Clean lakes are far more valuable than polluted lakes and clean lakes are far more attractive to business, industry, tourists and residents states a new fact sheet produced by the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR).
The Great Lakes are at an ecological crossroads and the International Association for Great Lakes Research wants to help citizens and scientists learn more about the environmental concerns with a new fact sheet titled – The Great Lakes –At a Crossroads.
“The fact sheet describes how IAGLR members can help to inform public policy and how policy-makers can utilize findings from scientific research to make better decisions regarding the Great Lakes,” explained Joan Chadde, IAGLR outreach committee member and K-12 Education/Outreach Program Coordinator at Michigan Technological University.
“It suggests how the public can work to achieve better Great Lakes protection through use of scientific information provided by Great Lakes scientists,” added Chadde.
The fact sheet identifies four ecological problems, proposes solutions, encourages individual action, and offers web based resources to find out more about the issues. The four ecological concerns identified are: 1) Aquatic Invasive Species; 2) Contaminated Sediments; 30 Loss of Great Lakes Wetlands and Shoreline Habitat, and; 4) Degraded Water Quality.
Bob Sweeney, IAGLR Executive Director has used the fact sheet to introduce IAGLR to numerous organizations and the media in the Great Lakes.
“The Fact Sheet is an excellent document which covers several important topics in an objective and professional manner”, said Sweeney. “It reflects favorably on our Association,” he added.
Recommendations for addressing the four ecological concerns are suggested for scientists, policy-makers and citizens.
The fact sheet can be found at the IAGLR website at www.IAGLR.org.
"The Outreach Committee's goal in developing the fact sheet was to inform people of the ecological challenges facing the Great Lakes, the research that goes into understanding those issues; and IAGLR's role in advancing that research," explained Chadde.
The fact sheet was edited by Joan Chadde, Michigan Technological University, with assistance from IAGLR Outreach Committee Members: John Gannon, International Joint Commission, Mary Ginnebaugh, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Frank Lichtkoppler, Ohio Sea Grant, and Rochelle Sturtevant, NOAA/ Great Lakes Sea Grant Network.
IAGLR is a scientific organization comprised of researchers studying the Great Lakes and other large lakes of the world, as well as those interested in such research. Since 1967, IAGLR has served as the focal point for compiling and disseminating multidisciplinary knowledge on North America's Laurentian Great Lakes and other large lakes of the world and their watersheds. IAGLR publishes the Journal of Great Lakes Research and holds an annual scientific conference to share the latest research on the Great Lakes with the world.
