Water

From pet to ‘monster.’ The battle to rid Michigan’s Glen Lake of giant koi

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By Gabrielle Nelson

Robert Karner and the Glen Lake Association are on a mission to preserve the crystal-clear waters of Glen Lake next to Sleeping Bear Dunes and protect its ecosystem from invasive species. That includes Eurasian watermilfoil and one that’s gaining attention, Japanese koi. In May, bowfishers partnered with the association, a preservation and protection organization for the 46 square miles of the Glen Lake/Crystal River watershed, caught and removed four invasive koi from Little Glen Lake on the Leelanau Peninsula. “Not all invasive species are actionable,” or able to be removed, once they are introduced to a lake or river, said Karner, a biologist at the Glen Lake Association. “But a big fish like Japanese koi, at least that’s something we think is manageable.”

The removal is part of a three-year effort to remove invasive koi from the lake to protect native plants and animals.

Beth Hudson, a left below-knee amputee, can enjoy one of her favorite pastimes, cycling, with her modified tricycle that has a small motor activated with a throttle. Image courtesy Beth Hudson
Land

Disability rights advocates ask Mackinac Island to allow Class 2 e-bikes

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By Gabrielle Nelson

The only things that rival the popularity of bikes on Mackinac Island are horses and fudge. M-185 stretches around the island, hugging the coast with a clear view of Lake Huron’s crystal blue waters. The 8.2 miles is a perfect bike trail because it boasts a unique feature: It’s the only state highway in the country with no motorized vehicles. And that includes e-bikes that riders can operate without pedaling by engaging a throttle. To preserve the no-motor tradition, Mackinac Island placed a ban on throttle assisted e-bikes, but is now facing backlash from e-bike users who say the ban discriminates against people with disabilities who can’t use the iconic road.

An Isle Royale wolf. Image: National Park Service
Wildlife

Wolves hit Isle Royale campgrounds in search of food

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By Gabrielle Nelson

A warning for campers on Lake Superior’s Isle Royale National Park: Wolves are venturing into campground trash cans for easy meals. The park reminds visitors to secure and monitor food and trash to keep people and wolves separate and safe. “Wolves are very opportunistic and will utilize just about anything as a food source, and obviously getting in the garbage is an easy one,” said Brian Roell, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’s large-carnivore specialist. Liz Valencia, who manages cultural resources for the national park, said a couple of wolves started knocking down trash cans at the Rock Harbor campground, one of the park’s busiest areas. Rangers’ efforts to secure trash cans and scare away the wolves failed, she said, and the wolves keep coming back.

Electronics contain critical minerals such as copper, nickel, gold, lithium and cobalt needed to make batteries for electric vehicles and to electrify Michigan’s energy grid. Image: Gabrielle Nelson
Energy

The electric energy future could be wasting away in a junk drawer

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By Gabrielle Nelson

Lily Wilkin has four old phones tucked away in her closet — and no plans to recycle them. “I keep them for nostalgia,” she said. Wilkin works at Best Buy, the nation’s largest retail collector of electronic waste — from CRT TVs to hard drives to fans. Wilkin said at least two customers drop off electronics for recycling every day at the East Lansing Best Buy. Even though she knows about the e-waste collection program, she’s choosing to keep her old electronics.

Every summer, toxic algae blooms form on Lake Erie, posing a health risk to humans and animals. Image: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Climate

Experts predict moderate Lake Erie toxic algae bloom

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By Gabrielle Nelson

Lake Erie’s annual algae bloom has begun to form weeks ahead of schedule off the coast of southeast Michigan, but scientists say they expect only a moderate bloom this year. “There was scum off Monroe,” said Richard Stumpf, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration oceanographer who leads the federal government’s bloom forecasting effort. “It’s not huge now, about 20 square kilometers (7.7 square miles), but it has actually started up in that area.”

Cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, fouls hundreds of square miles of western Lake Erie every summer, typically from July to October. The putrid, sometimes toxic, blooms pose a risk to human and animal health and the region’s tourism economy. Under the right conditions, they produce harmful toxins that can sicken humans and kill pets.

In Michigan, e-bikes are banned from state-managed dirt trails, and some e-bikes are banned from paved trails. Image: Shutterstock
Land

Michigan officials mull more access for e-bikes on state trails

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By Gabrielle Nelson

Electric bicycle use is expanding, welcoming a new group of riders to the cycling community. But under current Michigan state park policies, the bikes are banned from many trails. That could soon change. The Department of Natural Resources has proposed a yearlong pilot program that would open 3,000 miles of trails to e-bikes. The change could take effect as early as July.

Solutions

Reporting the environmental impact of war

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Fields pockmarked by bombs, forests torn up by trenches and littered with landmines, cities around the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine flooded and then left with a water shortage as the reservoir dries up. 

These scenes in Ukraine and Gaza are a few examples of how war leaves long lasting damage to the environment.