MLSA Needs Your Feedback
How are we doing? How can we do better?
What do you need to see from Michigan Lakes and Streams Association?
How have the needs of your association changed over the years?
Take the 2022 survey here.
Your opinion and suggestions are very important.
We want to hear from you personally, join us on Saturday, November 5th at 9:30am for our Member Feedback Session on Zoom.
Zoom Meeting ID: 831 8310 1195
We will have door prizes for lucky participants too! |
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MiCorps Annual Volunteer Monitoring Conference
The registration deadline has been extended
to November 6
The conference provides an excellent opportunity to stay up to date on monitoring methods and to meet and interact with other volunteer monitors. All are welcome! You don't need to be a current volunteer or program leader. Anyone interested in learning about MiCorps and how we monitor the health of Michigan's waters is welcome to attend.
The 2022 MiCorps Conference will be held November 18, 2022, at the Ralph A. MacMullan (RAM) Center on Higgins Lake in Roscommon, Michigan. Join stream and lake monitoring volunteers and program coordinators from across Michigan to learn, network, and celebrate our collective achievements! Those traveling to the conference have the option to spend the night at the RAM Center on Thursday, November 17, and to join us for a welcome reception that evening.
Registration information:
Conference registration is $75 and includes all conference activities including the November 17 reception and November 18 conference, lunch, and breaks. Overnight lodging is available on November 17 for $63-$73 per person, single occupancy.
Agenda summary:
Thursday, November 17
7:30 – 10:00 pm Reception and Networking: Refreshments, games, and informal networking
Friday, November 18
8:15 am Conference Registration and Check-In
9:00 am Welcome and MiCorps Updates – Jo Latimore (MSU), MiCorps Director: Introduction of MiCorps staff and their roles, resources for MiCorps volunteers and program leaders, status of MiCorps program and funding
9:45 am Awards, Volunteer Recognition, and Grantee Presentation
- Stream grant recipients – Paul Steen (Huron River Watershed Council), MiCorps Streams Program Manager
- Presentation by 2021 VSMP Implementation Grant recipient – Berrien Conservation District
- Lake volunteer recognition – Erick Elgin (MSU Extension), MiCorps Lake Programs Manager
10:50 am Breakout Sessions
- Option A: Native mussels of our inland lakes and streams: identification, ecology, and stewardship – Joe Rathbun, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (retired). Freshwater mussels are the most endangered group of aquatic organisms in the world. This presentation will review their ecology and importance; the threats to their survival; mussel identification; and mussel sampling. Field guides and posters of the mussels of Michigan will be available.
- Option B: Local use of MiCorps volunteer monitoring data: A panel of MiCorps volunteers and program managers will share examples of how they are using their monitoring data to protect Michigan waters. Short presentations followed by moderated discussion.
Noon Lunch (included)
1:00 pm Workshops (Workshops will be held concurrently. Choose one workshop.)
- Option A: Stream macroinvertebrate identification – Paul Steen (HRWC), MiCorps Stream Programs Manager, and Tamara Lipsey (EGLE), EGLE MiCorps Program Lead: Learn and practice macroinvertebrate identification with live specimens from a local stream. Review MiCorps macroinvertebrate scoring procedures.
- Option B: Lake data interpretation: Total phosphorus, Exotic Aquatic Plant Watch, and dissolved oxygen/temperature – Erick Elgin (MSU Extension), MiCorps Lake Programs Manager, and Jo Latimore (MSU), MiCorps Director: Learn why we collect this data and how to interpret the data for your lake, using real MiCorps reports and data sets.
3:00 pm Closing Keynote: Volunteer monitoring to protect Michigan waters – benefits, strategies, and opportunities (tentative title) – Jake Lemon, Eastern Angler Science Coordinator, Trout Unlimited
4:00 pm Adjournment
Find registration and agenda details at:
https://micorps.net/events/2022-annual-micorps-conference/
Already a volunteer or looking for a way to recognize the volunteers for your lake or stream? Check out the new MiCorps Merchandise site.
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What, The MUCC?
An outdoors organization concerned about
wake boat mode operations
By Paul J Sniadecki, MLSA Board Director
This Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is the largest statewide conservation organization in the nation. Founded in 1937, their mission is to unite citizens to conserve, protect and enhance Michigan's natural resources and outdoor heritage. With over 40,000 members MUCC has significant influence in Lansing and with the Michigan Natural Resource Commission (NRC).
Back in 2013, MUCC passed a Policy Resolution entitled “Establish Regulations on the Operation of Wake Boats” stating specifications concerning the size of the lake (2,000 acres) and recommended distance from shore (1000 feet) for safe operation of watercraft in wake boat mode. However, the resolution did not have substantiating scientific analysis to buttress the otherwise rational conclusions.
In September 2022, the forty member MUCC Policy Board passed a resolution about wake boat mode operations which is headed to the floor at their 2023 Annual Convention for consideration by their membership. This new proposed resolution contains data from the wake research conducted by the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory of the University of Minnesota (Note: MLSA and many readers have helped fund that research). The proposal also cites laws enacted in Wisconsin, as well as sales data for watercraft showing the stunning increase in the proliferation of wake boats. One part of the proposal also contains the following significant observation: “WHEREAS: the creation of these waves is not compatible to other boating activities (paddle board kayak, sailboat) and the reverse is not true…”
The proposed resolution finally resolves as follows: ”…that MUCC advocate for the elimination of these craft from vulnerable waters and limit their use to depths of greater than 20 feet and further from shorelines, docks, and other riparian uses to greater than 500 feet.” So, the MUCC proposed, full membership resolution is using science and other new facts to scale back the concerns they had dating back to 2013. However, the proposed policy is still riparian friendly.
It is clear that MLSA is not alone in its concerns about the appropriate regulation (but not a total ban) of wake boat mode operations. At this point, we all have to wait for the results of the 2022 elections in the newly drawn Michigan Senate and Representative Districts. We then have to wait and learn who will be the members and chair for the many committees that can initiate legislation. We also need to find other organizations like MUCC who share are legitimate concerns in this area. 2023 might be the year for meaningful legislation to address what is happening on so many Michigan inland lakes.
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Welcome November
and the Season of Giving
by Melissa DeSimone, MLSA Executive Director
There are many incredible charities out there and at this time of year they are hoping you will think of them when you make your year-end contributions. I hope you will consider Michigan Lakes and Streams Association for even a portion of your contributions. MLSA is a registered 501c3 nonprofit with gold level transparency among registered charitable organizations. We use our resources for a very special purpose; to protect Michigan's lakes and streams.
What does that mean? We work to further the interests of riparian property owners, to help them protect the quality of their inland waters, to provide support and education for the work we are engaged in right at the water's edge. We also advocate for the waters of our state when there are so many ways they are threatened everyday. In 1961 a group of riparians came together to help each other in the fight against threats to Michigan's inland waters and from that discussion came Michigan Lakes and Streams Association. After all these years, we continue to honor that original mission even as the issues we face and the lives we lead would likely be unrecognizable to those original members before us.
Ways to Give
We have upgraded our donation page to allow for one time and recurring donations that are even more meaningful. You can now designate a program or project to fund and choose to make a donation in honor of someone special. You can check out those features at: mymlsa.org/donate-to-mlsa/
For donors 70.5 years or older who own a Roth or traditional IRA, the Charitable IRA rollover or Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) may offer advantages when you give. Tax law may also allow you to use your individual retirement account to support MLSA. Please contact your tax advisor for the options right for you that also help us to continue our work for Michigan's lakes and streams.
Don't forget that Michigan Lakes and Streams Association can be designated as a beneficiary of your retirement plan and life insurance policies too. With your generosity we can work together to protect our waters for generations to come.
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Grant Applications
Now Open
Contact: Kelsey Bockelman or Paige Filice at Michigan State University Extension
Calling all lake associations, watershed groups, non-profits and local and tribal units of government – Clean Boats, Clean Waters has grant funding available to support your aquatic invasive species outreach efforts. This opportunity is for any organization dedicated to boater education about aquatic invasive species and the protection of Michigan’s waterways.
Up to $25,000 is available for the 2023 grant program.
Funding requests can range from $1,000 to $3,000 and do not require local match or cost sharing. Interested groups can apply for a grant now on the
Clean Boats, Clean Waters website.
The deadline to apply is December 16, 2022.
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Thursday, November 10, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Treat me right! Rules, regulations and best practices for controlling aquatic invasive species in Michigan’s inland lakes
Anyone who has wondered about what can (or can’t) be done about aquatic invasive species is encouraged to join Eric Calabro, Environmental Quality Analyst with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to learn more about state regulations and options for physical and mechanical AIS control. Find out when a permit is needed, what to consider when choosing a control method, and best management practices to ensure a safe and effective treatment.
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Learn about
Inland Lakes Online
from MSU Extension
Registration for the award-winning Michigan State University Extension Introduction to Lakes Online course is now open! This six-week online course kicks off on January 10, 2023 and is designed for anyone interested in lakes such as lakefront property owners, recreational users, and lake professionals.
Course topics include lake ecology, watershed management, shoreline protection, aquatic plants, Michigan water law, and community engagement. Each topic is explored through pre-recorded video lectures, interactive activities, and discussion forums. In addition, there are three live Ask-an-Expert webinars featuring experts from Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Participants can receive 16 Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Pesticide Applicator Re-Certification credits and credits in the MSU Extension Master Citizen Planner, Master Gardener, and Master Naturalist programs.
Registration is open now through January 8, 2023. The cost of the course is $115 per person. Register by December 19 for an early bird price of $95 per person.
Special Pricing for MLSA Members!
Current individual members of the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association are eligible to receive a $95 reimbursement upon successful completion of the Introduction to Lakes Online course! Not an MLSA member? Join as an Individual Member prior to completing the course and you too can take advantage of this opportunity!
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2022 Michigan
Inland Lakes Convention
Recordings are now available!
Did you miss the convention in September?
Was there a session you really wanted to see but couldn't get to?
You can find all the recordings available here.
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31 Michigan Communities Receive New Trees
by Kevin Sayers (DNR)
Be on the lookout this fall and next spring for some new trees along streets and parks in 31 Michigan communities. They will share $105,000 in grants awarded this year to complete 33 tree-planting projects around the state.
The trees, to be planted along streets and in parks and other public spaces, come courtesy of a program sponsored by the DTE Foundation and administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and nonprofit tree organization ReLeaf Michigan.
Individual grants range in size from $600 for a tree-planting project in St. Clair County’s Lynn Township, to $4,000 awards in multiple communities from the Detroit area and in Grand Traverse and Marquette counties. See the complete list of grant winners.
“The DTE Foundation looks forward to seeing how our grants and support come to fruition in our communities through these newly planted trees,” said Lynette Dowler, president of the DTE Energy Foundation. “We’re dedicated to protecting, preserving and expanding our state’s natural resources, and our partners like the DNR and ReLeaf Michigan are integral in this mission.”
Project proposals are solicited annually from eligible partners around the state. The next opportunity to apply is summer 2023.
The DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry program helps municipalities and other organizations promote and manage trees and forests by providing education, financial and technical assistance. To learn about the UCF program, visit Michigan.gov/UCF.
ReLeaf Michigan is a statewide tree organization that works to educate the public on the value of trees and how to properly select, plant and maintain them. Communities and organizations interested in volunteer tree plantings or educational events should visit ReleafMichigan.org, email ReLeaf Michigan or call 800-642-7353.
The DTE Foundation is the philanthropic arm of DTE Energy. For more information visit DTE Energy Foundation online.
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Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, state-wide organization dedicated to the preservation, protection, and wise management of Michigan’s vast treasure of inland lakes and streams.
Ready to help us protect Michigan's waterways?
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