Education

Be a Great Lakes Steward!

By owning property on the Great Lakes shoreline, you are in the unique position of owning a piece of one of the greatest natural resources on Earth. With this comes a special opportunity to be a good steward. You influence the quality of 20% of the Earth's available fresh water, habitat for hundreds of fish and wildlife species, and the drinking water and recreational opportunities of tens of millions of residents and visitors.

Great Lakes fish and wildlife depend on your actions, as do millions of people

Given the importance of the Great Lakes, and the importance of your actions to their health, we urge you to learn as much about the Lakes as possible and be a good steward of the coastline during this low water cycle. Being a good steward means taking care of the shoreline in a way that doesn't impact essential natural processes.

During low water periods such as now, areas of the Great Lakes bottomlands are exposed. These areas naturally become vegetated and provide critical habitat to a wide range of wildlife. The natural vegetation also helps to hold the soil and prevent shoreline erosion.

Myths and Facts

There are many myths and perhaps much confusion perpetuated about bottomland areas, why they occur, why they are important, and what activities are allowed. Download Be a Great Lakes Steward! to learn the myths and facts about this situation.

Be a Great Lakes Steward

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