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IDNR Coastal Management Program
April 2020 Newsletter
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Hello, and Happy Spring! As we’re all facing unprecedented situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we at the Illinois Coastal Management Program would like to assure you all that we remain focused on advancing the protection and enhancement of Illinois’ shoreline. While we may not at this time be able to visit the lakefront in Chicago, be on site at state parks, at meetings with our stakeholders, or in our offices, we are all using this time to reflect and move forward with our work remotely.
While Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) field work is on hold, our Associate Ecologist has had the opportunity to undertake the necessary (if not exciting) job of cleaning and organizing project data, developing a data management system, and creating metadata for our GIS resources in anticipation of publishing the data. All of this will set us up for more organized data management in the future and expedite map and dataset publishing in the future. CMP Coastal Management Specialists are also working with ISGS staff to interpret coastal data collected in recent years by the team at Illinois Beach State Park and are beginning to develop communications products.
Our Water Resources Specialist is also currently working remotely with the State Surveys. CMP and the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) are collaborating on the Illinois Coastal Water Quality Trends Analysis, compiling and analyzing water quality data for Lake Michigan and its tributaries. Our NOAA Coastal Fellow has recently taken a dive into research on funding opportunities for coastal resilience projects and how we can help set up our coastal communities as strong candidates for that funding. And, speaking of funding, CMP’s Natural Resource Specialist continues to run our competitive grant program, with an emphasis on easing grantee concerns over how their projects might be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We hope that our efforts during these times will allow us to hit the ground (beach) running when it is safe to do so. We look forward to seeing and working with you all in the future!
Interested in sharing your experience during this “new normal”? The Illinois State Museum, part of IDNR, is collecting stories, photos and more that reflect how the pandemic is affecting the people of Illinois. In the short-term, some submissions will be shared on social media and in online exhibitions. In the long-term, submissions will be used to inform future generations about life in Illinois during the COVID pandemic. Learn more and share your story here.
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Vote Illinois Beach State Park in the Worth Saving Landmarks Contest
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The American Association of Endodontists (AAE) announced that Illinois Beach State Park is one of four natural landmarks in the U.S. chosen for its 2nd “Worth Saving” Landmarks Contest. “Along with your natural teeth, endodontists understand the inherent value of saving things that are meaningful to people,” said AAE President Dr. Keith V. Krell.
The landmark with the most votes will receive $20,000 toward its preservation fund, and the city of the winning landmark will receive a goal of $30,000 or more in free endodontic care and services. The contest runs through April 22, 2020 - vote today!
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Great Lakes Entertainment (from the comfort of your home)
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Looking for some Great Lakes-related enjoyment without actually visiting the lakefront? You’re in luck! We’ve rounded up some suggestions to keep you informed and entertained from the comfort of your home. And for those of you home with remote learners, be sure to check out the Engage on Great Lakes Issues section below – this month the section has been expanded to include engagement opportunities for families with children home from school.
Books:
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, Dan Egan (2017): This book comes highly recommended from several staff. It is a “compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come”.
The Great Lakes Water Wars, Peter Annin (published in ’06, updated in 2018): “Water is the life blood of the forty million people who live in the Great Lakes Basin. Great Lakes Water Wars is a captivating account of past challenges as well as the social, economic, and ecological challenges we must overcome as our insatiable thirst exceeds nature's ability to provide.”
Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas, Jerry Dennis (2004): This “is the definitive book about the history, nature, and science of these remarkable lakes at the heart of North America.”
Documentaries:
Great Lakes Now (PBS): This monthly series debuted in April 2019. Each 30-minute episode is recorded on location around the Great Lakes basin, and segments and stories focus on issues that matter to the people of the region including: water quality, government policy, economic vitality, environmental justice, resource conservation, recreation and tourism. Find all twelve episodes from Season 1 here.
Sand Wars: While not Great Lakes-specific, this award-winning documentary has been praised worldwide and inspired the United Nations Environmental Programme to publish a Global Environmental Alert in 2014 titled “Sand, rarer than one thinks”. Stream online through various platforms.
Podcasts:
This episode of WBUR’s On Point, “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes: Precious Resources in Peril” includes guest Dan Egan.
Teach Me About the Great Lakes is a monthly podcast in which Carlton – a native New Orleanian – asks people to teach him about the Great Lakes. Co-hosted by the awesome staff at Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. A new episode will be released on the first Monday of each month.
CurrentCast includes a media-rich web site and a daily, syndicated 60-second audio program that highlights the importance of water stewardship and sustainability in the Great Lakes and surrounding watersheds.
The Rethinking H2O podcast explores human interactions with water, and several episodes focus on the Great Lakes and Chicago River.
If you’re interested in Sand Wars, check out the Built on Sand episode from 99% Invisible (again, not Great Lakes-specific, but fascinating nonetheless). |
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Engage on Great Lakes Issues
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Alliance for the Great Lakes H.O.M.E. School
AGL introduced H.O.M.E.School, a new series of online lessons about the Great Lakes for kids in grades K-8. The eight online sessions will begin April 6, with a new lesson premiering on their website and Facebook every Monday at 9:30 a.m. Learn more, find lessons, and sign up for a weekly reminder here.
MI Sea Grant Great Lakes Family Learning Series
The HOMES @ Home series is returning for the month of April to support Great Lakes exploration and learning from home! This series is full of Great Lakes fun facts, activity suggestions for your family, and daily challenges. Geared for families with scalable activities from younger to older learners, each lesson features different Great Lakes content and hands-on activities you can do right at home. Videos will be live streamed and recorded on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30-11am throughout April . The first 20 minutes includes fun, engaging content, followed by 10 minutes for Q&A - as well as a family challenge!
Watch the video via Zoom here or via livestream on the MI Sea Grant Facebook page. Missed a lesson? They’re all archived, along with lots of other great MI Sea Grant videos and activities, on their website.
Great Lakes Climate and Lake Levels Update and Outlook (Webinar)
Monday, April 13, 2020 - 11am-noon
It is not yet spring and already the five Great Lakes are currently near or exceeding record levels due to an abundance of precipitation, highlighted by rainfall and snow melt. Impacts from these levels are widespread and present a number of challenges to those in and around the basin. This multi-partner public webinar, led by NOAA, will share conditions that contributed to the high water levels, the climate outlook from 2 weeks through the next season, impacts from high lake levels, and more. Register here.
Climate Data Adaptation Week
April 13-17, 11-11:45am
Join the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) for a briefing series on coastal climate adaptation data needs and applications. What data is most useful, how can it be made more accessible to coastal decision makers on the ground, and what policies and programs are helping communities make data-based adaptation decisions? This week-long briefing series will explore programs around the country that have been collecting and using geographic and climate data to inform adaptation planning, with two speakers joining each day. View the itinerary and RSVP here.
Equitable Green Infrastructure Summit
April 28, 2020 - 9am-4pm via Zoom
Join Extension and Sea Grant professionals, local and state government officials, NGOs, business representatives, and others with an interest in community-level green infrastructure for a one-day virtual summit. We will hear from experts in these fields, learn about the results of community listening sessions, and work together to identify and prioritize opportunities for Extension and Sea Grant to help communities use green infrastructure practices to reach multiple societal goals, with focus on promoting social equity and workforce development. Learn more and register here.
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Funding and Technical Assistance
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Chi-Cal Rivers Fund 2020
The Chi–Cal Rivers Fund will offer approximately $1 million in competitive grant funding in 2020. Grant funding in 2020 will be awarded in three categories: Habitat Quality, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, and Public Access. To reduce the overall level of effort required for applicants to be considered for funding, the Fund will eliminate the pre-proposal phase in 2020 and request applicants submit a streamlined full proposal. The 2020 Request for Proposals will be released on May 20. Streamlined full-proposals will be due on July 9, 2020.
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program
The National Park Service has announced the opening of the application process for the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP), a nationally competitive grant program funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The ORLP offers grants specifically to help create and improve state and local parks and other outdoor recreation areas particularly in under-served communities. Learn more and apply here (Opportunity Number: P20AS00029). Applications are due by July 10.
Keep America Beautiful Community Restoration and Resiliency Fund
Keep America Beautiful’ s Community Restoration and Resiliency Fund benefits Keep America Beautiful Affiliates that serve communities directly affected by natural and environmental disasters. The fund provides immediate and long-term support for initial and ongoing cleanup efforts and helps rebuild vital public spaces: parks, greenways, community gateways, Main Street/downtown areas, open spaces and more. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more here.
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Audubon Great Lakes is looking for 8-10 interns to join their dynamic Conservation & Science team. The Restoration Intern Program offers hourly compensation (starting at $12/hr.), paid regional training and certifications, and career development opportunities. Interns are the core of Audubon Great Lakes' on-the-ground conservation efforts, and their experience is designed to be interdisciplinary in order to encourage professional growth toward conservation or environmental focused roles. Last year 100% of Audubon’s interns were hired or continued higher education in green fields directly after their time with Audubon. Apply here.
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Share your Announcement!
Would you like your event announcement to be included in our next newsletter? Email your submissions to DNR.CMP@illinois.gov
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The IDNR Coastal Management Program is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the environmental, economic, and social value of Illinois’ Great Lakes coast. We invest in building healthy ecosystems and resilient communities by providing expertise, funding, and other resources for community-driven and forward-thinking efforts within our Lake Michigan coastal region.
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