Water

Residents in Monroe County take part in outdoor activities along the River Raisin

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Monroe is split by the River Raisin, which runs directly into Lake Erie. The city’s residents are not shy about taking advantage of its proximity to the water, even if it means fishing in the drainage canal of a power plant. Fishers, young and old, gather at the Monroe fishing site near the DTE Energy Monroe power plant to snag a bite. Fish like the yellow perch and crappie are listed as safe to eat but other fish like carp can contain higher amounts of chemicals and fishers are urged not to consume them too often. Further upstream the River Raisin, the Old Mill Museum invites visitors to learn about its history serving as a hydroelectric power plant and even a Ford factory.

Wildlife

Oaks under threat from invading insects, warming temperatures, disease 

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By Eric Freedman

Capital News Service

The mighty oak may be in trouble in the Great Lakes region – and climate change is largely to blame. A mix of factors is in play, including rising temperatures, more severe and intense rainstorms, increasing susceptibility to plant-eating animals and vulnerability to disease-causing microorganisms, a new study from Michigan Technological University says. “Oaks have evolved a range of adaptations to dry and hot conditions and have an increased range of suitable habitat with climate change,” according to the study in the journal Forests. They were a pioneer species in the Great Lakes region before widespread European settlement, said Amanda Stump, the lead author of the research, and can do well with extreme temperatures. Even so, the study warns, warmer winters, extreme weather events, diseases and extended ranges of herbivores “may still put oaks at risk.”

And that can jeopardize what Stump describes as the important role oaks play in supplying food – acorns – in the fall for bears, turkeys, birds and other wildlife.

Nearshore

Michigan pushes to plug orphan oil wells

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By Donté Smith

Capital News Service

Michigan’s oil industry may not be front and center, but it remains active with over 9,300 wells across the state. The U.S. Energy Information Administration ranks Michigan 18th in the nation in crude oil production. In June 2024, Michigan wells produced 211,000 barrels of crude oil — around 8.8 million gallons, the agency said. Otsego County leads the state in production, followed closely by Jackson, Kalkaska and Manistee counties. However, there’s a growing environmental concern linked to the industry: Michigan has about 230 orphan wells abandoned by their original operators or owners without being properly plugged.

Wildlife

GUEST COMMENTARY: Speak up to stop the spotted lanternfly and other invaders

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By David Strayer

If you’ve driven Michigan’s highways lately, you’ve probably seen the billboards: a big picture of a lanternfly, with the message, “See it. Squish it. Report it.” This is good advice, as far as it goes, but it should go further. The spotted lanternfly is a serious pest that is poised to cause major economic and ecological damage across the Great Lakes region. It was accidently brought into Pennsylvania about 10 years ago, probably in a shipment of landscaping stone from China that was not properly inspected or disinfected.

Energy

Electric bus rollout sparks optimism among schools

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By Donté Smith
Capital News Service

“We’re rolling with the changes,” said Kathy Kochanski, the transportation coordinator for Troy Public Schools, as more school districts across Michigan adopt electric buses to reduce emissions and promote cleaner energy. The Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, recently announced the recipients of Clean Bus Energy grants. The initiative will support 29 districts, from Alpena to Grand Rapids, in purchasing 114 “clean” buses, primarily electric, with the possibility of including propane and natural gas models. “Things are still up in the air because it was announced recently, but we’re excited,” Kochanski said. An analysis by the Electric School Bus Initiative indicates that the total cost of ownership for electric school buses can be higher upfront than for diesel buses.

Art

All the world’s a stage: Theater project in Michigan marsh aims to promote conservation

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By Daniel Schoenherr

There’s always drama unfolding at Michigan State University’s Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center: Predators hunt prey, animals show off for potential mates and plants compete for sunlight. Later this month, though, visitors to the marsh will see a different kind of drama: a play, complete with a student cast, hand-crafted sets and a story blending science education with comedy and drama. A group of Michigan State students created the play, “The Link,” with input from experts in conservation and environmental communication. The project is part of a larger trend that blends conservation and the arts to get communities thinking about their natural areas, they say. Performances will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sept.

Echo

National Geographic spotlights ‘lesser known’ Indiana Dunes National Park

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By Grace Jenkins

Indiana Dunes National Park is among the country’s five “lesser known national parks to add to your bucket list,” according to National Geographic. 

With 2.7 million visitors in 2023, the park ranks 36th in attendance among 393 national parks, monuments and historic sites. Credited for its striking plant and bird diversity, the park offers recreational and educational opportunities that many visitors enjoy, according to the National Park Service. In 2019, what was then called the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore became the state’s first national park. Betsy Maher, the executive director of Save the Dunes, an environmental conservation organization based in Michigan City, Indiana, cited the effects that renaming the park has had on its popularity. “The combination of 2020 with the pandemic and the name-change status caused a big boom in visitorship,” Maher said.

Energy

E-bike surge sparks safety concerns amid policy changes

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By Donté Smith

The surge in electric bike (e-bike) sales has been nothing short of “obvious,” according to Rick Teranes, the co-owner of Bikes Blades & Boards in Grosse Pointe, Michigan

“Sales of e-bikes have multiplied in recent years,” Teranes said, highlighting the significant shift in Metro Detroit’s cycling landscape driven by their growing popularity. And that has raised concerns about safety for e-cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. In response to the increasing use of e-bikes, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently implemented a land use change, allowing Class 1 e-bikes on designated non-motorized trails. Class 1 e-bikes provide pedal-assist without a throttle and can reach speeds up to 20 mph. Class 2 e-bikes have the same speed limit but include a throttle, allowing riders to accelerate without pedaling.

Art

Small grants boost businesses, neighborhoods, in cities across the state

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By Katie Finkbeiner

Capital News Service

In Iron Mountain, Michigan, Sandstone Terrace rooftop bar shares an alley with First National Bank and Trust. And hanging over the alley: a sky art installation. In the summer of 2023, the installation consisted of a rainbow assortment of umbrellas. In June 2024, the umbrellas were replaced by rotating miniature hot air balloons. “It’s been a big draw for people to sit along the edge and take their group photos with the hot air balloons in the back,” said Brandy Wentz, the manager of Sandstone Terrace.

Water

Wisconsin officials ask the public to report algal blooms in Lake Superior

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By Anna Barnes

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is banking on public oversight of the largest Great Lake to help gauge the threat of increasingly common algal blooms.

Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, can produce toxins that pose a danger to public health, said Kait Reinl, research coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Lake Superior National Estuarine Reserve in Superior, Wisconsin. Symptoms from exposure include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, muscle weakness, fever and difficulty breathing, according to the Wisconsin DNR. Pets and children are particularly at risk. “The reason we specifically call out children and pets is because they’re pretty indiscriminate about the water that they’re inhaling or swallowing, and that’s really where the biggest risk lies,” Reinl said. As of Sept.