2005 Volume 5

Connecting Communities

Stories of Successful Communications Projects from the Field Great Lakes Aquatic Page 2 Page 14 Habitat Network Letters from the Staff Lake Superior Basin & Fund By Jill Ryan & Marci Singer Communications Empower Citizens By Jeff Brown, Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation Stories of Successful Projects From the Field is published annually and distributed by Page 4 the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, Great Lakes Basin Page 16 a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Funding Elevating Pesticide Discussions and Actions Lake Superior Basin for the publication is provided by a By Janet May, Pesticide Free Ontario Affecting Change One Video at a Time grant from the C.S. Mott Foundation. By Glenn Maxham, Save Lake Superior Association Director: Jill Ryan Page 6 Phone: (231) 347-1181 ext 106 Lake Ontario Basin Page 18 Email: [email protected] An Unforgettable Voice for the Environment Lake Huron Basin Program Associate: Emily Hartz By Don McLean, Friends of Red Hill Valley Using Communications to Redefine Phone: (231) 347-1181 ext 107 the Issue ‘Weeds’ to Wetlands Email: [email protected] Page 8 By Terry Miller, Lone Tree Council Address correspondence to: Lake Michigan Basin Great Lakes Aquatic Group Utilizes Communications Tools Page 20 Habitat Network and Fund A Victory for Water and Sustainable Agriculture Lake Superior Basin c/o Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council By Andrew C. Hanson, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc. Creating a Consistent Strategy 426 Bay Street, Petoskey, MI 49770 Phone: (231) 347-1181 • Fax: (231) 347-5928 By Winona LaDuke and Sarah Alexander, Page 10 White Earth Land Recovery Project Website: Lake Ontario Basin www.glhabitat.org Communications Unite Concerned Citizens Page 22 Stories of Successful Projects From the Field By Charles Lamb and Bill Rolland, Lake Superior Basin is intended to provide a forum for the free Residents for Responsible Government Strong Communications Networks exchange of ideas among citizens and organizations working to protect aquatic By Mary Jo Cullen, Citizens Concerned for Michipicoten Bay habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. The Page 12 interpretations and conclusions presented Focus on Lake Erie Basin in this publication represent the opinions Utilizing Unique Communications Strategies: of the individual authors. They in Inviting New Members into the no way represent the views of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, the C.S. Environmental Community Mott Foundation, subscribers, donors, By Craig Minowa, Earthology and the Organic Consumers Association Cover Photos Credits: See Individual Stories or any organization mentioned in this publication.

TABLESuccess Stories OF

GLAHNF is a project of CONTENTS Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council The mission of the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund For the better part of the last year, I have had the distinct privilege (GLAHNF) is to foster and support a vital, effective grassroots sector of working with and getting to know many people and grassroots working locally to protect aquatic habitats throughout the Great groups throughout the Great Lakes Basin. While the focus of Lakes Basin. We provide financial resources, share information and each group’s efforts may be localized, the issues, struggles and foster communication between citizens and organizations working to successes to protect aquatic habitats here in the Great Lakes Basin protect rivers, lakes and wetlands. ultimately connect all of us.

The stories in this issue of Stories of Successful Projects from the Field Since “success” is contingent upon our ability to convey the highlight citizen projects that have utilized outstanding communica- importance and relevance of protecting aquatic habitats, our tions techniques to accomplish their local habitat protection efforts. theme for 2005 is communications. Stories of Successful Projects This publication is part of the GLAHNF 2005 communications theme, from the Field is a compilation of stories throughout your Great Great Lakes, Connecting Communities. Communication is about Lakes Basin that highlight various communication methods sharing our stories of local projects and the need for protecting the including music with a message, the ability to leverage an local rivers, wetlands and lakes with the public, decision-makers and unforgettable voice and the power of a letter, among others. As our communities. We are working hard this year to help provide the you read through each story, it is my hope that you will be inspired tools activists need to successfully communicate their work and their by the work of your fellow advocates, as I have been, and also that stories. One tool we have provided through a partnership with the you garner new knowledge to help you with your own efforts. Biodiversity Project is a communications toolbox, which you can access at www.glhabitat.org. As you work toward your own successes, I’d like to personally applaud and thank all of you for your perseverance and hard work. I hope these examples of excellent communications efforts provide Your true success is your unwavering dedication to protecting you and your groups with ideas and opportunities to connect with your local resources. Your work benefits all of us who live and love others doing similar work. These stories represent the great work the Great Lakes. In this way, every effort is a success. accomplished by citizens through the more than 450 projects that have been funded in part by GLAHNF since 1996. The stories are told by the citizens that have worked so passionately to protect their local community water resources. I trust you will find inspiration, as I Marci Singer, Editor always do, in these creative projects that have been undertaken with passion and dedication to their cause.

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to those that shared their stories here, as well as the numerous groups that we could not include in this publication but that continue to work tirelessly to protect our water resources across the Great Lakes Basin.

Jill Ryan, Director Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund

FROMSuccess Stories

THE STAFF page 2 SkillsSharpening Elevating Pesticide Discussions and Actions Writing an Effective Press Release What happens when local organizational representatives from all over The workshop was the kick-off event for Front Page Challenge: A Ontario are combined with media experts from the Institute for Media, Coordinated Media Campaign that utilized press releases and fact Policy and Civil Society (IMPACS)? The result is an informative, sheets. hands-on workshop that provides practical training for volunteers with Because participating local groups consist primarily of volunteers no media experience - volunteers who find themselves on the evening working towards getting pesticide bylaws for their communities, there news or Talk Radio or being interviewed by local journalists. is rarely time available to write and distribute press releases. Throughout the project, Pesticide Free Ontario wrote regular press Thanks to financial assistance from the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat releases that included space for local organizations to insert their own Network and Fund, Pesticide Free Ontario held a half day workshop to quote and contact information. The press releases included: train pesticide activists to write media releases and develop effective messages. In addition, activists participated in videotaped mock • Water sampling results from several Ontario rivers showing levels interviews and panel discussions, which were replayed and critiqued. of some lawn care pesticides exceeding government water Warning signs are used to alert After the video camera was packed up, participants said that the quality standards; session had increased their confidence about their abilities and had passersby to the use of pesticides. • An announcement from Loblaws, a major grocery retailer in provided valuable tips to improve their performance when the media Canada, that pesticides would no longer be sold in their spotlight beckons. Some of these tips included preparing for an seasonal garden centres; interview by having specific facts available to back up answers to questions, dealing with a hostile interviewer, controlling negative facial • Pesticide bylaw victories in several Ontario municipalities. expressions and body language during a television interview and “The press releases were very useful in keeping the pesticide issue on staying on message. the public radar screen”, said Susan Koswan of Get Rid of Urban Pesticides (GROUP) in Kitchener. “By distributing pre-written press “Because my passion for a healthy community in which to raise my releases from Pesticide Free Ontario, I was able to reach more media children forced me into activism, I had no experience in working with outlets in my community.” the media,” said Sari Merson of York Region Environmental Alliance. “I found the workshop very helpful because it was so focused and gave me specific advice.”

Left: The cumulative effects of being exposed to many different pesticides over a lifetime represent an unquantified and unacceptable risk to all Canadian children.

Right: Pesticide Free Ontario held a half day workshop to train pesticide activists to write media releases and develop effective messages. Media Fact Sheets • A communications expert who presented a workshop on messages around the pesticide issue that resonate with To increase the capacity of local organizations, Pesticide Free both the general public and decision makers; and, Ontario produced several fact sheets with necessary tools to help them work more effectively with the media. These fact sheets, • A pesticide bylaw expert from the Province of Quebec who which can be found on Pesticide Free Ontario’s website (www. provided information about rational, enforceable bylaws. pesticidefree.ca), explain how to work with journalists, how to Pesticide campaigns in communities around Ontario continue to write media advisories and press releases, and how to organize show how effective small groups of people can be in convincing media events. Samples of media advisories and releases are also local governments to put protection of human health and the included. environment above profits. Seven Ontario municipalities now have “I use the fact sheets quite a lot”, says Sari Merson. “Having a pesticide by-laws and many other communities are working template makes a press release easier to write. And, now I know towards restrictions on these unnecessary chemicals. that by sending out press releases, I am increasing the chances that the pesticide issue will be covered by the media as well as raising By Janet May, Coordinator the profile of my group.” Pesticide Free Ontario 2781 Hwy 7, Suite 207 Front Page Challenge: A Coordinated Media Campaign was Concord, ONT L4K 1W1 Press releases are very useful in keeping pesticide issues on the public radar screen. beneficial for local pesticide campaigns. Pesticide Free Ontario is 905.660.9782 • [email protected] regularly sent draft media releases from member organizations to review and regularly receives clippings from local newspapers featuring local activists commenting on the environmental and health hazards of lawn pesticides. Since the media workshop in November 2003, training has become a regular feature of Pesticide Free Ontario meetings. Training workshops in 2004 featured:

May 25, 2000, Ontario College of Family Physicians and CELA release the Children’s Health Project.

Sending out press releases to newspapers increases your chances of having your Success Stories issue covered by the media and raises GREAT awareness of your group.

LAKES page 4 EnvironmentalVoice An Unforgettable Voice for the Environment Fred had the technical know-how, but much more importantly, he has an absolutely unforgettable voice. Listeners may not know who he is or “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” where they’ve heard him before, but when he talks, they listen. - George Santayana And since he has spent much of his broadcasting career talking about Friends of Red Hill Valley (Friends), a community group in Hamilton, the environment, his voice carries considerable authority in that field. Ontario, has struggled for 14 years to enhance the Red Hill Valley and This volunteered expertise helped us reach additional members of the protect this environmentally significant area from a proposed community. expressway. Although the road is now under construction, the memory of this epic battle, including the lessons learned and a description of the incredible variety of tools utilized, has been preserved through the “Red Hill is No Place for a Road.” support of GLAHNF. Altogether Fred prepared seven ads. All had the same message – Although Hamilton is Canada’s eighth largest city, its media is Red Hill Valley is no place for a road. Most of the ads could have extremely limited. Because the expressway was controversial, and the been applied to any threatened ecosystem. They spoke to the single largest government project in the history of the city, it attracted public’s underlying conviction that we are messing up the planet. media attention. While representatives of Friends were often The message was simple, yet profound, and it couldn’t easily be interviewed by local reporters, we felt our views usually weren’t clearly countered. presented. As a consequence, much of the educational work of Friends The ads ran on the news radio station, and a station devoted to was carried out with flyers that were hand-delivered by volunteers to oldies. Their cost was $25-50 Canadian each, although that package people’s homes. In some years, we reached over 80,000 homes in this Thanksgiving 2003 walk in included some time slots that were less than ideal. And even at that Red Hill Valley. manner with detailed information about the costs and the price, it doesn’t take long to run up a substantial bill. Photo by Betty Blashill consequences of an expressway through the Red Hill Valley. Friends also put the voice tracks on our website, and offered them In 2002, Friends was approached by Fred Napoli, one of the most for the websites of other environmental organizations. You can widely heard narrators in environmental films and television listen to them at http://www.hwcn.org/link/forhv/listen/listen.htm. broadcasts, including the Global Family. Fred lives in the Hamilton area Watch what happens to the accompanying photograph. and was appalled at the ecological ignorance behind the Red Hill Creek Expressway. He offered to assist Friends in its educational work. More specifically, he offered to write and narrate radio advertisements.

Rally for the Valley, August 4, 2003. Mass public opposition to the plans to cut valley trees. Photo by Cees van Gemerden. Sharing Lessons Through Archives While the road construction is proceeding, the expressway issue con- tinues to play a prominent role in Hamilton politics and government. In addition, with funding from the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat The expressway battle has tested – and found wanting – a long string Network and Fund, Friends constructed a massive archive of over of environmental regulatory processes including both Ontario and 1,000 documents, nearly three hours of video footage, several Canadian environmental assessment, several provincial statutes, and hundred photographs, and a musical and spoken word CD that pre- government promises.The material preserved by the archives project serves the history of the organization and its efforts. They have also ensures that these failings are documented so that lessons can be begun accumulating personal reminiscences about the Red Hill learned and the processes improved. Valley itself and the battle to save it. All of these may be helpful learning tools for groups beginning similar battles. The success of the Friends’ battle is in their tenacity and ingenuity in using creative ways to bring their message to the public. The major outcome of this project has been a package of two CDs Undoubtedly citizens in the area have benefited from hearing more and two videos that record a people’s history of the valley and the than one view of this highway issue. citizen struggles to save it. The CDs contain more than 225 email updates issued by Friends over the last eight years, and nearly 400 To obtain a copy of the History of the Red Hill Valley Struggle, please other documents dating back to 1991. The latter includes flyers, email or call Don McLean at [email protected]/905-381-0240. posters, media releases, submissions to government officials, and other documents. There are also over 425 photographs and even By Don McLean audio reproductions of radio ads. Friends of Red Hill Valley PO Box 61536, Hamilton, ONT L8T 5A1 “We want to ensure that the valley, as it should be, is never 905-381-0240 • [email protected] forgotten,” says Friends chair Don McLean. “And we don’t want the history to be written exclusively by the City government that has destroyed our largest park.” This issue has dominated Hamilton politics for decades, and is a topic frequently assigned to students from elementary classes right up to university courses. It has already generated several theses and other academic papers that have been incorporated in the archive. Display prepared by Friends of Red Hill and taken to the Upwind Downwind Conference hosted by the City of Hamilton in March 2004. Photo by Betty Blashill

The photograph by Cees van Germerden (8x7’) was hung in the window of the You Me Gallery during the “Down in the Valley” exhibition during February and March 2003. Photo by Cees van Gemerden

Opening night of “Down in the Valley” at the You Me Gallery, February 2004. SuccessLAKE Stories Photo by Cees van Gemerden

ONTARIO page 6 CommunicationTools Group Utilizes Communications Tools: Unified to stop the feedlot from moving in, residents and farmers in the A Victory for Water and Sustainable Agriculture Town of Gibson formed a new grassroots organization: Citizens for Manitowoc County, situated in northeastern Wisconsin on the western Responsible Agriculture and a Clean Environment. With the support of shore of Lake Michigan, could have become home to one of the largest the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund through Midwest feedlots east of the Mississippi River. Environmental Advocates, a nonprofit environmental law center in Wisconsin, they began their battle. In addition to writing letters to the When Dvorak Beef Farms, LLC proposed to construct a 5,000 head editor, distributing flyers, attending public meetings expressing opposi- feedlot, feed storage complex, and manure digester/power plant in a tion to the feedlot and voicing their concern that the feedlot would residential and agricultural area of the Town of Gibson to supply beef industrialize the rural residential and agricultural atmosphere of the on a contract basis to Smithfield Foods – owned by Packerland Packing Town of Gibson, the group also produced yard signs. At the start, yard Andrew Hanson, Attorney for Midwest in Green Bay, public concern mounted. Although Dvorak and Smithfield signs were hand painted with several different messages including Environmental Advocates, speaking are separate business entities, Smithfield Foods has been labeled by the “Save our water Stop the Feedlot” and “No Feedlot”. As more requests about the danger of factory farms Sierra Club as one of the worst polluters in the United States, having were received for signs, a new sign was made that read,“FARMING YES at the 2004 GLAHNF grassroots been fined 12.6 million dollars in 1997 by the federal government for symposium. ANIMAL FACTORIES NO” and there were more than a hundred dotting polluting the Pagan River in Virginia. the countryside. In addition to impacts to roads and traffic, noise, dust, and odors from the freestall barns for neighbors directly adjacent to the facility, the Promising Responses residents were also concerned about groundwater depletion and In response to the groups’ concerns, the Town of Gibson enacted a contamination, as well as surface water pollution. Area wells already resolution raising questions about the impacts of the 5,000 head feed- had high nitrate contamination and there was further concern about lot and expressing a desire to complete the town’s Comprehensive Land the presence of sinkholes because sinkholes can more directly funnel Use Plan before further consideration of the project by the Manitowoc water from the surface down to groundwater supplies. County Board of Adjustment. The neighboring Town of Kossuth, where much of the manure from the facility would be landspread, enacted a resolution opposing the 5,000 head feedlot.

Citizens for Responsible Agriculture and a Clean Environment at a legislature hearing on the Factory Farm Siting Act. Unfortunately, intimidation and the threat of a lawsuit were used to The local activists did not disband after their victory. In early 2004, attempt to silence members of Citizens for Responsible Agriculture when agribusiness got legislators to introduce a divisive bill to limit and a Clean Environment, and in one instance, even went as far as to the authority of local governments to stop expansions of livestock threaten to withdraw business contracts from an employer of an factories (“Factory Farm Siting Act”), they got organized to lobby individual member.These tactics only solidified the public’s opposition against it. Citizens for Responsible Agriculture and a Clean to the 5,000 head feedlot. Environment organized a charter bus of citizens to testify before a legislative committee on the bill. Although the bill ultimately passed, To operate in Manitowoc County, Dvorak Beef Farm, LLC had to obtain it did so with a requirement to establish new environmental and a Conditional Use Permit that would authorize the siting and location public health standards. Citizens for Responsible Agriculture and a of the feedlot. After a public hearing on November 13, 2002, the Clean Environment has maintained its presence by testifying before Manitowoc County Board of Adjustment unanimously decided to state regulatory agencies to ensure those standards protect air and delay its decision for several months. water quality. Members of the group continue to participate in their On February 17, 2003, the Manitowoc County Board of Adjustment met local land use planning process as well. again to consider the application, and denied the feedlot’s Conditional Citizens for Responsible Agriculture and a Clean Environment saw a Use Permit application based on concerns about the feedlot’s potential threat to their local streams and groundwater, and got organized to do pollution of groundwater and surface water. something about it. Grassroots efforts like theirs help energize the In turn, Dvorak Beef Farms, LLC sued Manitowoc County for denying struggle to protect the Great Lakes region and its small communities the local permit. Citizens for Responsible Agriculture and a Clean from poorly sited land uses. Environment (represented by Midwest Environmental Advocates and Garvey & Stoddard) successfully intervened in the case in order to By Andrew C. Hanson, Attorney advocate for clean air and water. Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc. Livestock factories like this one threaten 702 E. Johnson St., Madison, WI 53703 the quality of life of rural Wisconsin Victory in Court tel. (608) 251-5047 • [email protected] residents by degrading water and air On May 23, 2003, the local community group celebrated when the quality, contaminating drinking water, -AND- Circuit Court upheld Manitowoc County’s decision to deny a permit for and increasing unemployment and Dvorak Beef Farms’5,000 head feedlot. In court, Dvorak Beef Farms, LLC Ann Zelinski rural poverty by displacing smaller farms. USDA photo. attempted to rely on a state statute that limits local water quality Citizens for Responsible Agriculture and a Clean Environment regulation (Wis. Stat. s. 92.15).The court ruled that the statute does not 5124 old Hwy Y, Maribel, WI 54227 Livestock factories generate toxic air apply to Conditional Use Permits, and that the County properly denied 920-755-4123 • [email protected] pollution from the decomposition of the permit for the feedlot. animal waste in large freestall barns such as these. Photo Courtesy of Midwest Environmental Advocates.

Irresponsible manure management can have a damaging effect on Wisconsin's water quality, such as the spreading SuccessLAKE Stories of manure on the frozen Yellow River. Photo courtesy of Midwest Environmental Advocates. MICHIGAN page 8 CommunicationsUnite Communications Unite Concerned Citizens take notice. Since then, state, county and nearly all local municipalities have passed legislation or sent letters of support urging limits to future Although the struggle to prevent further toxic waste storage along the CWM growth. shore of a Great Lake in New York is not yet complete, Residents for Responsible Government, together with other groups are making Although the New York Department of Environmental Conservation progress. (DEC) had licensed the site long ago, a law was passed by the New York State Legislature in 1987 calling for the DEC to provide a more equitable Located near the shore of Lake Ontario, Chemical Waste Management and geographically dispersed siting plan. As a result, in 1994, the New (CWM) is a facility for the storage of toxic materials. Not only is CWM a York State Supreme Court ordered the DEC to produce a siting plan site for toxic wastes, it is commonly known as the only licensed toxic “with all deliberate speed.” This order has still not been obeyed, and the waste site in the entire northeastern section of the country. Permits DEC continues to extend the license for CWM without a thorough allow tons of toxics to be brought here from 30 states, Canada, and review. even from overseas. One could hardly imagine a less suitable place for toxics, so near the Great Lakes, which contain nearly 20% of the surface Through public pressure, the Niagara County Legislature moved to fresh water in the world. require a full environmental review and has hired an independent lawyer to assist in the effort of providing a better site plan for the Not only that, but CWM is located on top of ground that was once part disposal of toxic substances. RRG has linked with other concerned of the Manhattan Project. Recently, the US Army Corps of Engineers groups to call attention to the situation here by conducting research, found plutonium, strontium and other radioactive material on the holding meetings and informing the public of the issues surrounding CWM site where they plan to dig. It seems that people in the past CWM and its expansion. thought the land was already ruined so it could be further degraded, not thinking about the danger of stirring the soil and the volatile Community Communications Key to Success mixture that might be created. With a grant from the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund, Testing Six Mile Creek which flows CWM is located in the small town of Porter.When the town board voted another from the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club and donations into Lake Ontario. Mud boils have to grant CWM the right to expand into a larger area despite over- from many individuals, Residents for Responsible Government was able appeared in the middle of the creek whelming public opposition, Residents for Responsible Government and erupt water for approximately to respond to CWM’s publicity. Through community communications two months. Last year the PH level Inc. (RRG) came into existence. RRG demanded that the expansion be including bi-monthly press releases, with approximately 50% was extremely high. This year denied and that no future permits be granted until the site could be acceptance rate by local media, and regular contact with 25 registered close to normal. proven safe. Through an initial mass mailing to over 11,000 households, newspapers, we have secured the support of both our state senator and over 350 citizens came to early briefings and elected officials started to state assemblywoman to help us with our cause.

Niagara River from Youngstown. CWM dumps 21 million gallons of rainwater runoff from the hazardous waste portion of their facility. Over one hundred chemicals enter the river each summer. As a result of our local media successes, we have embarked on a monitoring for radiological contamination, and that based on campaign for national media exposure and have been developing existing data and tests, it does not have sufficient basis for connections with over 20 newspapers, including the New York Times rescinding its 1972 order by the Health Department that said no and the Albany and Rochester newspapers, and one television excavation should be allowed on a portion of CWM property. documentary. Three channels of regional television regularly attend We have gained data from the New York State Department of Health RRG programs and most also run some footage on their programs. showing that the rate of some types of cancer in areas near CWM is Additionally, RRG has become a regular with four local talk shows far higher than in other parts of the state.While CWM may imply this and a couple of closed circuit television programs. is due to the chemicals used by farmers, this reasoning does not hold In order to draw attention to the DEC permit and siting plan up because farmers use chemicals in other parts of the state as well. hearings, RRG also conducted a yellow ribbon campaign in which Expansion by CWM would necessitate their rerouting a creek. We several thousand flyers and ribbons were distributed to residents believe the expansion might also lead to radioactive runoff into Lake who tied them on mailboxes and poles. Colored newspaper insert Ontario. It is in the interests of the fresh water supply for many Lois Gibbs of Love Canal, speaking at a sheets continue to be used every six months to update the press conference. Photo credit: Citizens’ communities that this not be allowed to happen! community, to announce an issue or to invite residents to a hearing Environmental Coalition. or an RRG information session.Typically, 11,650 inserts are distributed We feel that the battle we are fighting here is not just for one small through a weekly paper with the last briefing session drawing about community in the northwest corner of the state, an area that could 650 attendees. be “written off” as expendable by our state officials. We feel that we are fighting for the entire Great Lakes area, and fighting for respon- Another key component to our communications campaign is the use sible management of radioactive and toxic waste. of paid advertising. Selectively, RRG uses paid advertising in two local newspapers for two purposes; first to be sure that our message gets So with allies like the Citizens Environmental Coalition, Great Lakes out in a clear, unedited form, to better inform the populace and United, the Sierra Club, and others, Residents for Responsible editors; and second, to reinforce the strength and presence of RRG. Government continues the fight. We have had some successes; we Additionally, RRG maintains our own website where numerous have slowed down the permitting and expansion process. But the articles help inform the public. Links to other organizations, support- battle will not be won until CWM is closed and a proper long term ing coalitions and some news sources are also incorporated into the maintenance program is in place. The battle will not be won until site. Through the site, RRG has been able to build a database for toxic wastes are dealt with responsibly, or not produced at all.We are A bill to amend the environmental immediate communication and call-to-action appeals. grateful for our allies in this important effort. conservation law, in relation to state siting requirements for industrial Fighting for the Entire Great Lakes Area By Charles Lamb and Bill Rolland hazardous waste facilities, was signed Residents for Responsible Government by Governor George E. Pataki on The Niagara County Health Department is spearheading an effort to July 12, 2005. View the article at P.O. Box 262, Youngstown, NY 14174 conduct well water and soil testing. The department is also urging http://www.niagara-gazette.com 716.745.7037 • [email protected] the State Attorney General to assist in investigating resident /story.asp?id=2329 complaints, telling CWM it must immediately begin water and air

Press conference held across the street from the gates of CWM as part of the 25th anniversary of Love Canal, SuccessLAKE Stories August 2003. Photo credit: Citizens’ Environmental Coalition. ONTARIO page 10 Focus on Unique Lake Erie Event Strategies Utilizing Unique Communications Strategies: everyday living experience. In short, there is little about the Inviting New Members into the environmental movement that is attractive to this segment of the “As part of what this grant Environmental Community population. process launched (ongoing I believe one of the most essential elements of a successful Bands with an Environmental Message waterfest events that are self community is diversity. In an environmental context, without diverse segments of the population demonstrating an active role in A variety of methods have been used to bring environmental funded), we held an eco-event preserving and protecting the planet, the movement is doomed to concepts to this demographic, including school curricula, workshops, on the waterfront in fail. The environmental community has become adept at networking and conferences.These have all served as important methods of envi- ronmental education, but have not truly pervaded this population. Cleveland in June 2005, with its core members. Those that are already active with environmental advocacy are relatively easily brought into larger which included live music, Waterfest’s goal was to reach out to this group and begin to dispel ecologically-minded networks. This is obviously an important aspect stigmas of the environmental movement by arranging events that as well as an hour of live of a truly functional Great Lakes environmental community, but there attract college-aged adults and create new psychological paradigms coverage on the local must also be methods implemented that bring those people that regarding their concepts of environmentalism. may not consider themselves to be environmentalists into the overall college radio station. Great Lakes ecological community. Waterfest created events around the Great Lakes region that brought The stage was powered this audience out to see their favorite bands, and, in the process, This was the goal of Waterfest, a Great Lakes environmental outreach exposed them to local environmental issues and organizations. with wind power. As a result, project funded in part by the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network Instead of being held in a classroom, these events were held at the the estimated fuel consumption and Fund.Waterfest employed a host of very nontraditional methods most popular music clubs. The festivals were a holistic approach to of bringing new members into the environmental community, for the touring band was environmental education. In doing so, the image of these namely, college-aged adults. organizations morphed from appearing to be a “stuffy” unattainable compensated with the planting Factors including 1) recent surveys showing the popularity of organization, into a cool local group with which to get involved. of an acre of trees. Nonprofit environmentalism waning among college-aged adults, 2) poor Great Lakes reading material messaging on the part of environmental organizations, and Unique Methods of Communication 3) rampant “environmentalist” stereotypes, have created feelings of was dispersed, and there While sipping on a locally brewed beer and listening to live music, powerlessness, pessimism and denial. At the same time, the concept concert goers were able to sign petitions and read information was a live painter. of “nature” for college-aged adults is something that is increasingly about what is happening to their local waterways. In addition to ” known as an abstract from a text book more than an actual concrete

Performers and organizers involved in most or all of the funded events have a group hug back stage before performance time music and tabling organizations, the venues included live painters, Attracting Listeners and Media an environmental art gallery, a whole venue light show, performance artists working the crowd, and environmental video Advertised via press releases, posters and college radio, media streaming on the walls. The purpose of the events was to create an interest in the events was extraordinary given the fact that the unforgettable experience that, in a matter of a few hours, could premier venues where the shows were held had never offered show a new face of the environmental movement, thereby concerts like this before. Media from National Public Radio to inspiring attendees to become active members of the Great Lakes Audubon Magazine praised the events, saying such things as “You environmental community. go for the music, but you come out wanting to save the world.” The key to this program’s success was in lining up bands for the bill The concept of Waterfest was a great success and is now an that had a heavy crowd pull. It was also necessary to make sure established, financially self-sustaining template that will continue these bands had an environmental message (or at least incorpo- to be implemented in a wide assortment of cities around the world rated that message into these performances). One aspect of this for the next few years. A book is being written about the events by project’s overall success was the involvement of Cloud Cult, a band contemporary author Kevin Anthony Kautzman, as he travels with the festival over the next two years. Kjersten Hallin was a live painter at most that played a major role in organizing these events, as well as per- of the funded shows. Here’s a piece she forming at them. One of their songs receiving the most radio play In the process of organizing these events, a large national network painted on stage as the band performed was “State of the Union,” a song addressing the band’s viewpoints of environmental artists, musicians, and nonprofit organizations around her. of policies as they relate to the environment. Integrating this kind has been (and continues to be) established by Earthology Records, of music popularity and messaging with these events guaranteed The environmental band Cloud Cult takes the organizer of these events. As the network grows, the events the stage with a full water backdrop at an a large crowd draw, along with the expectation within the and their outreach expands. Each event brings Great Lakes event in Minnesota’s Orchestra Hall. audience of some type of activism (as a note, Cloud Cult continues environmental issues to a segment of the population that has to purvey Great Lakes environmental information at all of its proven to carry stigmas about the environmental movement. With shows and will continue to do so for its 2005 US, UK, Australia, each concert, anywhere from 500-1,000 participants are welcomed Iceland, and European tours). In short, the audience was made up into the Great Lakes environmental community and taught ways of an assortment of individuals that would likely not be drawn to of improving the well-being of what constitutes nearly 20% of the a standard environmental conference. world’s surface fresh water, be it simply changing the manner in In event exit surveys, one of the most common opinions expressed which they approach their everyday decisions or connecting was that concert-goers expected the environmental aspects of the with local Great Lakes-focused environmental organizations on a show would make the events, overall, more “lame,” but were sur- volunteer or donor level. prised at how entertaining the messaging proved to be. This was By Craig Minowa reflected in the high number of donations and petition signatures Earthology and the Organic Consumers Association of participating tabling organizations. RR1 Box 61B, Hinckley, MN 55037 877.264.4440 • [email protected]

A crowd cheers for the band on stage at a Lake Michigan Waterfest event GREATSuccess Stories LAKEFocus on in Milwaukee, WI in April of 2004.

LAKES ERIE page 12 CitizensEmpowering Communications Empower Citizens produced a landmark report in 1996 that was the first statewide comprehensive documentation of the widespread extent and nature of Situated at the “head of the Great Lakes” and mouth of the St. Louis ATV damage to Minnesota’s public and private land and waters, and the River, Duluth is in the city forester’s words,“a city on a hill with clay soils policies and institutions that allow such damage to occur. The report and many streams”. In 2004, a Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network provided undeniable evidence and continues to be introduced as and Fund grant helped Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation (MRR) evidence in court cases, environmental review petitions and public protect this vulnerable landscape and its wetlands and streams along comment. The report also encouraged the Office of the Legislative 27 miles of Lake Superior shoreline. That year, citizens and the city of Auditor to audit the DNR’s motorized recreation program.The audit has Duluth chose to prohibit ATVs, dirt-bike motorcycles and four-wheel widened public scrutiny of motorized recreation and found that vehicle drive trucks on all public land in the city. users damage forests and wetlands without accountability.

MRR was founded with a mission to protect peace and quiet, fresh air, Recently, the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund provided personal safety and healthy trails and waterways from the noise, MRR with financial support to include a wetlands protection toolkit as fumes, danger to others and environmental damage caused by part of a larger motorized recreation resource library on compact disc. motorized recreation. Central to our success has been the effective use The CD will include the most current edition of MRR’s Off-highway Heavily ATV rutted trail from Mission of graphic communications to document off-road vehicle damage and Vehicles report, tools for identifying wetlands, documenting off-road Creek Trail to Jay Cooke State Park. to inspire citizens and public officials to support better protections of Impassable to walkers and others. vehicle damage and use of restoration analysis forms. Additionally, the our environment. Estimated cost of repair: $15,000. CD/DVD will include information and tools such as “Easement Education”, how to petition for an Environmental Assessment Communications Raise Awareness about the worksheet, how to request public data and the 2003 Legislative Audit Unwanted Effects of Motorized Recreation of the DNR’s Motorized Recreation program. While release of the CD MRR sees collecting evidence as primary in any effective campaign. To has been delayed until later this year, numerous components of the CD protect shorelands and waters from ATV damage, MRR works to were used in 2004 citizen victories to protect wetlands in Duluth and empower citizens with solid information and tools to do just that. MRR elsewhere.

ATV damage to mitigated wetland. Foster Avenue and West Page Street, Piedmont, May 2002. To truly empower Minnesotans to protect our land and water from While effective communications played a central role in MRR’s Duluth the unwanted effects of off-road vehicles, MRR’s CD/DVD will also victory in 2004, similar communications also succeeded in protecting include an introductory slide show of images, music and poetry that wetlands along the Mesabi Trail bikeway and North Shore State Trail. shares MRR’s values, mission and vision. MRR anticipates that much These campaigns assembled citizen data with petitions for public and broader distribution of MRR’s CD/DVD will generate a whole new era environmental review of newly proposed ATV routes and caused pro- of informed and empowered public discussion, debate and reform. posals for ATVs on or near these trails and adjacent wetlands to be In addition to campaign communications, weekly meetings were withdrawn. organized to build consensus that all communications with city offi- Utilizing MRR’s “ATV Damage Repair Analysis” format and bringing cials and the media would focus entirely on the value and importance together student interns, city staff, and leaders from other organiza- of our green space and wetlands as opposed to focusing on the desire tions, MRR is currently engaged in a systematic city-wide assessment for access among ATV operators. As part of this effort, citizens were of ATV damage to wetlands and streams. The data will be presented trained in the use of digital cameras, global positioning system units on a GIS map to city councilors and the mayor to identify aquatic and an “ATV Damage Repair Analysis” form to gather data document- habitats most threatened by past and/or current ATV (now illegal) ing ATV damage to wetlands and streams throughout the city. A sin- use.The goal of these communications will be to generate support for gle page of captioned ATV damage photos was distributed to city funding repair efforts and better enforcement of the new ordinance councilors including estimated costs of repair. to protect local wetlands. ATV wetland damage maps will also be used Although Duluth’s ordinance passed, MRR recognized that new laws in grant applications to a coastal zone management program to pro- without compliance are a hollow victory. As a result, MRR purchased a tect the west end of Lake Superior from soil run-off. ATV damage to riparian zone: mailing list from the state of all registered ATV, dirt-bike motorcycle Mission Creek. Estimated cost of MRR’s CD Protecting Minnesota from Motorized Recreation: A and four-wheel drive truck owners in the city and sent them a Friendly restoration: $9,000. Resource Library and Toolkit will be available soon. It is expected that Reminder postcard to inform them of the new law. To hold trespass- the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund support to dis- ing ATV operators accountable, MRR also developed a citizen’s “Off- tribute MRR communications will once again encourage statewide Highway Vehicle Monitoring Form” and distributed these forms replication of MRR’s success in protecting wetlands from off-road throughout the city to empower citizen “watchdogs”. These forms vehicle damage. Watch MRR’s website, www.MnResponsibleRec.org provide on-going data regarding where, when and sometimes who is for release of our CD. trespassing on public land with off-road vehicles and what contact was made with city police. By Jeff Brown, Executive Director Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation PO Box 111, Duluth, MN 55801 218-740-3175 • [email protected]

ATV erosion polluting Mission Creek, undermining historic bridge, SuccessLAKE Stories Fond du lac, December 2003.

SUPERIOR page 14 ChangeAffecting One Video at a Time department in 1933) included sport fishing groups and, of course, the members of the non-native salmon family that were purposely The Save Lake Superior Association (SLSA) is the oldest citizen group introduced into the Great Lakes beginning in the late 1800s. working exclusively to preserve and protect Lake Superior. It was organized to help stop the dumping of taconite tailings into Lake Once the immensity and complexity of the problem became apparent Superior, which threatened human health and contaminated the water to us, we began a lengthy attempt to convince the DNR to halt its and aquatic life. Lake Superior is cleaner today because of actions taken river-altering "management" practice. Despite our vigorous efforts, we by SLSA. Among its many accomplishments to protect Lake Superior, were only mildly successful in communicating the many-faceted issue SLSA successfully led efforts to stop blasting of two waterfalls and to local and regional residents. We had not developed a coherent, construction of a 400 foot fish migration tunnel on Duluth’s “scenic” inclusive method of conveying the message that waterfall removal waterfall at Lester River in Duluth, Minnesota. was, inextricably, an integral part of the management of exotic fish.

Waterfalls on the rivers along the famous North Shore Drive of To garner the credibility essential for public acceptance of our claims, Minnesota began disappearing in March of 1933 — not from erosion, we knew we had to conduct our own scientific data search–and this Botanist Gary Walton next to a sea of but at the hands of humans during a time when environmental could be done only with financial assistance. This is where the Great exotic canary grass that took over a Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund helped with a grant. drained beaver pond. concerns were minimal. The elimination of at least 50 beaver dams and lodges and subsequent drainage of the impounded water has been quietly carried out with little or no public exposure and with no Using Video to Address Major Issues scientific study of the impact on native aquatic stream life before or Upon receiving the grant from the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat after the exotic members of the salmon family, the salmonids, were Network and Fund, we set out to document the impacts of waterfall introduced to tributary streams of Lake Superior. Because the wisdom and dam removal and exotic salmonids on Lake Superior, to aquatic life of removing or leveling waterfalls wasn’t publicly challenged for more in its tributary streams, and to the natural geological features of these than a half-century, by the time members of Save Lake Superior rivers. We realized that we needed personnel with impeccable Association began its investigation, more than just the loss of credentials to be prepared for the chance of challenges to our findings. waterfalls was at stake. We employed two experts, one of which had once been a staff member The central figures, in addition to the Minnesota Department of of the DNR. Interestingly, the other had also worked under contract Natural Resources (DNR - known as the State Game and Fish with the agency.

Left Photo: Knife River First Falls Project, September 1969, before construction of concrete dam. Looking upstream – step pockets numbered 1, 2 & 3. Courtesy of the DNR.

Right Photo: Knife River waterfall before blasting. The aquatic biologist kept meticulous records, collected and preserved EPA’s Mid-Continent Ecology Division. All recipients were asked to sub- invertebrates and is prepared to defend his work if that need arises. mit a constructive critique focusing on the accuracy of statements He also illustrated his findings on charts and graphs. Additionally, to made within the video. further establish the veracity of our field research, the entire We are pleased to report that the DVDs were reviewed by these procedure was videotaped. That footage, together with video officials. At the direction of DNR Commissioner Gene Merriam, his segments I had taken over a period of years, produced a thirty-two director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, John Gunther, sent me a minute DVD titled The Tale of the Beaver. The intent of The Tale of the two page response. Significantly, Mr. Gunther did not question the Beaver is to promote restoration of the native aquatic life of Lake findings and facts documented in the DVD. He stated that his agency Superior and its tributary rivers and urge attrition of introduced is in the process of revising the Fisheries Management Plan for “sports” fish. The DVD addresses erosion resulting from wetland Minnesota’s portion of Lake Superior and is,“…working with a variety drainage of beaver ponds, loss of the beaver-created wetland habitat of stakeholders, of which your group is one. It is through this type of needed for amphibians, waterfowl and some mammals failure of process and citizen input that many of our management strategies native brook trout to make a comeback due in part to the presence of are influenced.” non-native fish, and other lesser impacts of the exotics. While our battle continues, we are influencing state agencies to The overarching theme of the video was to collect, analyze and adapt management strategies to protect waterfalls by effectively disseminate information to help citizens protect aquatic habitat and communicating current practices through our DVD and how we hope to bring a local issue to the attention of media and the public. to affect change. Because there are no state statutes or rules that Similar problems face neighboring Wisconsin and Michigan where Fisheries Biologist Jamie Juenemann eliminate the practice of waterfall removal, Save Lake Superior stream alteration has also been a harmful practice. It is hoped that a collecting fish and invertebrates. Association is concentrating on the importance of contacting our successful campaign in Minnesota against such environmental regional legislators to author a bill making future waterfall removal destruction could then be used as a model to protect wetlands and illegal. Realizing that a reversal of DNR management practices will rivers in those states. ultimately be in the hands of informed state legislators, our next Expert Review target audience is these lawmakers. Finally, anyone who would like a free copy of The Tale of the Beaver Even though the DNR was subjected to considerable criticism, Save may get it by sending a request to me via e-mail. My address is Lake Superior Association felt it was important for the agency to [email protected] or call me at 218-727-4554. review the video. Copies were sent to several people within the highest managerial level at the agency and to others who serve below By Glenn Maxham, Vice-President them in March of 2005, as well as to seventeen environmental Save Lake Superior Association organizations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. A copy was also submitted 1902 St. Louis Avenue, Apt 319, Duluth, MN 55802 to the Minnesota Sea Grant office in Duluth and to a director in the 218-727-4554 • [email protected]

Fisheries Biologist Jamie Juenemann. SuccessLAKE Stories

SUPERIOR page 16 IssuesRedefining Using Communications to Redefine the Issue: Saginaw Bay has a coastal ecology characterized as marsh wetland, but ‘Weeds’ to Wetlands on its southwest rim, has several tracts of sandy beach. Bay City State Recreation Area, the only area available to the public, is the border It is far too early to declare a success in preserving Michigan’s emerging between ecosystems, and manifests aspects of both sand and marsh. coastal wetlands. In truth, probably every generation will have to During the latter half of the twentieth century, both western and tackle assaults on these vital ecosystems. However, thanks to a Great eastern shores of Saginaw Bay were sold to developers. Today, cottages Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund grant, more children, more and permanent homes crowd each other. college students, and more sportspeople are aware of the important role coastal wetlands play in cleaning our drinking water, stocking When lake levels were high, the problems these owners faced were our fisheries, and creating habitat for a myriad of land animals and erosion of foundations and winter ice packs crashing through bay waterfowl. And their voices are beginning to be heard. windows. Fixed sea walls, like some fortress Europa, were the response. In 2000, however, nature offered up another snag in her amazing Defining the Issue capacity to thwart human desire – declining water levels. As most readers know by now, home and cottage owners around The sea walls became historical curiosities, as the water receded and Saginaw Bay successfully lobbied to modify Michigan’s coastal wetland receded and receded. Soon the shoreline extended outward hundreds protection rules allowing greater mowing of habitat, swifter permits, of feet to silty soft waves. The newly exposed bottomland stirred the and more ‘grooming’ of beaches in specific areas. In great part, this was dormant life once buried under water, and bulrushes sprouted; seeds because of their success in defining the issue: property owners against carried from birds introduced other vegetation including cattails, and big government,‘weeds’ versus sandy beaches, and health and tourism occasionally, the invasive plant species, phragmites. over mosquito infested, stagnant water. Their success in framing the issue came in part from media and citizens’ woeful lack of understanding of the ecology of Saginaw Bay and the importance of coastal wetlands.

Through ads like the one to the left, more sportspeople are aware of the important role coastal wetlands play in cleaning our drinking water and providing a habitat for a myriad of land animals and waterfowl.

Left Photo: A tractor works to drain a wetland for agriculture.

Right Photo: From the perspective of the southern part of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Not to be deterred, property owners assumed the role they felt they Working in collaboration with the Michigan Wetland Action Coalition, had by proprietary right. Instead of walls to protect their homes, we purchased a full-color ad in the Bay City Times. The ad was meant however, they would extend and maintain the nature of their beaches to help readers make the connection between healthy water and waterward; they would buy tractors, and attach clawed drags, or steel healthy wetlands. The ad tries to point out that in order to protect our circular disks or plows, and dig up, slash through, plow up, and destroy precious wetlands we need state and federal agencies to enforce our this new assault on their right to access the water. Or hire the process environmental laws. out to others. To reach a new audience, Lone Tree Council recently joined forces with Not considered in this self-interest equation was the benefit to the a highly motivated angler, Brian Weber, who was tired of reading public of this perceived battery to “their” beaches. The period of high about the Saginaw River and Bay deluged with raw or partially water had dulled memories, and for property owners the “grooming” treated human sewage every time it rained, as well as the recent dis- of the beaches had been basic to their lifestyle. Insisting that they covery of high levels of dioxin in the river and bay sediment. Together owned to the shoreline, they resented the growing regulatory we created a petition to Governor Jennifer Granholm calling for action. intrusion into their lives that declining water levels brought. They Brian has been out on the ice, inside sportsmen’s clubs, and out to bait defined this new vegetation as “weeds” and would commence what shops – and the support has been overwhelming. Within a little more the Bay City Times would label the “Battle of the Weeds.” than a week, Brian collected 430 signatures and received requests for Changing the Game petitions nearly every day. This is an important constituency of the river and bay that has hitherto been silent – no longer. We were able to use a multi-faceted approach to communicate the Perhaps we are on the verge of changing the game, turning weeds to importance of wetlands and reframe the issue. We succeeded in wetlands, only time will tell, but we are grateful for GLAHNF’s support Photo courtesy of Alliance for the getting a wetland video produced by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council Great Lakes (formerly the Lake Michigan of our effort to turn things around. repeatedly aired on Community Access Television. We challenged local Federation) – Joel Brammeier. media each time we caught them defining the issue according to From the perspective of the southern property owners.We met with high school students and regularly gave By Terry Miller part of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. presentations to freshmen in an Environmental Dynamics class at Lone Tree Council Saginaw Valley State University. 4649 David Ct., Bay City, MI 48706 (989) 686-6386 • [email protected]

From the perspective of the southern SuccessLAKE Stories part of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron.

HURON page 18 StrategyCreating

Creating a Consistent Strategy Building Historic Coalitions in the Indigenous Struggle to Protect Intellectual Property Rights The White Earth Land Recovery Project is working to protect wild rice, or manoomin, from genetic engineering and patenting. Through coalition Research into the genetics of wild rice has been taking place over the building and communication with Tribes throughout the Great Lakes last ten years at the University of Minnesota. Researchers have mapped region, we have achieved some major victories. The White Earth parts of the genome of wild rice and are looking for functional genes to Reservation has become the first reservation in the country to pass an control traits for further domestication. One concern of the ordinance banning the introduction of genetically modified seeds into Anishinaabeg, as well as religious and outdoors groups in the state, is the ecosystem – in this case wild rice seeds. According to White Earth’s that this technology is laying foundations for genetically engineered new conservation code, it is “prohibited to introduce, grow, or plant any wild rice. Genetically engineered wild rice could present risks to human type of genetically modified wild rice on land or water within the health, the environment, and cultural integrity for some groups. exterior boundaries of the White Earth Indian reservation.” “A duck doesn’t know the difference between genetically engineered Wild rice is central to the Minnesota way of life and Anishinaabeg cul- paddy grown wild rice, or some hybrid of wild rice, and natural lake Ricing at Mitchell Dam. Statewide, there are 60,000 acres of wild rice ture. The Anishinaabeg of Northern Minnesota followed a prophecy to rice,” explains Frank Bibeau, a rice producer from Ball Club, MN, and a on streams and lakes. migrate to where food grows on water. Statewide, there are 60.000 White Earth tribal member. “That means that a bird eats some of that acres of wild rice on streams and lakes. Wild rice provides both rice, or gets some of the rice caught in its wings, and drops it into a lake spiritual and nutritional sustenance for the people, and it contributes stand, the potential for contaminating a Minnesota natural resource is to the local economies of the seven Anishinaabeg Tribes of Minnesota. great.”

“We want to protect our wild rice from genetic contamination,” If introduced into Minnesota, genetically engineered wild rice will explained Mike Swan, Commissioner of Natural Resources for the White likely contaminate natural stands of lake wild rice, irreversibly altering Earth band. “We have a huge wild rice crop on this reservation, and the natural lakes ecosystem, which is important for fish, waterfowl, and many Tribal members depend on it for our food, economy and way of water quality. Genetically engineered wild rice would cause a loss of life.” Shortly after the White Earth ordinance, the Fond Du Lac band foreign export markets for both Native hand-harvested wild rice and passed a similar law opposing the genetic modification of wild rice. cultivated wild rice, because over 3500 jurisdictions worldwide do not allow genetically engineered food imports. This year legislation was introduced into the Minnesota State Legislature that would prohibit

Left Photo: Wild rice contributes to the local economies of the seven Anishinaabeg Tribes of Minnesota.

Right Photo: Two cedar sticks are used to gently knock the ripe wild rice into a canoe. The Wild rice is then brought to shore, traditionally parched over a wood fire, jigged to get the hull off, and fanned to separate the hull from the finished wild rice. the introduction of genetically engineered wild rice into the state of Reservation. The Eat-Ins feature a documentary screening, wild rice Minnesota (House Bill 1382/ Senate Bill 1566). This legislation would supper, and open discussion, followed by postcard signing, letter prevent contamination of natural lake stands, and provide protection writing, and planning for future actions. Already, we have shown the for the future of our Minnesota State Grain and lake ecosystem. film to key legislators, third through eighth-grade school children, Fond Du Lac Tribal College, and public audiences in Minneapolis/St. In the indigenous struggle to protect intellectual property rights, the Paul. Through video communication we have aimed to explain the White Earth Land Recovery Project’s work to build coalitions, get Tribes issue with authentic voices, educate, and spur action. As with the on board, and introduce legislation, is historic and unprecedented. posters, we have distributed copies of the film freely to advocates With the support of the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network Fund, across the state and country, striving to spread the word as widely as we have been able to hold meetings and develop campaign materials, possible. bringing together diverse interests, and allowing us to create a coherent strategy for protecting wild rice throughout the Native Much of our communications success has come from talking with Communities of the Great Lakes. people directly. Presentations across the state, formal and informal meetings, even approaching people at the 137th Annual White Earth Working with a graphic designer, we created a new campaign poster Pow Wow to sign postcards to their State Senator, have reached that is both visually appealing and powerfully communicative. Red diverse audiences with the message of protecting wild rice. Personal Cliff Ojibwe artist Rabbett Strickland’s original painting “Nenabozho interaction, paired with tangible materials such as posters, films, and Nookomis Ricing,” is the base design. Superimposed on the Wild rice is harvested in the fall when brochures, postcards, and petitions, and online techniques, including the lakes are teeming with life. colorful image are the words, “Keep It Wild,” a slogan for the struggle an e-mail action alert list and a website have helped us establish a to keep wild rice wild. In allowing us to put a face and name on comprehensive set of outreach tools. This campaign poster was created to be the campaign, this poster has increased both visibility and recognition both visually appealing and powerfully of the cause. We have distributed free posters to cultural and commu- Support from the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network Fund has been communicative. nity centers on the reservation, food cooperatives, businesses, integral to the success of our communications campaign. As a result, and many individuals—from legislators to Tribal members to school- we have come far in this struggle, yet we have a long way to go until children. As the posters have cropped up across Minnesota, we have wild rice is permanently protected.“To us, wild rice is sacred. We think received many requests for them, spurring interest in our work. it’s worth protecting,” said Mike Swan.

To further increase visibility and communication throughout the state For more information on the wild rice campaign, please contact Sarah by informing both legislators and community groups, we produced a Alexander, Director of the Wild Rice Campaign, [email protected], short documentary film, “Manoomin: A Minnesota Way of Life.” The or 218.573.3448 or www.savewildrice.com film speaks with the voices of ricers, activists, Tribal elders, and academics, explaining the history and importance of wild rice to By Winona LaDuke and Sarah Alexander Ojibwe communities, and the technology and concerns of genetic White Earth Land Recovery Project engineering and patenting. The film, as an organizing tool, can be 32033 E. Round Lake Road, Ponsford, MN 56575 paired with specific actions for individuals to speak out on the issue. 1-888-779-3577 • [email protected] This July, we will hold five “Keep it Wild! Eat-Ins,” on the White Earth

Winona LaDuke, Founding Director for White Earth Land Recovery Project, SuccessLAKE Stories speaks about the wild rice campaign.

SUPERIOR page 20 NetworksStrong Strong Communications Networks Utilizing Celebrity Support May is generally a time of euphoric anticipation for the small colony of The process of developing our own grassroots network proved artists, kayakers, and naturalists who live on the shores of Lake Superior enormously exciting and enervating. I remember writing to Pierre at Michipicoten Bay: a paradise of beaches, sand dunes and ancient Berton way back in 2003. In the letter I asked this legendary Canadian rocky headlands, poised at the edge of the longest essentially wild historian, journalist, television personality, and environmentalist, then shoreline left in the entire Great Lakes. This sublime landscape was in his eighties, to lend his voice in our struggle to protect the threatened, however, when a giant U.S. roadbuilding corporation magnificent North Shore of Lake Superior. About a week later, there purchased a 1,000 acre block of property on 2.5 kilometres of was a call from Mr. Berton’s publicist who said, “Pierre wants to know Michipicoten Bay shoreline. Residents learned of the purchase in what he can do.” May 2002, and within days, began a campaign to stop the quarry, or at Mr. Berton’s celebrity endorsement gave legitimacy to our concerns, the very least, to ensure an environmental assessment. and his voice, as a member of our communication network, helped Armed with the miracle of electronic communication, Citizens move our campaign forward.We are extremely grateful for his support. CCMB information area at Mountain Concerned for Michipicoten Bay (CCMB) wholeheartedly embraced the Along with all of Canada, we mourned Mr. Berton’s passing in Equipment Co-op, April, 2004. Internet and ‘e-mail’, both of which soon became the group’s prime November, 2004. Photo credit: Joel Cooper tools for searching out essential information, developing media Creative ideas and opportunities were often passed on from network contacts, and discovering supporting organizations and individuals. supporters. We thank Jane Reyer and Michelle Halley of the National The response and support of environmental organizations, however, Wildlife Federation (NWF) for our first flamboyant publicity event: an was simply too good to be true. We found that these organizations airplane flight – LightHawk - that brought the Director of the had established such a remarkable communication network, that Governor’s Office for the Michigan Upper Peninsula to Michipicoten to after we had contacted one or two groups, others began calling us see first hand the true cost of blowing up this coast to pave roads in spontaneously, to hear our story and to offer support and advice. It Michigan – the destination market for the quarry.The LightHawk flight was quite incredible, and the vital importance of being a part of group was a turning point in our campaign. Press coverage sparked an networks that beam out electronic alerts to their many partners interview on CBC’s Ontario Today, and began an association with the became instantly apparent. media that is ongoing.

Left Photo: Caribou swimming across Michipicoten Bay. Quarry site in background

Right Photo: Michipicoten Bay Photo Credit: Joel Cooper The Power of a Letter environmentally designed building in Toronto. As a result, we received 7,000 signed form letters within a three week period which we One day a note arrived from a network supporter on behalf of a young delivered with great fanfare to the Ministiry of Environment office. colleague planning a kayaking trip on Lake Superior near Michipicoten. When our visitor arrived, we were stunned to learn that he worked for Despite the 8,000 requests ultimately received from the public for an Waterkeeper International and that his boss was none other than EA, and despite enormous effort, the Environmental Assessment was Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Thanks to our visitor, and to Lake Superior’s ultimately refused. Nevertheless, we consider the strategies described respected Waterkeeper, Bob Olsgard, Mr. Kennedy was both interested here as successes in themselves, which achieved the desired and concerned, and wrote to Ontario’s Minister of the Environment to objectives of educating about this speacial place, if not yet the say so. final goal.

Mr. Kennedy’s support coincided with an EA petition submitted to the It is essential to make clear, for the record, that these successes Ontario Premier and to the Minister of the Environment, from the were all shared. They belong as much to the many individuals and twenty official ‘Champions’ of Ontario’s Great Lakes Heritage Coast. environmental organizations in our communication network whose The Coast ’Champs’ include some of Canada’s cherished celebrities – support made them possible, as they do to CCMB. And we are Pierre Berton, as well as hockey players Bobby Orr, the Esposito immensely grateful. brothers and others. With the continued support of our network we intend to carry The idea of hockey players as environmental activists appealed to on, more motivated than ever. We have good reason for optimism. Martin Mittelstaedt, top environmental reporter at Toronto’s Globe Not only is CCMB now blessed with a strong and established and Mail, who ran the story: Hockey Greats Team Up to Save a Natural communication network; but along with many other grassroots Great. Nothing catches the attention of the Canadian public like a groups, thanks to GLAHNF and to Biodiversity Project, we have been hockey story, and even more than a year after that story appeared, we given an incredible new set of communication tools to strengthen our Top Photo: LightHawk Event, July, 2004 Frank Farwell, second from right, with his continue to be identified with it. networks even more, to direct and streamline our efforts, to increase effectiveness and efficiency and to provide the ‘edge’ so essential ‘plane and passengers: (From left: Peter Burtch, original architect of Great Lakes Developing a Grassroots Network to success. Heritage Coast; Mark Leschishin, President CCMB; Barbara Arrigo, Editorial Writer for To flood the Ministry of the Environment with letters calling for an By Mary Jo Cullen the Detroit Free Press; Michelle Halley, Environmental Assessment, we teamed up with WildCanada.net. Citizens Concerned for Michipicoten Bay National Wildlife Federation; Frank Farwell, Pilot; Matt Johnson, Director of the Notices on their website generate hundreds of letters for environmen- 122 Robert St, Toronto, ONT M5S 2K3 tal issues. Check them out at www.wildccanada.net! In addition, we Governor's Office for the Michigan U.P.) (416) 922-0151 • [email protected] Photo credit: Mark Leschishin/LightHawk set up a display at Mountain Equipment Co-Op’s award winning, CCMB at Mountain Equipment Co-OP (MEC), September 2004. Visitors to MEC sign form letters to MOE rejecting substitution of Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) for an EA. Photo credit: Torfinn Hansen

SuccessLAKE Stories Michipicoten Bay Photo Credit: Joel Cooper

SUPERIOR page 22 GLAHNF 2005 Lake Advisors: Lake Michigan Lake Ontario Lake Erie & Lake Huron - Joel Brammeier Krystyn Tully Ontario Side Alliance for the Great Lakes Lake Ontario Waterkeeper Linda Pim PH (312) 939-0838 ext 4 PH: (416) 861-1237 Ontario Nature E-mail: jbrammeier@ E-mail: PH (416) 444-8419 ext. 243 lakemichigan.org [email protected] E-mail: Lake Erie - US Side Lake Huron - US Side [email protected] Kristy Meyer Chris Grubb Lake Superior Ohio Environmental Council National Wildlife Federation Jill M. Ryan PH (614) 487-7506 PH: 734-769-3351 Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Network and Fund Phone: (231)347-1181, ext 106 E-mail: [email protected]

The Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund “Lake Advisors” listed above represent a broad range of experience and expertise in citizen involvement in aquatic habitat protection. The Lake Advisors are available to assist you with networking needs such as locating resources, experts, groups doing similar work and more. Please do not hesitate to contact the Lake Advisor in your area or a GLAHNF staff member to discuss networking needs or grant applications.

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