From top: Staff members Katherine Lehwald, Katy Bonjour, Cheryl Alt, and Julie Champion; participants aboard a nature cruise examine aquatic life. Photos top to bottom: LaPorte, Marsee |
Discovering the Great Lakes Along the northern shore of Lake St. Clair, vast acres of soft stem bulrush and cattails emerge from the lake’s bright blue waters. Red wing black birds dart among the slender aquatic plants, which contribute to an extensive delta marsh—one of the largest in the Great Lakes region. Hundreds of area residents experienced the ecology of this unique area first hand this summer aboard Summer Discovery Cruises conducted by Michigan Sea Grant and its Metropark partners. Metropark naturalist Julie Champion joined Sea Grant staff on nature and fisheries cruises through the area. “Our goal is to provide the opportunity for the public to enjoy the experience of traveling on a boat out on Lake St. Clair, while learning about the natural and cultural history of this unique area,” says Champion. Using plankton nets and microscopes, Sea Grant staff members helped participants examine aquatic plants and animals up close, and provided binoculars to watch for herons and terns or to see freighters and lighthouses. One of this year’s highlights was seeing firsthand how restoration efforts of the South Channel lighthouses have helped provide a safe nesting site for the common tern, a threatened species in Michigan. Another highlight was joining a Michigan Department of Natural Resources research vessel in mid-lake to observe sturgeon measurements and tagging. Other popular cruises included Pirates of the Sweetwater Seas, Big River Meander, and a Bob-Lo Island history cruise on the lower Detroit River. Forty-four Summer Discovery cruises were conducted in 2007, 25 on Lake St. Clair and 19 on the lower Detroit River. A total of 1,169 participants came from 17 Michigan counties, nine additional states, and two Canadian provinces. Special cruises hosted a group of African refugees who had never experienced the Great Lakes, and a group of leader dogs in training and their handlers. In follow-up evaluations, nearly all who participated in 2006 shared the information learned with others and gained a greater sense of responsibility for Great Lakes resources. A significant percentage also engaged in new stewardship activities following participation. |