Science leadership: A formula for successful lake protection and management is the focus of the 2016

Bindu Bhakta<bhaktabi@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - December 28, 2015

April Mega Lakes Conference in Boyne Falls offers multiple opportunities to network and learn about Michigan inland lakes.

Regardless of whether you know a little or a lot about inland lake management, consider attending the inaugural Michigan Inland Lakes Convention April 28-30, 2016 at Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls, Mich. The inaugural Convention held in 2014 attracted 372 lake enthusiasts, professionals, researchers, local government officials and students.

Clean water, beautiful views, habitat that supports a variety of fish and wildlife species, and access to endless recreational opportunities are just some of the reasons that so many people like to live on Michigan inland lakes.

The 2016 Michigan Inland Lakes Convention is hosted by the Michigan Inland Lakes Partnership, launched in 2008 to promote collaboration to advance stewardship of Michigan’s inland lakes. The Convention is a cooperative effort between many public and private organizations including the Michigan Chapter of the North American Lake Management Society, Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc., Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Michigan State University Institute of Water Research.

The convention is designed to educate, engage and empower lakefront property owners, lake professionals, researchers, local government officials and others interested in protecting Michigan inland lakes. Three days of educational presentations, in-depth workshops, tours, and networking opportunities will all be focused on Michigan’s 11,000 inland lakes. Dozens of non-profit and business exhibitors will be on hand to showcase their projects, resources and services.

Conference plenary sessions feature Rebecca Williams, reporter and producer of the Michigan Radio’s
“The Environment Report” and David Mifsud, herpetologist, wetland ecologist and owner of Michigan-based Herpetological Resource and Management (HRM).

Convention session and workshop topics will include:

Aquatic wildlife; Fish habitat, ecology, and management
Communicating lake science
Human dimensions of water
Local government and lakes protection
Aquatic plant identification; Aquatic plant control methods
Invasives: Starry stonewort, hybrid Eurasian water milfoil, new arrivals
Lake levels
Phosphorus and drainage management
National lake assessment
Natural shoreline education: Natural shoreline design challenges; Michigan Shoreland Stewards program
Controlling nuisance and harmful algal blooms
Watershed planning and management
Tools and GIS
Septic systems
E. coli testing on a local lake or stream and how to interpret the data collected

For the latest information on the Michigan Inland Lakes Convention, including registration details, visit their website. Registration for the conference will open in January 2016.

For more information about inland lakes, visit the Michigan State University Extension Natural Resources website.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

MSU Extension