Great Lakes Echo (https://greatlakesecho.org/author/spaulis/)
By Shealyn Paulis
Two Minnesota nature enthusiasts have spent years chasing the state’s most elusive wildflowers. Their journey, filled with adventure and discovery, is now captured in their upcoming book, Chasing Wildflowers: An Adventurous Guide to Finding Minnesota’s Native Flowers in Their Unique Habitats.
By Shealyn Paulis
Researchers have revealed the Great Lakes’ 10 worst aquatic invasive species, spotlighting the plants and animals that pose the greatest threat to the region’s delicate ecosystems, fisheries and recreational waters. The recent study, published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, is the first to compare all 188 nonnative species in the lakes with the same methods and pinpoint which are causing the most harm to the region, its authors said. At the top of the list is the zebra mussel. These small but mighty mollusks are believed to have made their way into the Great Lakes in the 1980’s through ballast water in ships from Europe. They can now be found in all five Great Lakes.
Nestled in the heart of an urban and busy city, Wissahickon Valley Park of Philadelphia provides a place for city dwellers to enjoy the sanctuary of nature.
A popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts, historians and even wedding-goers, the park houses over 50 miles of trails and encompasses over 2,000 protected acres along a stretch of the Wissahickon Creek as it passes through northwest Philadelphia.
Environmental journalists and educators face a changing media field and systemic barriers that make it difficult to improve the profession.
Experts at a recent Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Philadelphia addressed some of these challenges to reimagine a more sustainable system.
Ten Great Lakes Echo reporters recently scored honors in the 2023 Michigan Press Association’s College Better Newspaper Contest.
“Our bench is deep, but it has to be to cover the world’s most important beat,” said Echo Editor David Poulson
The fall of salmon in the Great Lakes can be seen as a good thing ecologically as some people prefer native species, said a Michigan biologist and author.
But the personal perspective and the local impact often is forgotten.
Fish-leather purses and wallets may make their way into Great Lakes fashion with an initiative to use 100% of commercially caught fish by 2025.
One of the latest projects of a binational Great Lakes organization is to fully use the region’s whitefish, lake trout, yellow perch, walleye and white sucker.
Contrary to the popular quote, author Douglas Wood says every man is an island.
“Islands are connected, when you get deep enough, under the surface,” said Wood, a lifelong naturalist.
Michigan experts are encouraging residents to squash the invasive spotted lanternfly as the destructive insect rapidly spreads throughout the Great Lakes region.
In simpler terms: See it, squish it, report it.