Most of the volunteer lake monitors in MiCorps’ Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) are also riparian residents. As citizen scientists, they are naturally interested in the quality of the waters and nearshore environment upon which they front. The Michigan Lake and Stream Associations’ Conference each year includes a variety of topics that concern lake riparians. Topics range from presentations on the latest scientific research on lake organisms to legal discussions about riparian rights and noise control to organizational discussions on property values and insurance. The CLMP training is conducted at this conference each year, as well, providing instruction for volunteers about how to learn about their lake’s quality.

Ralph Bednarz and volunteers assessing a lake prior to monitoring.
Photo: Huron River Watershed Council.

Given such a wide range of concerns, what should lake volunteers be most concerned about? What does your association spend most of it’s time discussing or working toward? Are there open questions about lake quality and management that are not being answered? Have you ever presented volunteer monitoring results to a lake board? If so, what were the results? What has been your experience and what can MiCorps do to help inform the discussion?

We want to hear your thoughts via our listserv discussion list. Jump into the discussion by signing on to the list at www.micorps.net/listserv.html and posting your thoughts – or, if you are already a subscriber to the listserv, simply send an email to micorps@great-lakes.net. We want to hear what you think.

Note: Due to the volume of responses to the last discussion topic, the list has been split in two. One for news and announcements: micorps-news@great-lakes.net, and one for discussion: micorps@great-lakes.net. You are free to remain members of both or opt out of either. The easiest way to do this is by contacting the listserv manager at laurak@glc.org with your request.

A volunteer monitoring in icy conditions in early spring.
Photo: Huron River Watershed Council.

Author:
Ric Lawson
MiCorps Staff
Huron River Watershed Council