Great Lakes Connection ... a series of In Wisconsin reports
Wisconsin's history, economy and culture have been shaped by the two Great Lakes that border it. The In Wisconsin special, Great Lakes Connections, examines environmental, economic and cultural issues related to Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, as well as the strong personal connection many of us have with these inland seas. Great Lakes Connections: An In Wisconsin Special airs Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 7 p.m. on the Wisconsin Public Television network only. (WHA will see Auction.)
For more information, visit Great Lakes Forever»
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Raspberry Island Lighthouse
Producer: JoAnne Garrett
Location: Lake Superior, Raspberry Island
It’s rehab
time for the lighthouse on Raspberry Island. Combine a wood frame with
100 years of Lake Superior weather and you can see why the lighthouse needs
a lot of work. Learn about the elaborate reconstruction effort that is
underway — aiming to restore the lighthouse to its original glory.
Safe Catch
Producer: Frederica Freyberg
Location: Sheboygan
State officials are trying to find ways to
communicate the health problems related to consuming contaminated fish
- often to people who depend upon their catch for subsistence and to people
who sometimes do not speak English as a first language. Frederica Freyberg
examines what state officials are doing to educate people about the hazards
of fishing in polluted areas of the Great Lakes. Freyberg focuses on a
Hmong family that often fishes along the Sheboygan River, an area declared
a Superfund site 20 years ago by the EPA.
Grandma Gen
Producer: JoAnne Garrett
Location: Red Cliff Reservation
She is 86 years old, and quite simply, a phenomenon.
Genevieve Goslin is a revered tribal elder in the Red Cliff Band of the
Lake Superior Chippewa. Nearly everyone calls her “Grandma Gen” as
a sign of their respect and affection for this remarkable woman. Grandma
Gen shares stories about the unique cultural connection that she – and
the Red Cliff Band—have with Lake Superior.
Quagga Mussels
Producer: Liz Koerner
Location: Lake Michigan, Sheboygan Harbor
The invasive zebra mussel made a splash in
the Great Lakes when it first arrived in the ballast water of ocean, going
ships in the late 1980’s. But now the zebra mussel has met
its match. It’s being eaten out of house and home by one of
its relatives called the quagga mussel. UW-Milwaukee WATER Institute
scientists, Dr. Russell Cuhel and Carmen Aguilar are trying to find out
how big a bite these new invasive quagga mussels are taking out of the
food chain below the surface of Lake Michigan. Stakeholders
like fishermen weigh in with their take on how the mussels are affecting
the fish.
Biofouling
Producer: Andy Soth
Location: Madison
UW researchers believe they’ve developed
a way to stop invasive aquatic species from hitching a ride into the Great
Lakes. The research involves shooting tiny electric jolts through the undersides
of ships, thus preventing “invasives” from latching onto
the bottom of a ship’s hull — something called biofouling.
Blue Wave Beach
Producer: Frederica Freyberg
Location: Racine
Imagine our state’s most pristine beaches—lakes
in Northern Wisconsin or the Apostle Islands may come to mind—but
what about Racine’s North Beach? It used to be filled with
scum, dangerous and too contaminated to swim in much of the time. What
a turnaround. Swimmers and beachcombers are now back in droves and the
Lake Michigan beach is nationally recognized for being clean and well managed.
Racine's North Beach is a so-called “Blue Wave Beach.” The only
one in Wisconsin, and one of only 56 in the nation.
Great Lakes Compact
Producer: Art Hackett
Location: Waukesha County, Milwaukee
Legislatures from the Great Lakes states
are preparing to ratify the Great Lakes Compact. The compact was signed
by Great Lakes governors in December 2005. The compact
set rules for use of Great Lakes water outside the lake basin. The city
of Waukesha is seeking a permit to divert some of the water to solve
problems with radium in existing well water. Critics fear allowing Waukesha
an exemption while the compact is yet to be legalized will set a dangerous
precedent that lead to exports well outside the Great Lakes Basin.
Great Lakes Turbines
Producer: Art Hackett
Location: Lake Michigan, Racine, Algoma
Imagine standing on the shores of Lake
Michigan, gazing out over the water and seeing—mile after mile
of wind turbines. Unlikely? Maybe not. While there’s
no definite proposal to build a wind farm in the Great Lakes, researchers
are starting to study the potential of positioning wind turbines in the
lakes to generate electricity. In addition, state regulators are developing
criteria for evaluating environmental issues. Some communities are already
asking how the presence of turbines off the shores of Lake Michigan might
affect their lives.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Management Plan
Producer: JoAnne Garrett
Location: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
has just kicked off the development of a new 15-year management
plan. As part of that plan, the staff of the park is eager and willing
to take comments from Wisconsin citizens as to what they’d like
to see in this new management plan. Find out what special concerns and
problems the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore faces in the future,
and how the citizens of Wisconsin can play a role.
Milwaukee River Cleanup
Producer: Liz Koerner
Location: Milwaukee
The morning comes early for Milwaukee high
school students who signed up with the River Revitalization Foundation. They’re
reporting for a summer job that will not only benefit their bank balance
but benefit the environment for decades to come. They’re restoring
native plants and in turn cleaning up the water and improving habitat
for animals along the shoreline of the Milwaukee River a few miles north
of downtown. They also helped build a riverside trail that allows
users of all abilities to access this natural area. The benefits of their
summer’s work will multiply over time, improving water quality,
increasing diversity of plants and animals, and inviting more people
to visit this special place in the heart of the city.
Lake Trout Return?
Producer: Liz Koerner
Location: Sheboygan, Sturgeon Bay, Bailey’s Harbor
At one time Lake Michigan had the largest
lake trout population in the world. By the 1960’s the
trout was extinct. Since
then, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and
other agencies have been trying to restore this native species without
success. There are a number of reasons for the failure of the lake
trout reintroduction and one of them may surprise you.
Dragon Boats
Producer: JoAnne Garrett
These racers are not your average crew team. Meet a group of people who race
Dragon Boats—a Hong-Kong style of canoe racing—on Lake Michigan.
Fish Cleaner
Producer: Art Hackett
The city of Algoma faced a problem. Waste from fish cleaning stations at the
local marina on Lake Michigan was creating a mess. It was also clogging
the city’s sewerage treatment plant. With help from the estate
of former Mayor Art Dettman, Algoma created a novel solution that creates a
more pleasant environment at the fish cleaning shed, reduces sewerage treatment
headaches and provides raw material for a local business.