Each fall thousands of raptors like the American Kestrel, Bald Eagle and Turkey Vulture, cross the Detroit River every day.

And each one is counted by hand.

Farmers looking to sell to their communities, families who want to support them or someone who just likes perusing tents of sunflowers and produce on Saturday mornings have plenty of opportunities in the Great Lakes area.

A 1985 revamp of the plan to restore lake trout in Lake Michigan focused stocking on two relatively shallow, rocky sections of Lake Michigan where fishing for the species was banned.

An interactive map from the Indiana Geological Survey shows a string of scenic beaches and natural areas along Indiana’s Great Lakes shoreline.

Great Lakes states placed in the bottom two-thirds of 30 states ranked recently by their 2009 beach water quality by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Sierra Magazine recently ranked the nation’s greenest colleges. The Sierra Club’s publication asked 900 schools about their global warming and sustainability initiatives.

If you unraveled the shoreline of the Great Lakes, it would just fall short of stretching half way around the Earth. The region has more than 10,000 miles of coast, and a good portion is open to the public for recreation.

Many states have interactive maps that display water trails — water routes for boaters and paddlers — and provide information about beach access and amenities.

The world’s largest medical library mapped Environmental Protection Agency data on toxic releases and Superfund sites to illustrate their impact on public health.

Roughly 7,400 industrial facilities in the Great Lakes region reported the release of toxic chemicals in 2008, according to EPA data.

U.S. cities are dumping a Niagara of sewage into the Great Lakes.

A recent report recommends sewer upgrades to avoid beach closures and drinking water threats.

Such improvements are not eligible for a recent influx of federal clean up dollars so a coalition of environmental groups is urging a boost in low-interest sewer construction loans.

Mistaken identity.

Snakeheads, a scary looking potential Great Lakes invader, apparently have not yet been discovered within the system.