa-worker-who-fears-her-job-will-end/

WBEZ

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, Minnesota, News, sap harvesting, Staci Lola Drouillard, sugar maples
Azhigwa Zhiiwaagamiziganike or She Makes Maple Sugar Right Now

“Nibi Chronicles,” a monthly Great Lakes Now feature, is written by Staci Lola Drouillard. A Grand Portage Ojibwe direct descendant, she lives in Grand Marais on Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. Her nonfiction books “Walking the Old Road: A People’s History of Chippewa City and the Grand Marais Anishinaabe” and “Seven Aunts” were published 2019 and 2022, and the children’s story “A Family Tree” in 2024.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/she-makes-maple-sugar-right-now/

Staci Lola Drouillard, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, indigenous communities, lake erie, Latest News, Lisa John Rogers, News, Ohio, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, The States
Could Lake Erie really become Lake Ohio?

On March 14, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said that perhaps Lake Erie should be changed to Lake Ohio. 

According to reporting from Cleveland.com:

“Anybody think if there’s a Lake Michigan, maybe there should be a Lake Ohio around here?” Ramaswamy said, about 13 miles away from Lake Erie.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/could-lake-erie-really-become-lake-ohio/

Lisa John Rogers, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Buffalo, Chicago, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Feature Milwaukee, Feature-Chicago, great lakes travel, high-speed rail, History and Culture, Illinois, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, midwest trains, Milwaukee, New York, News, Ontario, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Recreation and Tourism, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, Sean Ericson, Toronto, Tourism, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Wisconsin
What would the Great Lakes region be like with bullet trains?

A few months ago, I was riding on Amtrak’s new Borealis line from St. Paul, Minn., to Chicago. The train was packed that day, and the new line has proved popular.

My coach seat was much nicer than any airline. Plus, I didn’t have to go through security.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/what-would-the-great-lakes-region-be-like-with-bullet-trains/

Sean Ericson, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Energy News Roundup, Feature Homepage, Latest News, News
Michigan EV industry on a knife-edge as energy project delays mount across region

Catch the latest energy news from around the Great Lakes region. Check back for these biweekly Energy News Roundups. 

Michigan’s investments in electric vehicle manufacturing are in jeopardy following what the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency called the “most consequential day of deregulation in U.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/michigan-ev-industry-on-a-knife-edge-as-energy-project-delays-mount-across-region/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, I Speak for the Fish, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research
I Speak for the Fish: Is it a rainbow trout or a steelhead?

Rainbow trout and steelhead are two of the most popular sport fish in the Great Lakes. They also hold three spots on my lifetime list of all-time great dives.

An 8-inch juvenile rainbow was the first fish I ever hand-fed in the Great Lakes. My partner, Greg Lashbrook, and I had fed fish before at several different Caribbean dive resorts.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/i-speak-for-the-fish-is-it-a-rainbow-trout-or-a-steelhead/

Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice
Trump threatens Great Lakes agreements between U.S. and Canada

In 2024 when Donald Trump as a presidential candidate proposed piping water from British Columbia, Canada to California, his statement was largely dismissed as campaign rhetoric.

Once he was elected, Canadians started paying attention but the potential water grab was seen as logistically and politically problematic and unlikely to gain traction.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/trump-threatens-great-lakes-agreements-between-u-s-and-canada/

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, Feature Homepage, geography, lake formation, Latest News, Lisa John Rogers, News, Research, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research
Stunning new research reveals the Great Lakes pre-date North America

It is widely known by lovers of the Great Lakes that their unique shape was caused by glaciers melting and receding northward. That was approximately 20,000 years ago. However, new research published in Geophysical Research Letters suggests this treasured landmass started forming hundreds of millions of years ago, long before the theory of plate tectonics, when Pangea likely separated into the continents we recognize today. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/stunning-new-research-reveals-the-great-lakes-pre-date-north-america/

Lisa John Rogers, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, clean water act, epa, Feature Homepage, Latest News, Lisa John Rogers, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, supreme court, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
What a recent Supreme Court ruling could mean for the future of the Clean Water Act

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of San Francisco in a case about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) sewage permits issued under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The court ruled that the EPA’s “end-result” water pollution permits are too speculative and that the EPA overstepped its authority in the case of San Francisco v.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/what-a-recent-supreme-court-ruling-could-mean-for-the-future-of-the-clean-water-act/

Lisa John Rogers, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, Books, Authors, Art and Music, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, Ian Solomon, Latest News, Michigan, News, Recreation and Tourism, sled dog racing, Tourism, upper peninsula, winter
Ian Outside: A Detroiter’s journey to Calumet for CopperDog

It seems like every year winter creeps forward into being one of my favorite seasons. It’s not lost on me that this budding love affair began once I gained the courage to venture into Northern Michigan during the months almost everyone will tell you to avoid. The truth is: Metro Detroit isn’t made for the cold and snow, so I’m allowing the North Woods to change my mind. 

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/ian-outside-a-detroiters-journey-to-calumet-for-copperdog/

Ian Solomon

On:
In: clean energy, Energy, Energy News Roundup, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Minnesota, News
Oil and gas projects fast-tracked, while Minnesota Power plans to quit fossil fuels

Catch the latest energy news from around the Great Lakes region. Check back for these biweekly Energy News Roundups. 

Hundreds of energy projects may have their permits fast-tracked by the Trump administration, including Enbridge’s tunnel for Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac and a roughly $1 billion gas plant in Superior.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/oil-and-gas-projects-fast-tracked-while-minnesota-power-plans-to-quit-fossil-fuels/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

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In: AYITWK, Feature Homepage, Food, foraging, Forests and Plants, Latest News, maple syrup, News, Recreation and Tourism, Science, Technology, Research
Tapping Into Tradition: It’s Maple Syrup Season

This is a part of “A Year in the Wild Kitchen of the Great Lakes,” a series in partnership with expert forager Lisa M. Rose, with the mission of nurturing a deeper connection with the natural world through foraging. To get started with your foraging journey, begin here with our “Framework to Sustainable and Safe Practices.”

In the Great Lakes, the maple syrup harvest season begins when daytime temperatures rise above freezing while nights remain cold — typically from mid to late February for much of the region, and a bit later further north.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/tapping-into-tradition-its-maple-syrup-season/

Lisa M. Rose

On:
In: Authors, birds, conservation, Detroit, detroit river, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, John Hartig, Latest News, Michigan, News, Region, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Great Lakes Moment: Detroit River common terns under threat

Great Lakes Moment is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor John Hartig. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit PBS.

Common terns are known for their aerial acrobatics, performing rapid turns and swoops to the delight of those watching.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/03/great-lakes-moment-detroit-river-common-terns-under-threat/

John Hartig, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Authors, Feature Homepage, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, Minnesota, News, Ojibwe communities, Ontario, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Staci Lola Drouillard, Tribal Governments and First Nations, Tribal Voices
Nibi Chronicles: Invisible Borders

“Nibi Chronicles,” a monthly Great Lakes Now feature, is written by Staci Lola Drouillard. A Grand Portage Ojibwe direct descendant, she lives in Grand Marais on Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. Her nonfiction books “Walking the Old Road: A People’s History of Chippewa City and the Grand Marais Anishinaabe” and “Seven Aunts” were published 2019 and 2022, and the children’s story “A Family Tree” in 2024.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/nibi-chronicles-invisible-borders/

Staci Lola Drouillard, Great Lakes Now

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In: Feature Homepage, Forests and Plants, History and Culture, indigenous communities, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, tribal relations, trump, U.S. Forest Service, Wisconsin
US Forest Service firings decimate already understaffed agency: ‘It’s catastrophic’

By Katie Myers, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, & Izzy Ross

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist, BPR, a public radio station serving western North Carolina, WBEZ, a public radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan region, and Interlochen Public Radio in Northern Michigan.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/us-forest-service-firings-decimate-already-understaffed-agency-its-catastrophic/

Grist

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, News, PFAS News Roundup
Latest Minnesota PFAS bill allegedly shifts power, sparks controversy

Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region. Check back for more PFAS news roundups every other week on our website.

A new bill introduced in the Minnesota Legislature by Republican Rep.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/latest-minnesota-pfas-bill-allegedly-shifts-power-sparks-controversy/

Lisa John Rogers, Great Lakes Now

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, invasive species, James Proffitt, Lake Superior, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research
Lake trout recovery in Superior sign of lamprey removal success

Just-announced staff cuts and hiring freezes from the Trump administration will jeopardize the ongoing success of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) decades-long battle against sea lamprey, according to officials. While states, provinces and U.S. and Canadian tribes are involved in the labor-intensive efforts, the USFWS performs most of the in-stream treatments in the U.S.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

Original Article

Great Lakes Now

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/lake-trout-recovery-in-superior-sign-of-lamprey-removal-success/

James Proffitt, Great Lakes Now

On:
In: Feature Homepage, Latest News, News
State program brings fourth graders to state parks

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Kayte Marshall, Great Lakes Echo

In a world dominated by smartphones and screen time, the Department of Natural Resources aims to reconnect kids with Michigan’s great outdoors.

The DNR is funding Nature Awaits, a program dedicated to hosting outdoor learning sessions for fourth grade classes at state parks.

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Great Lakes Echo

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Will JD Vance save the Great Lakes from Trump?

By Izzy Ross and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist, Interlochen Public Radio in Northern Michigan, and WBEZ, a public radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan region.

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From Madigan’s Conviction to ComEd’s EV Rebate Program: How Illinois is Shaping Its Energy Future

Catch the latest energy news from around the Great Lakes region. Check back for these biweekly Energy News Roundups. 

Chicago Democrat Michael Madigan — known for being the longest-serving legislative leader in United States history — was convicted last week of conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/from-madigans-conviction-to-comeds-ev-rebate-program-how-illinois-is-shaping-its-energy-future/

Nicole Pollack, Great Lakes Now

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In: Detroit, Feature Homepage, flooding, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, water infrastructure, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
After water main break, officials say homes in Detroit’s Southwest will get repairs covered

By Adam Yahya Rayes and Sarah Cwiek, Michigan Public

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS, Michigan Public and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/after-water-main-break-officials-say-homes-in-detroits-southwest-will-get-repairs-covered/

Michigan Public

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In: artificial intelligence, Drinking Water, epa, Feature Homepage, groundwater, Groundwater Contamination, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts
Veteran Great Lakes advocate cautions on prioritizing economic development over protecting the environment

Rolling back clean water protection, gutting agencies and defunding science, research and monitoring is a non-starter for the Great Lakes region, says Ann Arbor environmental advocate Laura Rubin.

She was reacting to the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin’s recently released economy-oriented plan for the agency under President Donald Trump.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/veteran-great-lakes-advocate-cautions-prioritizing-economic-development-over-protecting-environment/

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

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In: Authors, Feature Homepage, Fish, Birds and Animals, I Speak for the Fish, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research
I Speak for the Fish: Hornyhead chubs are cooler than their name implies

I Speak for the Fish is a monthly column written by Great Lakes Now Contributor Kathy Johnson, coming out the third Monday of each month. Publishing the author’s views and assertions does not represent endorsement by Great Lakes Now or Detroit Public Television. 

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Kathy Johnson, Great Lakes Now

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In: Agriculture, Blue Economy, canada, Feature Homepage, imports, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, tariffs, trump, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments
What the recent tariff news means for the Great Lakes

President Donald Trump has made rethinking international trade policy a centerpiece of his second administration. While Congress generally has the authority to regulate international trade, it has also delegated some of this authority to the president. On Feb. 1, Trump announced he would be imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, with a 10% tariff on Canadian energy.

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Sean Ericson, Great Lakes Now

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Toledo’s community art highlights importance of native plants for safe drinking water

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Clara Lincolnhol, Great Lakes Echo

Toledo, Ohio, has a rich Rust Belt history that influences its present-day culture. Local environmental groups and agencies are turning to public art to teach residents that the area’s natural history is just as important.

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Great Lakes Echo

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The early elk hunt was tough last year. Hot weather is likely to blame.

By Izzy Ross, Interlochen Public Radio

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Interlochen Public Radio and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.

The elk hunting season got off to a tough start last year, and state officials say heat is at least partly to blame.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/the-early-elk-hunt-was-tough-last-year-hot-weather-is-likely-to-blame/

Interlochen Public Radio

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In: Feature Homepage, freighters, History and Culture, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Lake Superior, Latest News, Michigan, News, Shipping and Ports
The fascinating history of the Great Lakes Yemeni sailors

Abdullatif Ahmed was just 23 years old when he first stepped foot on the Medusa Challenger, a 1906-built Great Lakes bulk freighter.

“Before I came to America in 1990,” he said, “I had never even seen the sea.”

Born and raised in Juban, a rural district in southern Yemen, Ahmed was drawn to the Great Lakes by family history and opportunity.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/the-fascinating-history-of-the-great-lakes-yemeni-sailors/

Stephen Starr, Great Lakes Now

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Trump tries to block EV charger money — again. Michigan impact ‘clear as mud’

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit PBS; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

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https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/trump-tries-to-block-ev-charger-money-again-michigan-impact-clear-as-mud/

Bridge Michigan