A Proposal for a

 

Lake Michigan Volunteer Monitoring Network

 

Introduction

 

Environmental monitoring is conducted by a wide array of entities at all levels of government, academia, the private sector and citizen volunteers.  Currently, there is relatively little effective dialogue or structured exchange of monitoring information between government agencies and the public, and between volunteer monitoring groups and decision makers.  Enhancing public dissemination and interpretation of monitoring information by government agencies is a widely recognized priority.  Volunteer monitoring programs also represent an important and largely unutilized resource.  Currently, these efforts serve primarily educational purposes.  The data collected generally is not used by government agencies in any formal manner.  With proper training, guidance and equipment, volunteer monitoring programs can support agency decision making at little or no cost and substantially expand the overall monitoring network.  Finally, business and industry are a largely untapped resource that can be recruited to support volunteer monitoring efforts.  Industries and utilities can provide equipment and technical services (e.g., lab space), and will receive positive public relations benefits from sponsoring volunteer monitoring efforts in their communities.

 

In short, there is an outstanding need to expand the reciprocal exchange of monitoring information–both “up-down” from agencies to the public; and “down-up” from citizen volunteers to government agencies, policy makers and elected officials.

 

Goals and Objectives of the Lake Michigan Volunteer Monitoring Network

 

The goal of the Lake Michigan Volunteer Network is to support ecosystem management efforts in the Lake Michigan Basin by expanding and enhancing the collection, dissemination, interpretation and utilization of environmental monitoring information among all relevant parties in the basin.  The network’s objectives are to

•             enhance local volunteer monitoring efforts and establish a cooperative volunteer monitoring program within the watershed of each major tributary to Lake Michigan at minimal cost to federal and state agencies;

•             utilize volunteer monitoring information to support resource management decision making at the local, state and federal levels;

•             expand and improve the dissemination and interpretation of monitoring information collected by public agencies;

•             standardize the collection of volunteer monitoring information so it is consistent and comparable across the Lake Michigan Basin;

•             recruit business, industry and utility sponsors to support volunteer monitoring programs in each watershed; and

•             address gaps and unmet needs in the collection, dissemination and utilization of monitoring information.

 

Components and Operation of the Lake Michigan Volunteer Monitoring Network

 

The initiative will be coordinated by the Great Lakes Commission with oversight and guidance from the Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council.  The council strongly supports the idea, has the requisite technical expertise and includes most of the necessary stakeholders and project partners.  A partnering entity (e.g., water resources institute) will be identified within each state to coordinate outreach to volunteer monitoring groups in the state and provide training and technical guidance.  Participants in the Lake Michigan Tributary Monitoring Project support the concept and can help facilitate this process.  A basinwide industry group (e.g., Council of Great Lakes Industries) will be solicited to coordinate and/or provide financial support and technical services (e.g., lab analysis) to local volunteer monitoring groups.  This might include a basinwide sponsor; a sponsor for each state program; and a sponsor within each watershed.  Business/industry sponsors will be formally recognized for their contributions.  Using GLIN as a primary vehicle, the Commission will develop a comprehensive communications program for disseminating and interpreting monitoring information (both “up-down” and “down-up”).

 

Specific tasks associated with operation of the network include

•             Develop protocols and standards, accepted by state and federal agencies, that, when followed by volunteer monitoring groups, will allow the effective use of their information by decision makers.  This might include “modules” with related types of monitoring data (e.g., water quality; wetlands and habitat; wildlife; land use and development; etc.).

•             Establish pilot volunteer monitoring coalitions in each of the four states bordering Lake Michigan.  In each selected watershed, participation from established volunteer monitoring groups will be solicited and training, technical guidance and equipment will be provided to “certify” their data and facilitate its use by agency decision makers.

•             Develop a model watershed monitoring program to guide development of volunteer monitoring coalitions within each watershed.

•             Establish communication networks and resources (e.g., GLIN) to disseminate monitoring information “down from” government agencies to the public, and volunteer monitoring data “up from” local groups to agency staff, elected officials and the general public.  This will include development of a volunteer monitoring data warehouse in which data can be compiled and displayed graphically, and linked to the Lake Michigan Monitoring Inventory website currently under development.

•             Utilize the volunteer monitoring coalition within each watershed to publish an annual or biennial “report card” on ecosystem conditions and combine these into a collective “status report” for Lake Michigan and its watershed (this could be the focus of a biennial “state of the lake” conference).

•             Utilize network participants to help fill data gaps and monitoring needs.

•             Sustain the network, including local programs and state and regional coordination efforts.

 

Proposed Milestones (rough–for discussion purposes only)

 

ASAP:                        Review proposed initiative with U.S. EPA, the cochairs of the Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council, and other parties.

 

Summer 2000:            Assemble project team (partnering entity in each state and industry sponsor) and finalize project proposal.

 

Late Summer 2000:     Solicit state and federal seed funding to be followed by wider foundation funding.

 

Fall 2000:                   Begin detailed project work–protocols and standards for agency acceptance and use of volunteer monitoring data; model watershed monitoring program; and online resources.

 

Winter 2000/01:          Begin outreach to local volunteer monitoring groups and development of monitoring coalitions within each watershed.

 

Spring 2001:               Convene Great Lakes Regional Monitoring Conference and formally “kick off” the network.

 

2001:                                                   Ongoing outreach to, training and “certification” of network participants.

 

Fall 2001:                   First “certified” monitoring data “uploaded” from local level to agency decision makers and development of watershed “report card.”

 

 

Observations–Why the Timing is Right

 

•                      There is substantial interest in improving communication of monitoring information to the public.

•                      U.S. EPA is already convening state volunteer coordinators and exploring opportunities to support and make better use of volunteer monitoring information.

•                      The Clean Michigan Initiative will provide significant resources for new monitoring efforts in Michigan.

•                      The Lake Michigan Monitoring Coordination Council is well established and provides a ready-made project advisory committee.

•                      A volunteer monitoring network is supported by the council and the Lake Michigan LaMP.

•                      The National Water Quality Monitoring Council is interested in holding a regional conference in the Great Lakes in 2001.  The conference will provide an ideal forum for announcing the network.

•                      Commission leadership will draw from our work on the tributary monitoring project, support to the Council, GIS/online work, and strong and credible connections to the states.

•                      The proposed initiative addresses both environmental education/local watershed management efforts (e.g., the “warm and fuzzy” stuff) as well as “real” use of information as decision-support tools by agency staff.

•                      Foundations (regional, state and local) are likely to support a volunteer monitoring network.  Specific components (e.g., a model watershed monitoring program) may be funded separately by agency grant programs.

•                      A Lake Michigan Volunteer Monitoring Network can be viewed as a prototype that, once refined, can expanded to the other Great Lakes.  It is a unique, innovative, and cutting edge approach that makes effective use of resources at the basinwide, state and local level.