GLAH Fall 05
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Fall Edition 2005 Volume 13 Issue 4 Don’t Miss this Opportunity to Have In This Issue: Your Voice Heard on Great Lakes Issues! Director’s Notes . 2 A Higher Quality of Life (Grassroots Profile) . 3 Grassroots Citizen Advocate Award Recipients . 4, 5 The Future of the Great Lakes Can’t Attend? Protecting Rare Habitat Water Quality Agreement Contribute online (Partnership Profile) . 6 First signed in 1972, the Great Lakes Water www.ijc.org/glconsultations Industrial Pollution Laws Quality Agreement between Canada and the Call toll-free (866) 813-0642 (Lake Ontario) . 7 United States expresses the commitment of Fax (613) 993-5583 Bulldozer Amendment each country to restore and maintain the Write International Joint Commission (Lake Erie - U.S.) . 8 chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. Great Lakes Regional Office Fish Barrier Project 100 Ouellette Ave., 8th Floor or (Lake Erie – Ontario) . 9 The governments of the United States and P.O. Box 32869 Public Trust Doctrine Canada are required to review the operation Windsor, ON N9A 6T3 (Lake Huron - U.S.) . 10 and effectiveness of the Agreement every six Detroit, MI 48232 years and determine whether it needs to be Fen Habitat The governments will receive your (Lake Huron – Ontario) . 11 amended in any way. It is now time for the governments to launch that review. submission in full, in the format in which it Aquatic Invaders was submitted (audio-visual or written). (Lake Michigan) . 12 The governments have asked the A New Sense of Community International Joint Commission to consult Deadline for submissions: (Lake Superior) . 13 with citizens to find out how well they think Midnight, November 30, 2005 the Agreement has worked so far and how Resources . 14 they would like to see it changed. Calendar . 15 What do you think? The International Joint Did You Know? Commission will hold fourteen public meet- ings across the Great While the Great Lakes are vast, Lakes basin, conduct an containing nearly 20% of online dialogue and the earth’s fresh surface water, accept written and this bounty can be deceiving. oral submissions. For If we stood a 1,000 foot tanker more information, on its end in the deepest part of call toll-free at Lake Michigan about 200 feet of that tanker would still (866) 813-0642 or visit be visible above water! www.ijc.org/glconsulta- Revealing that these lakes tions. are truly a thin and fragile resource. Lake Superior North Shore. Photo Courtesy of Jane Elder. ? Published five times a year by the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council • 426 Bay Street • Petoskey, MI 49770 Director’s Notes Inspiration Grassroots Symposium I was truly inspired this Grassroots Symposium a Success! weekend at the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund Grassroots Jill Ryan Symposium. Hearing the sto- ries of local community leaders from across the Great Lakes Basin left me humbled and in awe. These heroes and heroines of our time are quietly practicing democracy and public engagement in order to bring a better quality of life to their communities. On October 14th and 15th almost 70 smiling faces-sure evidence of a These leaders advocate for clean people from around the Great Lakes successful conference.” “Thank you for water, protection of habitat for our Basin gathered in Lakeside, Ohio for our the outstanding conference! It was one fish and wildlife populations, Second Annual Grassroots Symposium. of the best events I’ve been to in years!” Here’s some of what folks had to say: maintaining the integrity of our wild We are excited to introduce to places and so much more. In doing so “I learned so much, and was re- you in this issue our Grassroots they are telling the members of their energized.” “I think the GR Advocate Citizen-Advocate Award Recipients. Our communities and decision makers Award was a great idea and this year’s GLAHnews in December of this year will that immediate short-term gain is winners truly deserved the recognition highlight more of the Symposium not more worthy than long-term you gave them!” “[the symposium was] including workshops, materials and health and well-being for our future a great networking opportunity. As issues covered. If you were unable to generations. always, it’s inspiring to hear people’s attend this year, don’t be discouraged. stories.” “I came away with so much We are already working on next The stories shared at the symposium valuable information that I know will be fall’s Grassroots Symposium - to exemplify the accomplishments that applied in my work.” “I saw a lot of be held on Lake Superior… are possible when local community Next year’s theme: Stormwater leaders work to inspire those around them to care for our future. I thank Restore the lakes each person that attended the sym- posium and shared their personal Movement to Restore the stories. Your leadership truly does Great Lakes Gains Momentum provide me with inspiration to continue the work we have all taken Citizens, industry leaders, government Restoration conference comes as the officials, Tribal representatives, and movement to restore the Great Lakes on, ensuring a vital Great Lakes conservationists gathered September gains momentum, stemming in large region for future generations. 8th-9th in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at part from the July release of a $20 billion the First Annual Great Lakes Restoration plan to restore the Great Lakes ecosys- Leadership is based on inspiration, Conference to encourage state and tem. The plan was drafted as part of the not domination; on cooperation, federal elected officials to invest billions Great Lakes Regional Collaboration, a not intimidation. of dollars to clean up the Great Lakes. fast-track process established by The conference was modeled after the President Bush to craft a Great Lakes William Arthur Wood Everglades Coalition annual conferences, restoration plan. For more information which were essential for winning billions on Great Lakes Restoration, visit: of state and federal dollars to restore the http://www.restorethelakes.org/ Florida Everglades. The Great Lakes page 2 GLAHNews: Grassroots Profile Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat News Unique Partnerships Plan for a Higher is published five times a year and distributed by the Tip of the Mitt Quality Of Life in the Detroit River Region Watershed Council, a 501 (c)(3) By Don A. Griffin, Advisor to the Friends of the Detroit River Board of Directors nonprofit organization. Funding for the publication is provided by he Friends of the a high quality of life in Wayne County. She T readers’ subscriptions, Detroit River has added, “We are shooting for the stars received, from a because we think it’s important to develop contributions, and a grant from variety of sources, a LEED certified building.” the C.S. Mott Foundation. positive responses to These statements were happily received by its environmental those in attendance, and especially by John Director: Jill Ryan statements, yearly Hartig, Manager of the Detroit River Program Associate: Emily Hartz events and activities. International Wildlife Refuge, whose office Don Griffin Seeking a higher will be at the Gateway Project Visitor quality of life is a goal Address correspondence to Center. A great deal needs to be done to mutually supported by diverse Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat News, achieve such a lofty goal. A Visitor Center organizations, agencies, and businesses in and grounds that achieve a high LEED c/o Wayne County. certification will attract world-wide Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, attention and draw a variety of visitors to 426 Bay Street A recent Green Buildings Forum was hosted the Detroit area. by a partnership of groups as a public Petoskey, MI 49770 service. Participants enjoyed a program of Michigan already is among the top 10 speakers, as well as a tour of “green” states for environmentally friendly and Phone: (231) 347-1181 facilities of the Environmental Interpretive energy efficient buildings that have been certified using LEED criteria. In spite of this Center and two packets of materials on the Fax: (231) 347-5928 subject. The audience of lay people, elected trend it is estimated that 19 of every 20 officials, architects, university professors buildings, now being constructed in the and environmentalists applauded the U.S., will never be energy efficient nor Jill’s extension: 106 principal speaker, Paul Goldsmith, chairman environmentally friendly. e-mail: [email protected] of the Detroit Chapter of the U.S. Green The common belief is that it costs less to Building Council (USGBC) when he said, build structures that are not “green.” Emily’s extension: 107 “Sustainability is not an issue of doing less However, there are LEED certified buildings e-mail: bad, but what we need to do is more good.” and homes at all levels of the cost strata. In [email protected] The architectural firm of Hamilton addition, the buildings boasting LEED Anderson, hired by Wayne County Parks, certification also report savings that more presented their preliminary plans for the than make up for any initial costs. Visit us on the web at: Gateway Project of the Detroit River www.glhabitat.org International Wildlife Refuge. The audience continued on page 14 was thrilled that the goal for the project is a Disclaimer: LEED certified Platinum rating. The Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat The USGBC certifies buildings News is intended to provide a using their Leadership in Energy & Environmental forum for the free exchange of Design (LEED) criteria. The ideas among citizens and organiza- county hopes to use a tions working to protect aquatic combination of methods to habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. achieve this high level of LEED The interpretations and conclusions certification.