Invasive Species: Sea Lamprey

By Evan KreagerGreat Lakes Echo

The Nature Conservancy has named sea lampreys one of the five “usual suspects” invading the Great Lakes basin. These eel-looking parasites find a host and suck the life out of it. During the length of one life cycle, a sea lamprey can kill up to 40 pounds worth of fish and can grow up to 3 feet long. Sea lampreys are native to the Atlantic Ocean, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Calling all students and teachers: Young Reporters for the Environment Competition

Student reporters and educators alike — the National Wildlife Federation’s “Young Reporters for the Environment Competition” is looking for your environmental work! The contest is open to students ages 13-21. Eligible submissions should demonstrate investigation about an environmental topic, offer solutions, and reflect knowledge of how the topic relates both globally and to the community. Contest entries are accepted as:
-Single photograph
-Photo essay, consisting of no more than 12 photos
-A written article, no more than 1000 words
-Video, no more than three minutes long

The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2014. National winners, which are announced at the end of April, are then entered into the competition’s international level.

Mr. Great Lakes: Canadian trash, the Weadock Plant, and trees

Mr. Great Lakes (Jeff Kart) reports from Bay City, Michigan’s Delta College Q-90.1 FM. Feb. 21, 2014 – Mr. Great Lakes (Jeff Kart) – Delta Q 90.1 FM – Environment Report by jeffkart

This week, Kart discusses an increase in Michigan’s trash, the shutting down of a coal-burning plant and a spring tree sale. Text at Mr. Great Lakes

Beach funding dwindles

Michigan received $152,000 in federal grants in 2014 to monitor the cleanliness of its lakes and beaches.

That’s more than $200,000 less than the state was allotted in 2013.

Hantz Woodlands ready to plant Detroit

Back in 2010, Echo reported on John Hantz’s plans to build the world’s largest urban farm in Detroit.

After cutting through red tape and shifting plans to center on building an urban tree farm, the project is starting to unfold.

How many U.S. Olympians are from within the Great Lakes basin?

How many U.S. Olympic athletes are from the Great Lakes watershed? Well, that probably depends on the map you’re looking at. We know that the eight Great Lakes states are home to 82 of the United States’ 230 Winter Olympic athletes. But accounting for each that also lives within the Great Lakes watershed is open for interpretation. The watershed, also called a basin, is all the land that drains into the Great Lakes.