Do We Want to Call Them "The Fair Lakes"?

Welcome to Michigan, home of The Fair Lakes. Has quite a ring to it, right? How about Pretty Pure Michigan? Or Home of the Once Great Lakes? Of course, none of these titles is fitting for a state with unmatched natural resources. That is, unless too many of us continue to sit on our hands and wait for "somebody" to restore, clean up and protect the Great Lakes. A new report makes the murky situation clear: Lake Huron, as one example, is teetering on the edge of recovery, or further degradation.

The new report, developed by The Nature Conservancy and dozens of other state, federal and nonprofit groups, is called "The Sweetwater Sea: Strategies for Conserving Lake Huron Biodiversity." It says Lake Huron is in "fair" condition. Fair. Not Great, or even Good. 

“Lake Huron is really on the brink of recovery or further degradation, depending on how you look at it and what actions may transpire in the next 10 to 20 years,” says Dr. Patrick Doran, The Nature Conservancy’s director of science for Michigan and the Great Lakes. “This report stresses that now is the time to take action before it’s too late.”

The report cites invasive species, incompatible development, climate change, dams and other barriers to water flow, and pollution from industrial and other sources as the most critical threats to Lake Huron's biodiversity. Sounds like a laundry list of what's going on in or around all of the Great Lakes.

The top five areas of concern are. Northeast Michigan, Saginaw Bay, eastern Georgian Bay, southern Georgian Bay and the southeast shores of Lake Huron.

A full copy of the report and an abridged, reader-friendly version are both available at: http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/lakehuron.bcs/documents.

Don't worry, though. "Someone" is sure to come to the rescue. Probably someone in Lansing or D.C. Hopefully.

Nothing keeps you from getting involved, however. And we're happy to welcome concerned citizens to the fold, whether as members, followers or like-minded advocates.

Speak up for the lakes. Support conservation and restoration plans and a dedicated source of funding for pollution prevention and cleanups. And continue to pay attention. It's worth your time. 

--- Photo Credit: Sweetwater Sea report.