Community Science Around the Great Lakes
Our organization is rooted in community science, also known as participatory science. If you aren’t familiar with the term, community science can be defined as public participation in scientific research. The goal is to get community members engaged in increasing scientific research and spreading knowledge, regardless if they have a background in science or not. This means people can actively participate and contribute to data collection, analysis, and dissemination. This approach provides a sense of community, stewardship, and connection to local environments.
Why is Community Science Important?
By engaging local communities in community science, members of the community can gain a deeper understanding of their local community and become empowered to take an active role in preserving their local waterbodies.
Community Science on the Great Lakes:
Lake Huron
Photo by Jessica Flood on Unsplash
Lake Huron Community Action Initiative
“Developed in 2007, the Lake Huron-Georgian Bay Watershed: Canadian Initiative for Community Action represents a collaborative effort to address complex environmental issues. This approach is based on the idea that individuals, communities, and organizations in the watershed operate independently, but form a stronger force united by the common cause of maintaining, restoring, and protecting Lake Huron.”
“Founded in 1965, the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC) is southeast Michigan’s oldest environmental organization dedicated to river protection. The Huron River Watershed Council protects and restores the river for healthy and vibrant communities.”
Lake Ontario
Photo by Mark Ashford on Unsplash
Swim Drink Fish - Toronto & Kingston Hubs
We are more than a conservation organization. We see ourselves as a community movement to help better recognize that we are not separate from nature but part of it. Our work on water conservation is a collaborative effort, rooted in providing better equity and equality to communities.
The work happening in the Great Lakes is deeply rooted in our history as an organization. We advocate for the restoration of our waterways and focus on water literacy education to teach and empower our communities to know how to protect the water they love and rely on. We strive to put the communities needs first, and meet people where they are so we can all work collaboratively to protect our water.
“Since 1957, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), as enabled through the provincial Conservation Authorities Act, has taken action to enhance our region’s natural environment and protect our land, water and communities from the impacts of flooding and increasingly extreme weather events — Ontario’s leading cause of public emergencies.”
Lake Michigan
Photo by Jeff DeWitt on Unsplash
“The people of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant value diversity, equity, and inclusion in both our organization and the communities we serve. Therefore, we strive to make access to research, outreach, education, and employment opportunities available to everyone, regardless of race, color, religion, place of origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, disability, or veteran status.
The ways in which people interact with natural resources are a function of their beliefs, values, and life experiences. By explicitly incorporating diverse perspectives and inclusively collaborating across stakeholder groups, we can foster more equitable and sustainable natural resource management.”
“The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit working across the region to protect our most precious resource: the fresh, clean, and natural waters of the Great Lakes.
Our staff are headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in Michigan, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Our Board of Directors represents a wide range of interests and expertise from around the Great Lakes region. Our work is made possible by our generous supporters.”
Lake Erie
Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network
“Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN) is a regional community of practice that empowers community members to collect, share, and engage with water quality data for the conservation and enrichment of our Great Lake and all who call it home.”
“We optimize and expand local action to build a healthy and resilient Great Lakes coastal ecosystem that supports the community’s economic, recreational, spiritual, and environmental needs.
Most people want resilient Great Lakes but they don't know how or where they can help. If you love your Lakes and want to contribute, volunteer with Niagara Coastal. Whether you want to ensure beaches are clean or contribute to water quality and coastal data, we have an opportunity for you.”
Lake Superior
Photo by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash
The Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative
“The Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) brings together schools and community partners to prepare K-12 students to become knowledgeable citizens concerned about the Lake Superior watershed.”
Parks Canada: Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area
“While you’re out enjoying Superior’s beautiful landscape, you can contribute to Parks Canada’s important conservation work by snapping photos of species around you and uploading them to the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area project on iNaturalist.”
Our Shared Responsibility: Biinaagami
Photo by Christian Fleury for Biinaagami
Biinaagami, a multimedia, change-provoking initiative — rooted in Indigenous knowledge — is intended to engage and activate national and international audiences in understanding the history and future of Great Lakes ecosystems. Through mapping, inclusive storytelling, augmented reality, experiential learning, community science and ecosystem restoration initiatives, Biinaagami aims to rebuild just and healthy relations between wildlife, people and place.
Key components of Biinaagami include:
Educator toolkits, including a giant floor map of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence watershed, embedded with augmented reality storytelling and lesson plans, that will be shipped and loaned to schools across the country.
Web resources, including digital stories and an interactive digital map to educate and encourage people to take action.
Community event resources including a Giant Floor Map of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence watershed, embedded with augmented reality storytelling and engagement plan for a wide variety of audiences.
A Great Lakes Community made up of motivated people, from across political boundaries, who are taking responsibility to protect and restore the Great Lakes and community science toolkits
Join us in our mission to mobilize and connect a community that respects and acknowledges Indigenous Rights and protocols, embraces both Western and Indigenous sciences, and takes a multi-nation approach to making decisions related to the waters of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence watershed.
