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Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news of the Great Lakes region

Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/author/kayla-smith/)

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Kayla Smith

The ultrarun for the love of the lake will circumnavigate Lake Superior during the summer of 2016. Image: Our Shores
Art

Living, learning and loving: Runners circumnavigate Lake Superior

By Kayla Smith | May 12, 2016

The trio hope to raise money for community groups and study the effects of microplastics in Lake Superior during the 1,300 mile journey.

Art

Shopping and cooking guide links past and present of Detroit’s Eastern Market

By Kayla Smith | May 10, 2016

An on-the-ground look at Eastern Market evokes the spirit and memories of one of brightest Detroit’s gems.

Art

Good anglers, bad marriages and fish that fake orgasms

By Kayla Smith | April 25, 2016

New book explores the lore and legacy of fishing in the North Woods.

lakes/rivers/wetlands

Photo Friday: big boat brings big waves

By Kayla Smith | April 22, 2016

Watch as bystanders get caught in the Michipictoten’s wake as it arrives in the port of Duluth.

Catch of the Day

Poll: Public perception divided on Great Lakes health trend

By Kayla Smith | April 15, 2016

About half identify pollution as the region’s greatest threat.

Echo

Great Lakes ports open their docks for cruise lines

By Kayla Smith | March 31, 2016

Cruise line tourism is growing in the Great Lakes as port cities navigate border regulations.

Catch of the Day
#savethebats

Superheroes build homes for bats

By Kayla Smith | March 4, 2016

Bat homes constructed from the set of Batman v Superman will be auctioned off to fund bat conservation efforts.

Recreation

Michigan expands dark skies preserves

By Kayla Smith | March 3, 2016

New law gives state an edge in night time tourism.

Wildlife

High schoolers harness high tech to teach world about biodiversity

By Kayla Smith | February 19, 2016

The National Bio-Diversity Teach-In run by a Great Lakes school in Illinois connects students nationwide with environmental experts.

Recreation

Field trip grants make fourth grade so much better

By Kayla Smith | February 11, 2016

Grants geared towards field trip transportation funding will get Michigan fourth graders out exploring public lands and waters.

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About Great Lakes Echo

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

  • Miller in the woods
    Invasive species expert teaches volunteers to overcome ‘plant blindness’

    By Anna Ironside Caroline Miller is a botanical technologist at Michigan State University’s W.J. Beal Botanical Garden, as well as a master’s student. Her work has made her a driving force behind restoration projects on campus and beyond. From invasive species removal days to a growing movement to replace traditional turf lawns with native landscapes, Miller doesn’t quit.

  • Headshot of Ethan Theuerkauf
    Growth in shoreline armoring is reshaping Michigan’s Lake Michigan coast

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva A new study documents a fivefold increase in shoreline armoring along Lake Michigan’s Eastern coast.

  • How seeds from the past are saving a unique flower of the Great Lakes

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva More than 30 years ago, a group of scientists planted just 4,200 seeds of the rare Pitcher’s thistle in the sandy dunes of the Great Lakes. At the time, no one knew if the new populations would survive. Today, three decades later, the restored populations are thriving and spreading.

  • Henderson holding a swan
    From otters to butterflies: How Minnesota became a pioneer in nongame wildlife conservation

    By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva In the late 1970s, when most wildlife conservation programs in the United States focused almost exclusively on game species, a quiet but historic shift began in Minnesota. It was here that one of the nation’s first state programs dedicated to protecting so-called nongame wildlife emerged from butterflies and bats to bald eagles and river otters. That story is now told in detail by Carrol Henderson in his new book, “A National Legacy: Fifty Years of Nongame Wildlife Conservation in Minnesota."

  • Michigan’s water infrastructure sees improvements, work still needs to be done

    By Clara Lincolnhol The U.S. would need to invest nearly $3.4 trillion over the next 20 years to fix and update drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, says researchers from The Value of Water Campaign. Much of that infrastructure was built 40 to 50 years ago and shows its age. Michigan’s is no exception. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state a D+ for its drinking water infrastructure, a D in storm water management and a C for its wastewater infrastructure. Funding is a major problem. Proposed data centers would put more stress on the infrastructure.

  • Mussels in a green net.
    Endangered spectaclecase mussels reintroduced into the Chippewa River

    By Ada Tussing To combat the population loss of spectaclecase mussels, researchers with both the Minnesota and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released over 177 mussels into the Chippewa River in Northwest Wisconsin.

  • Michigan allocates $77 million to clean thousands of contaminated sites

    By Clara Lincolnhol Michigan is pouring $77 million into clean-up of contaminated abandoned real estate such as former factories. The director of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy says the goal is to make the cleaned-up sites safe for housing, commercial developments and other uses.

  • Winter makes curved roads dangerous; researchers seek solutions

    By Eric Freedman Flashing light on warning signs near curves can slow drivers and reduce the odds of a crash during winter weather conditions, says a new study by Michigan State University engineers.

  • The cover of “Dead Moose on Isle Royale: Off Trail with the Citizen Scientists of the Wolf-Moose Project." The cover is moose antlers on the ground.
    Great Lakes books for your holiday gift list 

    By Eric Freedman   Looking for a holiday gift for a reader who loves the Great Lakes? Here are five prospects to consider – and what our reporters learned from interviewing their authors this year.

  • A side-by-side of the historic Portage Canal and modern Portage Canal from an aerial view.
    Restoration of historical site improves quality of life for Portage, Wisconsin residents

    By Joshua Kim Following the completion of segments 1 and 2 of the Portage Canal, local residents and visitors can use the historic site and its amenities following years of disrepair.

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