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Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news of the Great Lakes region

Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/)

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Ava Landgraf installs a nest camera in wetlands

Michigan budget adds $2 million to wetlands conservation efforts

By Akia Thrower and Great Lakes Echo | September 7, 2026

By Akia Thrower

Michigan’s annual budget includes $2 million for wetland conservation efforts by the state Department of Natural Resources, funding critical work for endangered bird species.

Historical forest biodiversity changes conservation efforts

Sunlight through trees with a green canopy

By Akia Thrower

A recent study uncovers the changes within historical tree biodiversity hotspots, which has implications for new conservation efforts in forested areas of concern.

How scientists predict Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms months before they appear

Algal bloom

By Julia Roeder

Scientists can begin predicting algal blooms weeks before they become visible in the spring.

Bald eagles help scientists map ‘forever chemicals’ in the Great Lakes region

Two eagles with bands on their legs

By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov

Bald eagles are helping scientists uncover where per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, contamination may be coming from across Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region.

More Headlines

New book explores life of legendary Minnesota canoeist Bob O’Hara
Ohio weather is full of surprises. Climate change isn’t
Michigan AG challenges the US Department of Energy again over coal plant’s forced operation

Climate

  • Wildfire smoke over trees
    How wildfire smoke impacts pets, wildlife

    By Julia Roeder  While health officials urge people to stay indoors due to the smoke draping the Midwest, experts say we should remember that the same polluted air affecting humans also threatens animals.

More climate

Wildlife

  • A drawing of a small, slim creature with tiny legs. A much larger adult looms in the background.
    Fossils found in Illinois challenge scientists’ assumptions about early land animals

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva For decades, scientists believed that the earliest four-limbed vertebrates developed much like modern amphibians: They hatched from eggs, passed through a larval tadpole stage and then underwent metamorphosis into adults. However, a new study published in Science challenges that long-held view.

More wildlife

Energy

  • A sign reading "Gary united shows love"
    City officials in Northwest Indiana call for improved utility infrastructure

    By Akia Thrower Residents and city officials in Gary, Indiana, have called for improved utility infrastructure and accountability after an extended power outage.

More energy

Nearshore

  • A black and white photo of pilots posing in front of a WWII-era plane.
    Tuskegee wreckage found in the Great Lakes provides a unique opportunity to uncover untold stories

    By Joshua Kim. Wreckage of aircraft recovered from Lake Huron and the St Clair River is uncovering untold stories of the Tuskegee Airmen, predominantly African-American fighter and bomber pilots and crew who fought in World War II.

More nearshore

Waste

  • Students and staff sort waste at Michigan State University.
    Takeout trash piling up at universities

    By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira    As takeout containers pile up across college campuses, universities are struggling to balance sustainability goals with a growing culture of convenience.

More waste

Recreation

  • Toronto Stadium filled with fans in the stands.
    World Cup 2026 brings sustainability promises and environmental concerns

    By Isabella Figueroa Nogueira As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, cities across North America are preparing for an influx of fans, matches and global attention - including Toronto Stadium (BMO Field) in Canada. Along with the excitement comes growing concern about the tournament’s environmental impact.

More recreation

Solutions

  • A firefighter conducts a prescribed burn.
    Setting fires on purpose to cut risk of catastrophic wildfires

    By Victoria Witke Wildfire risk is predicted to stay elevated in the Upper Midwest from drought and high winds. That’s risky for the region’s pristine inland lakes, but land managers are working to reduce wildfire risk in the Northwoods with controlled burns.

Agriculture

  • A researcher gently restrains a fluffy white kestrel chick in one hand and measures a wing with calipers.
    Kestrels help farmers protect crops and improve food safety, study finds

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva Pest birds are a nuisance for cherry orchards. A recent study found a possible solution: attracting kestrels to nest nearby.

Water

  • Algal mats on water near a boat launch
    Project to remove thick mats of algae on Lake St. Clair begins this fall

    By Anna Barnes   A pilot project to remove large mats of algae build-up from three locations on Lake St. Clair is set to begin this fall.

Cities & Suburbs

  • Students, faculty sit in the forest while examining plants.
    Study finds one of Michigan’s healthiest forests in Grand Rapids

    By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov Surrounded by busy roads, neighborhoods and businesses, Ken-O-Sha Park doesn’t look like one of Michigan’s most valuable forests. But a new study found the 100-acre park in Grand Rapids is home to one of the state’s highest-quality remaining forests.

About Great Lakes Echo

Environmental news of the Great Lakes region from the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.

Recent Articles

  • Diagram of a whitefish
    Michigan fisheries get one-time funding for whitefish restoration
    By Anna Barnes and Great Lakes Echo
  • Two people canoeing
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  • A medium-sized red car parked and plugged into a charger.
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    Black bass in Great Lakes can live more than 10 years, study finds
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  • A portrait of Tiffany Cao.
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  • An elm zigzag sawfly eats sawtooth-shaped bites from a leaf.
    Invasive elm zigzag sawfly confirmed in Michigan 
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  • The book's cover, which is a photo of industry along a river.
    How Downriver Detroit’s working communities fought for their region’s environment
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  • Great Lakes Echo

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