Great Lakes Calendar

he Great Lakes: Managing for Action conference will address some major benefits that the Great Lakes provide as well as challenges they face. Topics include Agricultural Best Management Practices in the Lake Erie basin, Economic impacts of Great Lakes restoration, Control mechanisms for Asian carp, Wild rice and its significance, and Virtual trails and birding in the Great Lakes basin. Dr. Howard Tanner, who was instrumental in bringing Salmon into the Great Lakes, will give a presentation on how this project came about, and will be signing his new book on this subject.

Stacie Hall, Assistant Manager for Pymatuning State Park with Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Cathy McGlynn, Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator with New York Department of Environmental Conservation, will present on Hydrilla Stakeholder Outreach/Education for Pymatuning State Park and the Croton River. Stacie will present on the park’s invasive species check stations targeting boater outreach and coordination with Ohio agencies. Cathy will present on outreach efforts for the Croton River Hydrilla Control Project, including the stakeholder communication strategy and locally-supported monitoring efforts.

Many advances in agricultural technology offer opportunities to protect water quality and build soil health, yet farmers are often unable or unwilling to adopt new practices. Conference speakers will include national experts and experienced crop producers who will share experience and insights into how to develop and deliver specific assistance to individual farmers in a format that is compatible with their needs and capabilities.

Asian Carp Canada will be holding an information session at the Sarnia Yacht Club on March 6th from 6:30 – 9:00 pm. This free event will consist of informative booths to network with experts and learn about Asian Carps, and a formal presentation form Fisheries and Oceans Canada. As well as a discussion period with a panel of experts from OFAH, the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations, the Invasive Species Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the MNRF, the author of Overrun: Dispatches from the Asian Carp Crisis and a commercial fisherman.

This year’s Shoreline and Shallows conference focuses on the impacts of moderate and high-energy waves on lake shorelines. It will also include information on lake levels, native plant communities along shorelines and healthy shorelines and fish responses. Contractors, state and local governments, educators, non-profit organizations, lake suppliers, native plant growers, landscape designers, and lakefront property owners will all benefit from attending this program.

The 2019 Lake Ontario Fisheries Symposium with fish movement as a theme will be held at the Fingerlakes Mall in Auburn, N.Y., on March 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The symposium is open to the public; people of all ages can attend to learn about fishing on Lake Ontario and its tributaries from professional anglers, fisheries managers, and scientists.

Join Climate Generation for a two-day engaging workshop to learn new ways to have conversations about climate change that build respect and understanding. Participate in interactive sessions that incorporate reflective writing and listening, activities, visual art, and storytelling. Discover your own personal climate story, and learn how to use it as a tool to inspire solutions. Get empowered to take action on climate change, and make a difference in your community!

The 2019 Michigan Watershed Summit is hosted by the Michigan Water Environment Association, partnered with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The purpose of this summit includes bringing together as many of Michigan's watershed groups as possible, and providing an opportunity for speakers from other organizations to share information and updates.

The 14th Annual Lake Erie Conference will take place March 29, 2019, from 9-3 at WW Knight, Perrysburg, Ohio. Learn about harmful algae reductions from the folks who administer the programs. In addition, learn about one of the algae sources: manure. There will also be presentations about plastics in Lake Erie and the reintroduction of sturgeon.

You’re invited to Delta Institute’s spring fling, the Delta Social! There will be delicious beer from Lagunitas Brewing, food, and games. Join fellow sustainability professionals and citizens for a social event supporting Delta’s work solving complex environmental challenges across the Midwest.

Join the North Central Region Water Network for the April edition of The Current where we will hear from Rebecca Power, Director of the North Central Region Water Network, as she shares her work on the recently released Getting to Scale in Watershed Management whitepaper.

New York Sea Grant and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will present the annual State of Lake Erie Meeting on April 11, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Southtowns Walleye Association Club House, 5895 Southwestern Boulevard, Hamburg, N.Y.

The annual Lakes Partnership Convention and Water Action Volunteers Symposium will take place in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This year's theme, "Pay it Forward," is a popular concept. When someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead. This practice can certainly be seen with lake and stream volunteers, professionals in natural resource management, and all those who value our precious water resources.

Tune in to the North Central Climate Collaborative's April webinar and hear from Jon Gottschalck of NOAA’s, National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center.

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Collaborative's Great Lakes Summit is being held on Wednesday, May 1, in Toronto, Ontario. Hosted by Expert Panel co-chairs Gord Miller and Jean Cinq-Mars, and attended by stakeholders, government officials and issue table members, this event will provide the first reveal of the Great Lakes draft recommendations on toxics management, beaches and bacteriological contamination, climate change, and nutrients.

Launched in 2015, the Forum is the only binational conference in the Great Lakes Region that brings all levels government together with business, academia, and the non-profit sector to co-design new ways of positioning the Region to compete in today’s globalized economy while enhancing the well-being of the Region’s citizens and protecting the Great Lakes for future generations.