Great Lakes Water Studies Institute

WSI Progress & Priorities

The vision of the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute is to inspire
lifelong stewardship and understanding of water. This vision is achieved
through missions involving learning, collaboration and convening.

January - May 2004

In February 2004, the Traverse City Rotaries and Rotary Charities of Traverse City granted $1 million to NMC and the Water Studies Institute to create an "Alliance for Great Lakes Stewardship." This public-private partnership will accelerate the development of the Institute, support new programs and support strategies and programs of non-profit organizations involved with water. Highlights of Institute progress and priorities include (note: highlights that include Rotary support are indicated by an asterisk):

Learning:

• NMC Curriculum. The first WSI course - Watershed Science - was developed with the support of a Community of Learners and is currently being reviewed by NMC's Curriculum Committee for introduction as an NMC course in the fall of 2004.
• Middle School and High School Science Education. ** Research, Inquiry and Public Partnerships for Local Environmental Education, "RIPPLE" - a summer Institute for teachers to develop new concepts for middle school and high school science education using fresh water as a theme will be held at the Great Lakes Campus August 2-5, 2004. The program will involve 20 science teachers, students and community leaders who will work together to build locally relevant science education curricula and hands-on learning experiences.
• Youth Education. **"Wonders of Water" - an entirely new component of NMC's "College for Kids" has been developed collaboratively with partner non-profit organizations for the summer of 2004. The week-long course will include field experiences steeped in the local watersheds and led by area experts.
• Youth Interests and Needs. ** The Institute is collaborating with the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, Traverse City Area Public School's Sci-Ma-Tech program and a high school student to assess high school student interests and priorities involving fresh water. This pilot initiative will help focus learning programs and teacher training.
• All Learners. **A menu of environmental learning opportunities has been developed by the Institute and NMC's Extended Education Services to be distributed to 40,000 households through the Traverse City Record Eagle. These opportunities include the water-themed learning opportunities offered by Inland Seas Education Association, Great Lakes Children's Museum, Leelanau Conservancy, Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Conservation Resource Alliance, Grand Traverse Soil Conservation District, The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, Seeds, Grass River Natural Area, Michigan Sea Grant, and MSU Extension Service.
• Grants. Grants to support learning for teachers about water and science education have been submitted to the National Science Foundation, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and a private corporation.

Collaboration

• Community Participation. The WSI's "Community of Learners" continues to help guide the Institute's focus and programs. An additional Community of Learners has been formed to help develop the Institute's education program for middle and high school which involves science teachers, students and community leaders.
• Community Technical Services. "Community Resources about Water" have been established through NMC faculty to provide advice and technical assistance on matters involving Great Lakes Water Levels, Watersheds and Wetlands.
• Community Service. **Surveys of Rotarians and partner non-profit organizations have been completed to begin matching over 400 Rotarians with community service projects to support water quality in the region as part of the "Alliance for Great Lakes Stewardship." Non-profits participating include: The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, Conservation Resource Alliance, Boardman River Project, Grand Traverse Soil Conservation District, Inland Seas Education Association and the Conservation Resource Alliance.
• Non-Profit Capacity Building. **Work is underway through the "Alliance for Great Lakes Stewardship" to build programs to support organizational capacities of non-profit organizations focused on water.
• Internships. **A pilot internship program has been initiated. The first Water Studies Internship with the Conservation Resource Alliance supported important water missions of the region and provided NMC credit under an independent study. One objective was to involve the intern in grant writing and a grant was secured by the intern in her very first grant application.
• Technology. The Institute is collaborating with over a dozen area groups and agencies, including the Michigan Sea Grant program, to evaluate the benefits and costs involving a mobile water quality lab and a distanced-based coastal observing system which has been developed by the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Grants. Collaborative grant requests have been prepared and submitted to such organization as: Great Lakes Commission, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Joyce Foundation and Great Lakes Fishery Trust. These grants have been developed collaboratively with non-profit organizations to address such regional water issues as the impact of invasive species and evaluation of soil erosion control best management practices. In addition, the WSI has also provided letters of endorsement for grant applications by watershed partner non-profits to federal and state agencies and private corporations.

Convening

A goal of the Institute is to offer and establish the Great Lakes Campus as a learning destination about fresh water and the Great Lakes. With the completion of the Hagerty Center, highlights include:

• Wetlands. The Statewide Wetlands Conference called "Michigan Wetlands: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Wetland Protection Act," will be held May 20-22 at the Great Lakes Campus, cosponsored by the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and the Water Studies Institute.
• National Coastal Networking. **The national meeting of the Coastal States Organization, representing over 30 states, will be hosted at the Great Lakes Campus in the fall of 2004.
• Federal Agency Great Lakes Focus. **A national meeting of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be hosted at the Great Lakes Campus in the fall of 2004.
• High School Science Promotion. **On May 27th, 2004, the Institute will host a review and community display at the Great Lakes Campus of science projects completed by high school sophomores participating in Traverse City Area Public School System's Sci-Ma-Tech program.
• Organizational Development. The Great Lakes Campus facilities are being used by partner non-profit organizations to support community outreach, organizational strategy development and Board of Directors conferences.

Participate! Contact the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute:

Marguerite Cotto
Director
231-995-1775
mcotto@nmc.edu

Becky Cooper
231-995-1793
bcooper@nmc.edu

Tim Ervin
231-995-1787
tervin@nmc.edu