STATE
      OF THE
GREAT  LAKES
      1997
   Report Highlights

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STATE OF THE GREAT LAKES  1997
Report Highlights
 THE 1997 STATE OF THE GREAT LAKES REPORT

                       The Great Lakes ecosystem has improved vastly over the
                       past 30 years, but we are still a long way from full restora-
                       tion— this will take the cooperation not only of agencies,
                       stakeholders and decision-makers from within the basin, but
                       also those outside of it because of the global nature of pol-
                       lutants. After decades of abuse to the ecosystem, dramatic
                       successes achieved include: nutrient reductions; recovery of
                       oxygen levels and of aquatic organisms that require higher
                       levels of oxygen; declines in contaminant levels in fish and
                       wildlife; a resurgence of some fish and wildlife populations;
                       and improvements in public health. But much work remains
                       to be done including halting the loss of wetlands, preserving
                       and protecting remaining habitat, decreasing the amount of
                       toxic contaminants released into the ecosystem so that fish
                       consumption advisories are no longer required, and so that
                       the subtle effects of these chemicals are no longer felt on
                       the fish, wildlife and human populations within the basin.

                       The 1997 State of the Great Lakes Report summarizes
                       information presented at the November 1996 State of the
                       Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC 96), held in Windsor,
                       Ontario. The Report examines the state of health of the
                       Great Lakes nearshore ecosystem  in two ways:

                             A basin-wide examination of the condition of the
                             nearshore ecosystem; and

                             A lake-by-lake examination of the nearshore
                             ecosystem.

                       The Report also gives a limited update of the subjects
                       addressed in the 1995 State of the  Great Lakes Report. The
                       information in both  these Reports assists the governments of
                       Canada and the United States to fulfil their responsibilities
                       under the 1987 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

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What is SOLEC?
SOLEC 96 Participants
                            The State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conferences
                            (SOLEC), are a series of science-based meetings,
                            held biennially, to review and assess the state of the
                            Great Lakes from an ecosystem perspective.

                            SOLEC 94 focussed on the overall health of the Great
                            Lakes basin ecosystem at the end of 1994 while
                            SOLEC 96 narrowed the scope to summarize the
                            health of the nearshore ecosystem and to examine
                            the effects of land use practices on ecosystem health.

                            Led by Environment Canada and the United States
                            Environmental Protection Agency, SOLEC 94 was the
                            first binational scientific meeting of its kind. SOLEC
                            96 continued in the same vein.
                       Nearly 500 participants attended SOLEC 96 representing:
                       •  Federal Governments
                       •  Provincial/State/Tribal Governments
                       •  Local Governments
                       «  Conservation/Wildlife/Environmental Groups
                       •  Industry/Agriculture/Commercial Fishing
                       »  Academia/Research
                       •  Health Groups
                       •  Citizens/Public Advisory Groups
Why Nearshore?
                       One of the findings of SOLEC 94 was that these areas
                       represent the most diverse and productive parts of the Great
                       Lakes ecosystem, and, at the same time, support the most
                       intense human activity. As a result, the areas that contain
                       the greatest biological resources are subject to the greatest
                       stress.

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                       Information for the 1997 Report can be found in five
                       supporting documents presented at SOLEC 96:

                       • Nearshore Waters of the Great Lakes;
                       • Coastal Wetlands of the Great Lakes;
                       * The Land by the Lakes: Nearshore Terrestrial
                         Ecosystems;
                       * Impacts of Changing Land Use; and
                       • Information and Information Management.

                       Land use is by far the largest source of stress to the system
                       and warranted special attention. Additionally, because of the
                       importance of information and information management, and
                       because of the rapid changes in electronic data systems, a
                       separate paper on this topic was prepared.
SOLEC 96 MAJOR FINDINGS: A SUMMARY


      I,  Importance of Locally Based Action
                       It is essential that ecosystem management happen at the
                       local/community level, with support from all levels of
                       government and the public. Municipal governments play a
                       key role in determining the health of the nearshore.

     2.  Resources are  Declining
                       At this time, both financial and human resources are in short
                       supply. Public and private sector budgets are shrinking, and
                       it is becoming increasingly important to prioritize where the
                       remaining resources will be dedicated. Cost effectiveness of
                       restoration will be factored into decision-making processes,
                       and programs must be shown to get the required results in a
                       cost effective manner. Agencies must work together and
                       share data.

     3.  Need a Long Term Perspective
                       In order to recognize changes in the health of the Great
                       Lakes nearshore, it is necessary to compare the current
                       state of the ecosystem with earlier states. Commitments to
                       long term monitoring and data collection are necessary for
                       assessing progress and, if necessary, re-prioritizing efforts.

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4, Need Ecosystem Goals
                  We must agree on what end state would be most desirable
                  for the Great Lakes ecosystem before we can work toward a
                  desirable end state. It must also be recognized that with
                  respect to ecosystem health, end results are difficult to
                  predict because of the extreme number of variables.

5. Focus on Prevention and Preservation
                  Years of reactive measures to ecosystem problems have
                  provided results. The time has come to build on the success
                  of restoration efforts, and focus on preserving and protecting
                  the less impacted areas which remain.

6. Need to Improve Communication
                  Communication within agencies and between agencies
                  needs to be improved. Using a common vision and common
                  vocabulary to define and address key issues can help to
                  achieve this goal.

7. Non-Point Sources of Pollution
                  Action is well underway to address point sources of pollu-
                  tion. Now is the time to focus more efforts on non-point
                  sources.

8. Urgency for Action
                  Immediate action is needed on three fronts. Where there is
                  agreement on steps needed to protect and restore the eco-
                  system, those steps should be taken  now. Where existing
                  information is not sufficient to support decisions and imple-
                  mentation, immediate action must be taken to identify infor-
                  mation gaps and obtain the information needed. Action is
                  also needed to protect areas where restoration efforts have
                  already yielded successful results.

9. Land Use
                  SOLEC 96 carried out a major analysis of land use in the
                  Great Lakes basin and found that  poor land use practices
                  are the major source of stress. Action to address this must
                  occur at the local level (see SOLEC 96 Major Finding #1).

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INDICATORS OF STRESS
                       Some preliminary indicators to measure both the state of
                       health of the total ecosystem and the stressors that influence
                       that health were developed and assessed in SOLEC 94.
                       SOLEC 96 continued this process by developing indicators
                       to measure the state of health of the nearshore ecosystem.

                       The indicator ratings assess the condition of the ecosystem
                       or the stressor in three broad categories; poor, mixed or
                       good. A trend statement indicates whether things are getting
                       better, worse or remaining stable.

                       In addition, the Land by the Lakes paper used a ratings
                       system of A to Ffor the ecoregions and special ecological
                       communities. However, on a lake-by-lake basis the health of
                       the nearshore terrestrial ecosystems were rated as above.

                       In general, the ratings have the following meanings:
                       • Poor—significant negative impact.
                       • Mixed—the impact is less severe.
                       * Good—the impact or stress is removed and the state of
                         the ecosystem component has been restored (or remains)
                         at a presently acceptable state.

                       In general, the trends have the following meanings:
                       * Deteriorating—the trend is towards greater impact.
                       • Stable—no change in the impact.
                       * Improving—the trend is towards less impact.
         Mixed
 Poor
Good
         Mixed
 Poor
Good
The diagram at the left indicates that the environmental
conditions started as Mixed and are deteriorating.
The diagram at the left indicates that the environmental
conditions started as Mixed and are improving.
                       The Information and Information Management paper used
                       the ratings of good (G), fair (F) and poor (P) to describe the
                       indicators of the nearshore information needs.

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Nearshore Waters
     Overall State of the Great Lakes Aquatic
     Nearshore Ecosystem
                                                            Mixed/Improving
      Healthy Fish and Wildlife:
      1.  Status of native species and their habitat
     2.  Status of exotic species
                                                            Mixed/Improving
                                                           Poor/Deteriorating
     Virtual Elimination of Persistent Toxic Substances:

     1. Levels of persistent toxic substances in water
        and sediment
     2. Concentrations of persistent toxic substances
        in fish and wildlife
                                                            Mixed/Improving
      Reduced Nutrient Loading, Eliminating  Eutrophication:

      1. Dissolved oxygen concentrations of bottom
        waters
                                                            Good/Improving

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     2. Water clarity / algal blooms
                                                          Mixed/Improving
     Healthy Human Populations:

     1,  Drinking water quality
     2. Fish consumption advisories
                                                           Good/Stable
                                                          Mixed/Improving
     3. Beach closures
     4. Acute human illness (associated with locally
        high levels of contaminants)
     5. Chronic human illness
Coastal Wetlands

     Overall State of the Great Lakes Coastal
     Wetlands  Ecosystems
     Preserve or Restore Wetland Area:
     1.  Wetland size or abundance - Upper Lakes
                                                        M ixed/Deterio rati ng

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2. Wetland size or abundance - Lower Lakes
3. Land use adjacent to wetland
4. Land use changes,  encroachment, and
   development
5. Shoreline modification
                                                      Poor/Deteriorating
                                                   Poor-Mixed/Deteriorating
Preserve or Restore Wetland Quality:
1.  Water level fluctuation
Unregulated lakes
       M
 Lake Superior
       M
   Good/Stable
Poor-Mixed/Stable
Lake Ontario
     M
  Poor/Stable
2. Levels of nutrients and persistent toxic
   substances
                                                      Mixed/Improving
3. Protection from erosive forces
Preserve or Restore Health of the Habitat:

1.  Status of plant communities
2.  Status of individual plant species
                                                     Mixed/Deteriorating
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     Preserve or Restore Healthy Fish and Wildlife Populations:

     1.  Concentration of persistent toxic substances
         in biota
                                                            Mixed/Improving
     2. Effect of exotic species
                                                           Poor/Deteriorating

Land by the Lakes - Nearshore Terrestrial Ecosystems

      1. Retention of shoreline species and/or communities
              Lake Superior                                Remaining Lakes
              Good/Stable
       Mixed/Deteriorating
     2. Retention of natural shoreline processes (un-armored shoreline)
             Lake Superior
                   M
         Lake Huron
              M
              Good/Stable
             Lake Michigan
         Mixed/Stable


Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario
              M
                —-\
                      G
            Mixed/Deteriorating
        Poor/Deteriorating

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     3. Representation of biodiversity in lakeshore parks and protected areas
       Lake Superior               Lake Huron             Remaining  Lakes
        Good/Improving
Mixed/Improving
Mixed/Stable
     4,  Gains in biodiversity investment areas
         Lakes Superior & Michigan
             Mixed/Improving


             Lake Ontario
                   M
                          Lake Huron
                               M
                        Mixed/Deteriorating

                      Lakes St. Clair & Erie
                               M
               Mixed/Stable
                            Poor/Stable
Land Use Stressors

      Efficient Urban Development:

      1.  Recreation opportunities (number & area of
         parks)
      2.  Wastewater quality (based on nutrient & toxic
         loadings)
      3.  Industrial water use
                          Mixed/Improving
     4.  Center-town economy (based on fiscal
     condition, vacancies, etc.)
                                                          Mixed/Deteriorati ng
                                        10

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5. Energy use (per capita)
6. Waste created (residential & industrial)
7. Urban population density
8. Brownfields (number & area)
9. Residential water use
10. Suburban land conversion
11. Traffic congestion
12. Transit use
                                                       Poor/Improving
                                                         Poor/Stable
                                                      Poor/Deteriorating
Protection of Human Health:

1.  Sewage quality (based on nutrient & toxic
   loadings)
2.  Pollution-prevention programs
3.  Fish advisories
4.  Outdoor recreation (based on opportunities &
   participation)
Mixed/Improving
5. Land-fill capacity
6. Respiratory illness (based on hospital
   admissions & death records)
7, Air pollution levels (based on particulates &
   ozone levels)
                                                         Mixed/Stable
                                                        Poor/Improving
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8. Stormwater quality (based on nutrient & toxic
   loadings)
                                                        Poor/Stable
9. Beach closings (number of unswimmable
  days)
Protection of Resource Health:
1. Hunting pressure
2. Agriculture pesticide/fertilizer use
3. Conservation tillage
4. Contaminated sites (area & number)
5. Wildlife populations
6. Forest clearing (based on cutting rates),
   replanting and renewal
7. Mineral extraction
8.  Wetland habitat (number & area)
9.  Fishing pressure
10. Groundwater quality (based on area/number
    of contaminated wells)
                                                       Good/Stable
                                                      Mixed/Improving
                                                       Mixed/Stable
                                                     Mixed/Deteriorating
                                   12

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     11.  Municipal pesticide/fertilizer (usage)
                                                          Poor/Stable
     12. Agricultural & natural land loss (area lost to
         rural development)
     13. Hardening of land surface (based on area of
         roads & buildings)
     14. Cottage & second homes (number per
         coastal area)
Poor/Deteriorating
Information  and Information Management

     1,  Data coverage (how well data covers the
        Great Lakes nearshore area)
     2.  Data time frame (how recent the data are)
     3.  Data applicability (how well data can be used
        to measure the indicators discussed above)
     4,  Data usability (how well data can be used
        across disciplines)
     Fair
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ANALYSIS OF THE LAKES AND CONNECTING CHANNELS

      I.    Lake Superior

                       Lake Superior is the only lake in which the overall health of
                       the nearshore terrestrial zone was rated positively,

                 *     Development pressures are not as intense in the Lake
                       Superior basin as they are in the other Great Lake basins,
                       and the land use activities  in the Lake basin have had a
                       relatively low impact on Lake Superior's nearshore
                       ecosystem. However, shoreline development on the U.S.
                       portions of the north shore is increasing rapidly.

                 «     Non-point source pollution deposited from the atmosphere is
                       a large source of pollution  in Lake Superior, and it has been
                       determined that non-point sources actually have a bigger
                       influence over nearshore water quality in the Lake than do
                       point sources. Atmospheric sources account for 93% of total
                       mercury, and 98.8% of PCBs loadings to the Lake.

                 «     The lake trout fishery is now maintained through natural
                       reproduction from wild fish. This represents the first
                       successful rehabilitation of lake trout stocks in the Great
                       Lakes.

                 •     Ongoing control of the sea lamprey continues to be very
                       important to ensure the preservation of lake trout stocks.

                 *     Lake Superior's coastal wetlands are in comparatively good
                       condition, and less affected by human stressors  than those
                       of the other Great Lakes. However, some local areas are
                       degraded and regulation of lake levels is having  negative
                       effect on coastal wetlands  lakewide.
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2.    Lake Michigan
                  Lake Michigan is the most diverse of any of the Lakes. Its
                  shoreline changes continuously from one major landform to
                  another, with each major type extending for hundreds of
                  miles.

                  Lake Michigan's coast contains about 40%of all U.S. Great
                  Lakes coastal wetlands. These wetlands are as equally
                  diverse as the shoreline.

                  Contributors of point source pollution include paper mills in
                  the northern basin, and steel related industry in the south.
                  However, in the past two decades, implementation of
                  pollution control policies have dramatically reduced the
                  amount of pollution being discharged from these sources,
                  and currently non-point pollution sources are the primary
                  cause of degraded water and air quality in the basin.

                  Spawning and fry production by stocked fish have been
                  recorded  at several locations, and wild yearling and older
                  lake trout have also been found in the Lake. Substantial
                  numbers of adult wild lake trout have not been produced as
                  yet.

                  The predominant development trend in the Lake Michigan
                  basin is continued  low-density sprawl which consumes vast
                  amounts of agricultural lands and open space. Counties in
                  the eastern Lake Michigan basin, for example, experienced
                  reductions in farmland acreage from 7 to more than 15%
                  from 1982 to 1992, exceeding the average loss rates for the
                  State of Michigan during that period (7,8%).

                  The Lake Michigan basin economy supports more than twice
                  as many jobs as the next largest economy among Great
                  Lakes basins (Lake Erie). The basin has the most
                  manufacturing jobs among the individual Great Lakes
                  basins, but employment in the sector has been declining
                  while employment in  the service sector has been on the rise.
                  Between  1970 and 1990, the service sector in Lake
                  Michigan's drainage basin  grew nearly 100%, and today,
                  over 2 million service jobs are located there.
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3.    Lake Huron
4.    Lake Erie
                  Lake Huron boasts the only Area of Concern that has been
                  delisted to date - Collingwood Harbour, Ontario.

                  Within the last ten years, along the Canadian shore of Lake
                  Huron, there has been incremental and site-specific loss of
                  wetland area from agricultural encroachment and cottage
                  development.

                  The fish community in Lake Huron is recovering after
                  decades of overharvest and the effects of introduced
                  species,  but remains unstable. Modest numbers of stocked
                  lake trout are reproducing in the Lake, and populations of
                  whitefish are more abundant than at any other time in this
                  century. Starting in the 1980s, the sea lamprey increased in
                  abundance in the northern end of the Lake, imposing high
                  mortality on lake trout and reversing gains that had been
                  made in lake trout restoration in that area.
                  Of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is exposed to the greatest
                  stress from both urbanization and agriculture. The Lake Erie
                  basin has the largest percentage of land use in agriculture
                  of any Lake basin, but agriculture is experiencing intense
                  competition with other land uses, especially from urban
                  sprawl and scattered rural development.

                  The economies of the Lake Erie basin are markedly different
                  in their range and type. They include the Detroit, Cleveland
                  and Buffalo urban-industrial complex, rural agricultural
                  villages, commercial and recreational fisheries, and the
                  water-based cottage and recreational industry. Along the
                  shoreline itself, except for metropolitan areas, the economy
                  is generally driven by recreation and tourism including
                  cottages, marinas, and fishing.
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Lake Erie has shown low concentrations of toxic
contaminants in water and fish. This is due to the
sedimentation of fine soil particles and algae, which tend to
adsorb pollutants from the water.

Beaches all along the shoreline have experienced high
bacterial levels leading to closures,  but those in the Western
and Central Lake basins are particularly affected.

The near total removal of native vegetation from the basin
and the severe exploitation of fisheries followed by exotic
species invasions have devastated the original aquatic
community of the Lake.

The long-term impact of exotic species, such as zebra
mussels, is unknown. Although mussels have increased
water clarity by approximately 75% between  1988 and 1991,
their feeding habits have led to large changes in the food
web which may result in  undesirable changes in fish species
populations.

They are also suppressing and may be completely
destroying populations of native mussels. In addition,
blooms of blue green algae  have started to occur in Western
Lake Erie. This may be the result of zebra mussels causing
an imbalanced ecosystem.

The round goby, another exotic fish species,  has now
expanded its range into Lake Erie.

The coastal wetlands of Lake Erie support the largest
diversity of plant and wildlife species in the Great Lakes.

The status of 34 species of Lake Erie fish is are either rare,
threatened, endangered, extirpated, extinct, or of special
concern. Lake whitefish,  however, are continuing to recover
and walleye and yellow perch are intensively managed to
provide productive recreational and  commercial fisheries in
the U.S. and Canada.
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5.    Lake Ontario
                  Wetlands of Lake Ontario have suffered severe loss over the
                  last two centuries. The main causes have been agricultural
                  drainage and urban encroachment.

                  A major source of stress to Lake Ontario coastal wetlands is
                  lack of normal water level fluctuation. Water levels have
                  been regulated in the Lake since the construction of the St.
                  Lawrence Seaway in 1959. Prior to regulation, the range of
                  water level fluctuations during the 20th century was about 2
                  meters (6.5 feet). However, since 1976 the  range has been
                  reduced to about 0.9 meters (2.9 feet).

                  The fish community has improved considerably from a low
                  point in the 1960s. Alewife and rainbow smelt abundance
                  declined in the 1980s in response to increased trout and
                  salmon predation and less nutrients in the Lake. In the
                  1990s, stocking of trout and salmon was  reduced to bring
                  them into better balance with their food supply. Lake
                  whitefish, were nearly absent in the 1970s,  but began
                  increasing in the 1980s, and were 30- to 40- fold more
                  abundant in the 1990s than in the 1970s. In addition in 1995,
                  lake trout which had been eliminated from the Lake by sea
                  lamprey, habitat loss and overfishing, began to reproduce
                  naturally after an absence  of some 45 years.

                  The most significant land use change in the Lake Ontario
                  basin for the past forty years has been, and continues to be,
                  the urban expansion of the Greater Toronto Area. Low net
                  population growth has been replaced by suburban and rural
                  expansion, extension of the urban fringe, and development
                  of adjacent rural areas.
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6.    Connecting Channels
                  The connecting channels of the Great Lakes consist of the
                  St.  Marys River, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit
                  River, the Niagara River and the St. Lawrence River. They
                  are the vital links between the Lakes carrying the surface-
                  water outflow from one Great Lake to the next and are
                  nearly always considered "nearshore".

                  The connecting channels are affected by the impacts of
                  urbanization, industry and agriculture, as well as the impacts
                  of physical  alterations for shipping, water level management
                  and power  generation. Connecting channels are often the
                  most heavily utilized areas by humans within the basin,
                  causing impaired habitat in all, and contaminated sediments
                  in most. Therefore, part or all of each connecting channel
                  has been designated as an Area of Concern.

                  In many cases, shoreline hardening (such as  bulkheading
                  and diking) is the common solution to erosion. Where this
                  hardening occurs adjacent to remaining wetlands, it restricts
                  their connection to upland habitats and limits the landward
                  migration of wetlands during  high water periods. This causes
                  a backstopping effect, reducing the size and diversity of
                  wetland communities.

                  About half the wetlands in Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair
                  Delta  have  been diked. Recreational and urban
                  developments also fragment the remaining  habitats.

                  Many connecting channel wetlands have been identified  as
                  significant areas of waterfowl production in the Great Lakes
                  basin, are important migratory staging areas and are used
                  as habitat or breeding areas  by other birds (non-waterfowl).
                  The St. Clair River Delta has been identified as one of the
                  most significant areas for waterfowl production, staging and
                  migration in the Great Lakes.
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OVERALL MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
                       The fundamental challenge is to be able to understand that
                       the nearshore is an ecosystem, and to obtain enough
                       relevant information to make informed decisions. Although
                       the ecosystem is complex, there is an urgent need to agree
                       upon the present state, desired states, and the key steps
                       needed to attain what is desired.

                       Information: The challenge is to develop a common set of
                       indicators and then to bring together available information on
                       the state of the nearshore ecosystem into accessible formats
                       and systems.

                       Ecosystem Integrity: The challenge is to integrate the
                       concepts of biodiversity and habitat into existing programs
                       traditionally devoted to pollution control or natural resource
                       management for harvest.

                       Integrative Management: The challenge is to integrate
                       LaMPs (Lakewide  Management Plans), RAPs (Remedial
                       Action Plans), fisheries management plans, and other
                       planning activities so that they become fully viable
                       management mechanisms, useful for decision-makers
                       throughout the Great Lakes basin ecosystem in taking action
                       and assessing results.

                       Efficient Land Use: The challenge is to find ways to promote
                       efficient land use, and land use that is protective of high
                       value habitat.

                       Priority Areas: The challenge is to identify areas of unusual
                       importance to the health and integrity of  the Great Lakes
                       ecosystem for priority attention.

                       Indicators: The challenge is to develop easily understood
                       agreed-upon indicators to support an understanding of the
                       state of the system and to  obtain wide-spread agreement on
                       what needs to be done to measure progress.
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                       Research and Monitoring: Research should be prioritized in
                       order to fill the many gaps that exist, such as: the global
                       nature of contamination; the effects of changes in the food
                       chain on contaminant movement within the Lakes; the
                       implications on the fishery of changing the amount of
                       phosphorus entering the lakes; and the subtle effects of
                       long-term exposure to toxic substances on humans and
                       wildlife.  Prioritizing research will also help determine
                       monitoring programs.

                       Sustainability: The challenge is to create ways of life and
                       communities within which we humans prosper while our
                       actions restore the natural life support system upon which all
                       life and prosperity depends.
THE FUTURE OF SOLEC
                             SOLEC will convene every two years to provide
                             information on the state of the Great Lakes
                             ecosystem.

                             SOLEC 98 will be held in Buffalo, New York, in
                             October, 1998.

                             SOLEC 98 is being designed around an indicators
                             theme and seeks to develop Great Lakes indicators
                             that can be used by managers to track progress in
                             overall  ecosystem health.
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