The State of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes Beach conferences will be held concurrently on Nov. 2 and 3, at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wis. This is the first time the biennial State of Lake Michigan conference has been held on the western side of the lake.
Topics will include current issues affecting Green Bay, Lake Michigan and Great Lakes beaches such as why nuisance algae blooms have become a more frequent sight and smell at some Lake Michigan beaches. Other subjects include the latest research on causes of beach closures and forecasting; how invasive species may be changing the lake; status reports on Lake Michigan and Green Bay fisheries; new research on the health of Great Lakes coastal wetlands; cleanup of contaminated harbors; and the lake's importance to tourism and local economies.
Participants will include scientists, policymakers, government officials, resource managers, environmentalists, academics and others interested in protecting the Great Lakes and their beaches.
The State of Lake Michigan conference is sponsored by Lake Michigan Forum, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program. The Great Lakes Beach conference is sponsored by the Great Lakes Beach Association.
An agenda and registration information is available at www.aqua.wisc.edu/solm or by calling University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute at 920/465-2798.
The conference will coincide with the International Joint Commission's public meeting on the review of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. The meeting will be held on Nov. 1, from 7 to 9 p.m., also at the KI Convention Center.
Source: EPA
