Ecosystem Services in the Great Lakes
Dates: June 22-24, 2016
Leads: Brad Cardinale, University of Michigan-CILER; Alan Steinman, Grand Valley State University-Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI); Wayne Munns, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
GLERL Research Program: Ecosystem Dynamics
Description: The idea that ecosystems provide society with goods and services that are vital to human well‐being and prosperity has become prominent over the past decade as scientists, economists, resource managers and politicians have considered how to properly value the natural capital of ecosystems. The concept of ecosystem services has simultaneously been used to promote sustainable use of water resources in the Great Lakes, which represent one of the world’s great ‘Blue Economies’. This summit brought together experts from multiple fields (physical, biological, and social sciences) and a variety of stakeholders (NGOs, government agencies, academics) to grow a network of individuals who focus on valuation of ecosystem services in the Great Lakes, to summarize what is known about ecosystem services in the Great Lakes, and to set an agenda for developing the valuation of ecosystem services in the coming decade.
The summit was organized into three thematic sessions around which participants focused their discussions and recommendations:
1. What is presently known about ecosystem services in the Great Lakes, and what are the boundaries of our knowledge?
2. What are the current impediments for understanding ecosystem services in the Great Lakes?
3. What is the future of ecosystem services in the Great Lakes?
The summit featured focus presentations by John Austin of the Michigan Economic Center and University of Michigan Professor Emeritus J. David Allan.
2016 Participants
- J. David Allan, University of Michigan
- Ted Angradi, U.S. EPA – Duluth
- John Austin, Michigan Economic Center
- Sarah Bartlett, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Kate Brauman, University of Minnesota-Institute on the Environment
- Muruleedhara Byappanahalli, U.S. Geological Survey
- Brad Cardinale , University of Michigan-CILER
- Matt Doss, Great Lakes Commission
- Diane Dupont, Brock University
- Annie Johns, NOAA Office of Response and Restoration
- Donna Kashian, Wayne State University
- Frank Lupi, Michigan State University
- Peter McIntyre, University of Wisconsin
- Todd Miller, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
- Michael Moore, University of Michigan
- Rebecca Logsdon Muenich, University of Michigan-Graham Sustainability Institute
- Wayne Munns, U.S. EPA
- Mary Ogdahl, University of Michigan-CILER
- Rajendra Poudel, Univeristy of Minnesota-Duluth
- James Price, U.S. EPA
- Bill Provencher, University of Wisconsin
- Anne Rea, U.S. EPA Safe & Sustainable Water Resources Research Program
- Jennifer Read, University of Michigan-Graham Sustainability Institute
- Steven Renzetti, Brock University
- Brent Sohngen, Ohio State University
- Alan Steinman, Grand Valley State University-AWRI
- Marc Tuchman, Great Lakes National Program Office
- Erika Washburn, Lake Superior National Estuarine Reserve
Products: A.D. Steinman, B.J. Cardinale, W.K. Munns, M.E. Ogdahl, and 22 others. Ecosystem Services in the Great Lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research 43: 161-168.