In the realm of human health, the best treatment for many ailments is often the most difficult to implement—a lifestyle change. The same could be said for the Great Lakes. What we do on land, our lifestyle, directly affects the lakes.

Like it or not, our collective actions have over time created some pretty serious problems. Beach closings reached a record high last summer, toxic chemicals still contaminate 41 “Areas of Concern,” and invasive species introductions, unbalanced coastal land use, and urban and agricultural runoff continue to degrade coastal habitat and water quality. These issues must be approached on a number
of fronts.

Federal, state, and local governments play a fundamental role. In 2004, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy released a three-year assessment on the state of the nation’s coastal resources (available online at www.oceancommission.gov). To address critical Great Lakes issues, the report urges federal, state, and local government agencies to address key issues including aging sewage, wastewater and water treatment systems; urban, residential, and agricultural runoff; the impacts of antibiotics, hormones, and other pharmaceuticals showing up in streams, lakes, and fish; and “biological pollution” resulting from the continuing introduction of invasive species.

Regional collaboration is imperative to fully address these issues. The President established the Great Lakes regional collaboration in 2004 to gather consensus around actions to restore the Great Lakes. Coordination, collaboration, and consensus building are essential for tackling issues as large and complex as restoring the ecological and economic integrity of the Great Lakes and its basin. We now look forward to a draft restoration plan in July, with the final document expected in December.

As we work toward common goals, sustainable solutions must be developed from dialog among all stakeholders, including government, business, academic, and the public. This issue of upwellings highlights three proactive environmental stewardship programs that partner state agencies with academic institutions and business and industry. In Michigan, where all watersheds lead to the Great Lakes, these proactive programs are forging ahead—making the kind of lifestyle changes we all need to make—to protect and restore the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes and ensure the long-term economic sustainability of the human and ecological communities that depend on them.

Donald Scavia
Michigan Sea Grant Director

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