The 2026 sturgeon season on Black Lake in Michigan lasted all of 48 minutes before the annual quota – six – was reached. There were 653 anglers competing for them.
The post Conservation, research and community collaboration aid in successful 2026 Black Lake sturgeon season first appeared on Great Lakes
By Lillian Williams
he shrinking number of farms in Michigan – down by about 1,300 between 2023 and 2024 – and the trend of existing farms to expand to survive is changing the culture of rural communities.
The post Shifting farm economy means changes for rural communities first appeared on
By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov
Bankruptcies of Michigan farmers are troubling despite a dip in their Chapter 12 filings last year. Major reasons are higher expenses for inputs such as fertilizer coupled with flat commodity prices.
The post Michigan farmers face bankruptcies, other financial challenges first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Mia Litzenberg
The Six Nations of the Grand River face ongoing water insecurity from pollution, climate change and corporate extraction. Many years of Indigenous water advocacy have led to the development of a new Haudenosaunee Environmental Research Institute as the next step to overcome these challenges.
The post Water
A new study examines the uniqueness of work that research centers conduct in the Great Lakes region, highlighting their importance amid dramatic changes in federal funding.
The post Research centers in the Great Lakes region change the scope of global freshwater ecology first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov
New U-M survey finds only about 5% of rural Michigan residents say they would choose an electric vehicle as their next car. Researchers attribute much of that reluctance to misinformation about the availability of public chargers and the cost of EVs and replacement batteries. The Whitmer administration
By Julia Belden
An Alanson-raised author whose book on Ernest Hemingway’s ties to Northern Michigan explains the region’s influence on the novelist’s work. The book “Picturing Hemingway’s Michigan,” has just been released in paperback.
The post Book explores Hemingway’s experiences ‘up north’ first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Justin Fox Clausen
Lawmakers are making another effort to adopt Michigan’s first statewide septic code with mandatory inspections, intended to protect drinking water from contamination. It’s the only state without one.
The post Michigan is last state without a septic system code. Will that change? first appeared on Great
By Karlee VanAntwerp
Critics of the proliferation of data centers are calling for a one-year moratorium on the approval of new projects.
The post Data center concerns lead to push for a one-year moratorium on projects first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.
By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov
Given dramatic changes in federal energy policy and spending, as well as possible reduction in state financial support for alternative energy projects, is Michigan still on target to reach its clean energy goals?
The post Michigan pushes toward 100% clean energy by 2040 despite funding cuts first appeared
By Joshua Kim
Following the passing of new legislation by the Illinois General Assembly, the Regional Transport Authority, soon to be the Northern Illinois Transit Agency, will receive an additional $1.2 billion for its annual budget this year. The additional funding will be used to improve “frequency, reliability, and safety”
By Joshua Kim
“Chicago Transit Hikes," a new book by Lindsay Welbers, aims to help Chicago residents and visitors reach outdoor recreation sites car-free.
The post Book helps residents, visitors, use Chicago’s public transit to access recreational sites first appeared on Great Lakes Echo.