Great Lakes Dune Conference

 

 

October 3-4, 2006

Developing a Basinwide Coalition

For Research, Management and Education

The Hagerty Center at the Great Lakes Campus of NW Michigan College

 

Traverse City, Michigan

 

Workshop Announcement

 

 

Great Lakes Dune Conservation has been pursued with great dedication by a great many workers in the eight Great Lakes States and Ontario.  Never have such workers gathered together to pool knowledge and form common cause for their efforts.  The goal of  this first ever Great Lakes Dune Conference will be to establish a Great Lakes Sand Dune Ecosystem Coalition that will bring together all persons, both in the U.S. and Canada, currently involved in sand dune related research, education efforts, management, monitoring and other activities, in an effort to share information and increase the awareness of this unique ecosystem.

 

The objectives are to:

 

Ø           Identify the current range of Great Lakes sand dune ecosystem knowledge including species    and ecological information, shoreline dynamics, and threats to the ecosystem.

Ø           Identify current research initiatives and future concerns and potential impediments to Great Lakes sand dune ecosystem assessment, management and protection.

Ø           Identify the range of current educational and management efforts at each sand dune ecosystem site.

Ø           Identify future research needs.

Ø           Identify current data needs and protocols for conducting ecological assessments and monitoring efforts.

Ø           Produce a conference proceedings and website to facilitate continuing interaction among participants.

Ø           Begin the formation of a Great Lakes Sand Dunes strategic management plan.

 

The conference will begin at 8:30 AM October 3 and end at noon on Wednesday October 4, 2006.  An optional field trip will be available before conference activities.

 

We will update information and the agenda in the coming weeks, both on this website and by direct email.

 

Funding for  this conference has been provided by USEPA Great Lakes Program Office, administered by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

 

Mark your calendar now and plan to join us in beautiful Traverse City!

 

Please share this announcement with others interested in Great Lakes Dunes

 

For more information, contact conference coordinator:

Sandy Bonanno, New York Sea Grant seb84@cornell.edu