Eastern Michigan University will welcome officials, researchers, environmentalists and conservation groups from across the world for the State of the Strait conference from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Center.
According to a university press release, “The conference will explore current efforts and new ways to maximize the effectiveness of conservation efforts and incorporate socioeconomic factors into regional conservation planning.”
The conference organizers are focused on restoration, effectiveness and management of the St. Clair-Detroit River System.
One thing that is being done to work toward these goals is partnerships which contribute to the conservation, protection and enhancement of the area. This is being done through research, planning and action. The hope is to coordinate these efforts to address regional needs and find solutions to boost socioeconomic values.
At the conference, groups will give presentations on Lake Erie biodiversity conservations as well as the St. Clair and Detroit River Systems Initiative to the Environmental Protection Agency’s national coastal condition assessment, water quality and fish habitat in the Detroit River.
A panel discussion will conclude the event with a discussion on future goals and approaches to conservation projects in the St. Clair-Detroit River System and western Lake Erie.
An EMU professor is one of the co-chairs for the summit—Steve Francoeur from the biology department. Jan Ciborowski, from the biological sciences department at the University of Windsor, is the other co-chair.
More information can be found at the State of the Strait website.
