For the third consecutive year, a collaborative partnership planned and implemented Lake Appreciation Day was dedicated to helping educate officials from Michigan’s Governor’s office, State Senate, and House of Representatives in regards to the immense ecological and economic value of our inland lakes and their vital role in contributing to Michigan’s ‘blue’ economy and culture. The need for the Governor’s office and the state legislature to begin working together to enact state laws intended to protect the long-term ecological viability of our inland lakes while at the same time significantly increasing public investment in statewide programs implemented to help preserve and protect their increasingly vulnerable aquatic ecosystems is emphasized to those in attendance. It is also important to note that those in attendance at the late morning, early afternoon event enjoyed a catered lunch.
Participants in the Wednesday, May 21st 2025 Lake Awareness Day that was held at the corporate offices of Karoub Associates located near the state capitol building in downtown Lansing included Senators, Representatives, and/or staff members representing Michigan’s state legislature, state natural resource and environmental protection agencies, inland lake conservation focused non-profit organizations, and lake management focused commercial businesses that each hold a vested interest in preserving and protecting Michigan’s vast treasure of inland lakes. Participants in the 2025 Lake Appreciation Day program included:
- Michigan State Senators and/or their respective staff
- Michigan State Representativesand/or their respective staff
- Michigan Department of Natural Resourcesmanagers and/or staff
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energymanagers and/or staff
- Karoub Associates
- Michigan Waterfront Alliance
- Michigan Aquatic Managers Association
- Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society
- Restorative Lake Sciences
- Michigan Boating Industry Association
- Michigan Chapter, North American Lake Management Society
- Michigan Environmental Council
- Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
2025 Lake Appreciation Day event planners are committed to a plethora of scientific evidence that strongly suggests that the long-term capacity of many of Michigan’s extraordinary inland lakes to continue making vital contributions to our economy and culture are contingent upon the capacity of state government to enact state laws focused upon:
- Protecting both the short and long-term ecological health of our inland lakes and wetlands;
- Establishing and administering a statewide septic system code;
- Increase funding to establish and expand MDNR and EGLE programs dedicated to inland lake stewardship, restoration, and aquatic invasive species prevention and management;
- Establishing and administering alternative sustainable means of increasing funding for inland lake conservation and aquatic invasive species prevention and management efforts;
- Educating riparians and near shore businesses with regard to the need to implement inland lake Best Management Practices and encourage their pro-active involvement in inland lake restoration projects.
