GLFT Grant Library

Conservation Resource Alliance expanded both its holistic approach to watershed management and its service area by completing a road-stream crossing inventory on the Lincoln River watershed. CRA also worked with project partners at the Mason-Lake Conservation District to stabilize the single largest streambank erosion site in the entire Pere Marquette watershed. CRA also restored complete connectivity to a Pere Marquette tributary, Blood Creek, an intact headwaters and wetland complex valued for its pristine aquatic habitat.

The Nature Conservancy requests GLFT funding for fee acquisition of 1,384 acres on the North Point Peninsula near Alpena, including over four miles of Lake Huron coastline. In providing a unique opportunity to preserve and protect a rare mixture of ecological, economic, recreational and educational values in one project, this acquisition achieves the GLFT priorities of preserving essential habitat, particularly important fish habitats, with a possible opportunity to increase their availability to the public.

Reconnecting the North Branch of the Platte River was a comprehensive effort to replace outdated crossings at the prioritized sites of #PLT-P3, P5, P10 on the largest, high quality tributary to the Platte mainstem. Partners have completed site surveys and design, and built a timber bridge, bottomless arch and recessed culvert to ensure natural channel conditions and provide passage for all aquatic species at all life stages and stream flows.

This project will improve natural stream function and in-stream habitat on a 5,400-foot section of Kids Creek with the overall goal of removing it from the State of Michigan's Impaired Waters List. Project will install woody debris and riffle-pool enhancements, connect the stream to its floodplain, replace a culvert restricting hydrologic flow, and narrow the stream channel using natural, bioengineering techniques, all of which will benefit desirable macroinvertebrate species as well as Brook Trout populations.

Lake whitefish in Lake Michigan have experienced substantial fluctuations in recruitment and abundance over the last decade and much of this variation appears to be asynchronous across stocks. Genetics represents a powerful tool for stock identification that could facilitate investigation of recruitment dynamics and stock-specific harvest. However, currently available genetic markers are not powerful enough to accurately delineate stocks. Our goal is to use genomic techniques to improve resolution of stock structure in lake whitefish.

We hypothesized that juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) learn stream-specific odors that may guide homing in spawning adults. After defining how and when olfactory imprinting occurs, we are able to inform existing and future restoration strategies that promote recruitment and genetic diversity for populations of lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes.

Pelagic prey abundances in lakes Michigan and Huron are declining. Models used to quantify predator-prey balance and inform predator stocking decisions use diet data that are outdated or limited in spatiotemporal scope. We propose to conduct a comprehensive diet and stable isotope study on lakes Huron and Michigan to update and expand the application and scope of diet data. Results from this study will inform fisheries management decisions and stocking policies in both lakes.

The Huron River Watershed Council’s (HRWC) Youth Education and Stewardship involved completing ecology and monitoring activities; applying science, engineering, and math subject matter; and developing life-long stewardship values for Great Lakes water resources.” Students participated in hands-on, placed-based science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in water quality education programs. Students were introduced to scientific principles, the application of classroom learning to real-life scenarios, and stewardship knowledge. 

Building Capacity of Great Lakes Champions used place-based stewardship education to develop, implement, and improve new and existing efforts with K–12 schools in the northeast Lower Peninsula. Reaching over 300 students and 26 educators, this project resulted in the development of long-term management plans for school forests and the implementation of stewardship actions related to forest health, marine debris, and green-infrastructure projects.

The project included strong ties to community and conservation needs, met school learning objectives, and resulted in stronger relationships with school administrators that will ensure similar efforts continue in the future. The project took place across four school districts located in Otsego, Alcona, and Arenac Counties.

Michigan State University developed the Lake Sturgeon Community Science course that was used by 19 classrooms in four Great Lakes states, focusing on lake sturgeon and Great Lakes tributary ecosystems. Participants learned about Great Lakes tributary communities, interspecies interactions, and human disturbances that affect the sustainability of ecosystem processes and species viability. The project produced underwater video recordings of fish passage into the Black River, educational videos for students, and a graphical interface that allowed students to visualize results. More information can be found on their website: https://www.glsturgeon.com/

The Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) provided funding to the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Center for Educational Partnerships in support of the River Revitalization Education (RRES) project, which developed scalable and replicable tools aligned with the Michigan Science Standards/Next Generation Science Standards that will continue to support educators teaching about the Grand River and the associated restoration effort. Groundswell, a hub of the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative housed at the GVSU College of Education, lead the initiative with support from project partners. The RRES grant partners— the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, Kent Innovation High School, WGVU Public Media, and the GVSU College of Education—subsidized K–12 stewardship projects and outdoor experiences for students, hosted teacher professional development sessions that supported Grand River revitalization efforts, and created multimedia place-based curriculum materials, which are hosted at https://wgvu.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/river-re-wilding-evaluating-impacts-on-ecosystems-and-communities/ and https://www.gvsu.edu/groundswell/lesson-plans-54.htm. The teacher professional development sessions are available on Groundswell’s website and YouTube channel so that educators can continue to benefit from the products of the grant. The RRES grant has created resources that will involve educators and schools in the effort to revitalize the Grand River and create a deeper connection to the river in the broader community.

The grantee offered professional development for educators and supported place-base stewardship projects for K-12 students in Alger, Delta, Marquette, and Schoolcraft Counties. Using GLFT funding, the Superior Watershed Partnership directly supported 51 hours of professional development for 32 educators and provided project support for 750 students. Upper GLSI staff hosted a variety of PD activities throughout the grant, including four days of introduction to place-based education allowing educators to voice their needs or suggestions for future professional development opportunities. Examples of other place-based education opportunities supported throughout the grant include Northern Michigan University’s Fall professional development session in partnership with the Michigan State University Extension Office and a virtual day of professional development which included a grant writing workshop and online discussion focused on culture in the classroom. Student projects supported include planting trees to improve the nearshore water quality of Lake Superior, releasing Salmon into the Dead River, and growing herbs in a hydroponic setting.

Trout Unlimited and partners restored aquatic organism passage and stream function at three road-stream crossings. The replacement crossings enhance and provide long-term protection for fish passage and habitat for salmonids and other coldwater species of the Lake Michigan basin. The completion of the 40th Street and Main Branch Bigelow Creek road-stream crossing, which utilized Great Lakes Fishery Trust funds, has reconnected over five miles of high-quality coldwater habitat in Bigelow Creek.

We will evaluate the source-specific production of steelhead to the Lake Michigan fishery. We have demonstrated that chemical signatures of juvenile steelhead otoliths are sufficiently differentiable among different Lake Michigan tributaries and hatcheries to support accurate natal origin assignment. Here, otoliths of adult steelhead will be collected and analyzed to quantitatively assess the mixing of stocks in the Lake Michigan fishery and identify specific sources most supportive of steelhead production.

We will improve assessment of trends for lake trout populations and estimates of vital rates in Lake Michigan by fitting age-structured assessment models in southern and western areas of the lake where such assessments are lacking. We will combine results with those from other areas of the lake to provide a lake-wide assessment. Results will be used to develop or improve forecasting models to evaluate consequences of stocking decisions on rehabilitation status and predator-prey balance.

The Water Resources Education Program engaged over 300 students from Northern Michigan middle schools in a foundation-laying program of watershed experiences that focused on local issues and stewardship of community water resources. Students were provided with water resources knowledge over the course of five in-class sessions, the majority of which also included community field trip sessions. This knowledge allowed students to plan and implement an action project that was designed to improve or solve a water resource issue in their community. Over the course of the program, teachers received training, resources, and tools to continue water-resources education in the future.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) Classroom with a Current program provided an opportunity for thousands of students to experience inquiry-based learning with a focus on Great Lakes Watersheds. Programs were designed to provide information that assisted students in becoming (1) active and effective stewards of the Great Lakes and (2) advocates for strategies that support the long-term sustainability of the Great Lakes fisheries. Programming included Museum based field trip programs, extension of a traveling exhibit and summer camp experiences. 

With the support of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT), the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan developed a conceptual plan and narrative for how the museum will display elements of the Besser Fishery Heritage Project. This story includes a summary of the early 20th century Great Lakes fisheries, effects of overfishing and invasive species on the Great Lakes, the eventual collapse of the Great Lakes fisheries, how Sea Lamprey impact the modern ecosystem, and the stewardship efforts by resource agencies to begin the recovery of the Great Lakes fisheries. Once complete, the display will engage both students and general visitors as stewards of the great lakes. Specifically, the grant provided funding to assist Besser Museum in defining and communicating their vision for the Fishery Heritage display. Grant products included conceptual drawings, display renderings, and a comprehensive narrative for the exhibit. 

The Healing Our Waters - Great Lakes (HOW) Coalition is improving the health of the Great Lakes through our Priority Area implementation Program which addresses historic threats to the Great Lakes through on the ground restoration work. The project provides capacity building grants to local and state non-profit organizations, with priority given to Lake Michigan basin sites, to help applicants successfully implement restoration projects through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

National Wildlife Federation is looking to develop and launch a strategic education and communications campaign to inform the public about the serious threat Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes and about advancing solutions that lead to the most effective actions to prevent carp from entering the Great Lakes. This is a collaborative effort with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, and other tribal leaders.

Hayes Township constructed an ADA-accessible public fishing pier at Hayes Township Park Camp Sea-Gull. The fishing pier is ten feet wide and extends approximately 157 feet into Lake Charlevoix. The pier provides deep-water fishing opportunities as it extends over a drop-off area.

The Huron-Clinton Metroparks successfully designed and completed a designated shore fishing dock on the shore of Black Creek in Lake St. Clair Metropark. The dock and concrete pathway leading up to it meet Michigan Department of Natural Resources standards for universal accessibility. Dock amenities include two benches and an elevated platform that can be used as a tackle box placement.

The City of Boyne City installed an ADA accessible, public fishing pier in Lake Charlevoix through a public/private partnership. The pier is approximately 190 feet long and located immediately southwest of the mouth of the Boyne River and complimented by existing public restrooms, parks and parking, and a direct connection to the City's downtown. The pier allows anglers of all experience levels and physical abilities to fish safely and conveniently.

With funding support from the GLFT, Huron Pines completed a comprehensive road/stream crossing inventory as well as additional streambank erosion and invasive species inventories in the Thunder Bay Watershed. The data collected will help resource managers in the northeast Michigan make cost-effective decisions in locations that will generate the most impact. Road/stream crossing, streambank erosion, and invasive species inventory data have been uploaded to the publicly accessible website:  http://www.northernmichiganstreams.org/. Streambank erosion and invasive species data have also been uploaded to the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network website: http://www.misin.msu.edu/. Huron Pines has secured additional funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, to restore five of the highest-priority sites in the watershed. In-kind labor and equipment commitments have also been secured from the Montmorency County Road Commission. It is ideal when additional restoration efforts are completed as a result of completed watershed inventories.

Huron Pines improved five road-stream crossings on the upper East Branch Au Gres River Watershed, reconnecting 26.3 miles of upstream aquatic habitat and reducing sediment input by approximately 15.4 tons per year. The upper East Branch Au Gres River is a state-designated Blue-Ribbon Trout Stream with important spawning, forage, nursing, and refuge habitat for brook trout. The project also had a positive impact on other native species and introduced game fish such as brown trout, steelhead, and salmon. This project was completed with the help of, and in coordination with, the Iosco County Road Commission. The completed project builds on the efforts of Huron Pines to conserve and project Coldwater resources throughout Northeast Michigan, and within the Northern Saginaw Bay Region. The GLFT contributed approximately 32 percent of the project budget

The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council utilized its Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) grant to plan and develop a pilot water resources education program for middle school science students and teachers in local Northern Michigan schools between April 2015 and January 2017. Area teachers were surveyed to determine program needs and interests with regard to water resource education at the middle school level. Collaboration with two regional GTSI hubs and local environmental organizations supported program development through the sharing of organizational documents, lessons and curriculum. Results from the survey and collaboration with the hubs resulted in the GLFT funding of a pilot program (WREP) 2017-2019 and the recruitment of 10 teachers, four schools and over 400 middle school students for participation in this new program.

The Spotlight on Stewards program was a collaboration between Detroit Public Television (DPTV) and the Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition (SEMIS) to develop video content and supporting curriculum on environmental stewardship topics for use by teachers in K-12 classrooms. Spotlight on Stewards was considered a pilot project to test the idea that the communicative power of media and the civic education of young people could be combined to encourage greater stewardship of our state’s natural resources than either could accomplish alone. The following resources and materials were produced as a result of this grant: Spotlight on Stewards PBE curriculum for educators, two videos depicting different examples of PBE through the GLSI's SE MI hub, and guides for each video with additional information and reading material. All of these resources are on the PBS Learning Media website and can be found at https://dptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/cc7ed07e-f538-4fcc-bfdb-feb53a091c49/spotlight-on-stewards-curriculum/#.Wk_sZFWnGM8 

Huron Pines built on existing partnerships and fostered new relationships to provide opportunity and support for citizens (K-12 students, adults and Michigan leaders) in Northeast Michigan to become Great Lakes and environmentally literate citizens. Through hands-on stewardship projects, ecosystems tours, and connections between students and leaders/adults, participants increased their ability to tackle the challenges and opportunities facing the Great Lakes basin. This project strengthened the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (NEMI GLSI) network by supporting over (300) students and (25) teachers in implementing stewardship projects, engaging (100) adults in conservation learning and actions, and fostering an understanding of the importance of protecting the Great Lakes in over (50) community leaders. ​

The key goal for this project was to provide a plan for the implementation of a Great Lakes fishery learning program based at the DNR's Outdoor Adventure Center in Detroit, with the target audience being children and families. The result of the project is a comprehensive plan for the program, including a cost estimate for program implementation that will be used to seek funding from partners. The plan also outlines how the program’s success will be measured and what methods will be used. Once implemented, the DNR is confident that the program will become an integral component to the Outdoor Adventure Center and the State Park system.

An adjustable hydraulic structure (AHS) was constructed within the Grand River at Grand Rapids, MI to produce hydraulic conditions which impede upstream migration of the invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus).  This project investigated the optimum design configuration for the AHS to maintain key hydraulics across the full range of flows in the Grand River.  Results from the project provide critical information to the construction and operation of the AHS and for the installation of physical sea lamprey barriers at other locations within the Great Lakes Fishery.

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition (HOW) has completed this project as part of the Coalition’s Implementation Grant Program. The project supported work by the Coalition to continue a small grants program which provides funding to local organizations to build needed capacity to leverage federal dollars for Great Lakes restoration projects from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and to illustrate the ecological and economic benefits of restoration. In 2016, the grant program successfully awarded 17 grants to local organizations for projects addressing (but not limited to) stream and wetland habitat restoration, invasive species, and fish passage in eight priority areas across the Great Lakes.

Acme Township constructed a small boat access site on East Grand Traverse Bay at Sayler Park. Prior to completion of this project no public launches were available between Old Mission and Elk Rapids - separated by almost 20 car miles. Sayler Park is an established, rural, 22-acre family-friendly park owned and maintained by Acme Township. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates through creel census information that over the last 10 years, angler effort has averaged 50,000 hours at the site with anglers making up 50 to 70 percent of users. The GLFT contributed approximately 20 percent of the project budget. The remaining 80 percent was provided by local, state, and tribal funding sources