Abstract: Risk-based prioritization for early detection monitoring is of utmost importance to prevent and mitigate invasive species impacts and is especially needed for large ecosystems where management resources are not sufficient to survey all locations susceptible to invasion.
This document details the method used to develop the Great Lakes Surveillance Framework Watch List.
Through the Aquatic Invasive Species Annex of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the United States and Canada have committed to “… contribute to the achievement of the General and Specific Objectives of this Agreement. Through this Annex the Parties shall establish a binational strategy to prevent the introduction of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), to control or reduce the spread of existing AIS, and to eradicate, where feasible, existing AIS within the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem.”
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force works to stop the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) into the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. Since its inception, the Task Force has coordinated state and provincial efforts to combat AIS through strategic regional action.
The Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species coordinates education, research, management and policy efforts to prevent new AIS from entering the basin and to control and mitigate those AIS populations already established. The Great Lakes Panel is one of six regional panels that report to the federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, which coordinates AIS efforts on a federal level.
The Government of Canada administers the Great Lakes Protection Initiative, which funds projects that work in one of these 8 priority areas:
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is a multi-agency collaboration that provides funding to federal agencies that work to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Both United States and Canadian agencies have been the recipients of GLRI funding across a broad scope of projects.
The GLRI Action Plan III for fiscal years 2020-2024 focuses on five important categories:
Many of our coastal wetlands have been permanently lost. But how are we doing with protecting what we have? Reporting the percentage of Great Lakes coastal wetlands that are protected can help focus efforts to preserve them where they are most needed.
This metric shows the percentage of wetlands protected at a glance, to highlight progress to-date and where we can do more.
The Governments of Canada and the United States are pleased to release the 2019 State of the Great Lakes Highlights Report, which provides an overview of the status and trends of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Overall, Great Lakes water quality is assessed as “fair and unchanging.” While progress to restore and protect the Great Lakes has occurred, including the reduction of toxic chemicals, challenges cited in the report include invasive species and excess nutrients that contribute to toxic and nuisance algae.
The Coastal Assembly pursues strategies to improve collaboration, establish basin-wide conservation goals, track progress, and adjust actions on a regular basis.
The five main strategies are described below:
Welcome to the Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands online explorer, provided by Michigan Tech Research Institute (MTRI). Through a binational collaborative project between Canada and the United States, the team has been working to better measure and map coastal wetland features and hydrologic changes through time at fine resolution. Several remote sensing derived products have been developed for monitoring wetland type, extent and inundation of Great Lakes coastal wetlands.
Amphibians (mostly frogs and toads) are intimately connected to water, literally able to breathe underwater through their skin. With this close association with water, they are especially sensitive to changes in wetland habitats. A community of wetland breeding frogs can indicate that a wetland is healthy and functioning well.
This update to the 2003 Wisconsin AIS Management Plan is intended to guide the implementation of prevention, containment and control activities directed at the seven pathways identified as most responsible for the introduction and movement of AIS around the state.
An invasive species is one that is not native and whose introduction causes harm, or is likely to cause harm to Michigan's economy, environment, or human health.
Invasive plants, animals and pests are taking a toll on Wisconsin's lakes, rivers and landscapes. The Department of Natural Resources is working with citizens and partners to slow the spread of invasive species. Through educational outreach, strategic planning and active management we are protecting our environment and economy from invasives.