What lies beyond the shores and beneath the waves of the Great Lakes? Sometimes it's hard to remember that the Great Lakes are more than just water.

The Great Lakes basin lands are a unique habitat, home to countless endangered and rare plants, birds and animals. Familiar species like white-tailed deer, black bear, coyotes and minks roam our forests while spotted sandpipers, common snipes and herons wade the coastal marshes, hunting for spring peepers and wood frogs to eat.

This diversity of wildlife is matched by a plethora of plant species, including the seaside spurge, arctic bearberry, jack pine, and hickory.
 
At least thirty of the natural communities within the Great Lakes basin are rarely found anywhere else in the world. The wetlands that help keep our lakes and rivers clean, also help prevent floods and provide important breeding grounds for fish and ducks. The forests where we camp, hunt and hike, also shelter deer, bear and wolves. Protecting our Great Lakes habitat means protecting the web of life that connects us all.
 
Careless development and poor land management are rapidly destroying wetlands, shorelines, and other critical habitat that is vital to the health of the Great Lakes.
The future of Great Lake habitat would be more secure if we considered these few steps:
 
Improve state and provincial land-use planning legislation. Perhaps the greatest threat to Great Lakes habitat, especially in shoreline and wetland areas, is the expansion of our cities and towns. Federal incentives for smart growth initiatives, urban re-development, and protection or expansion of existing urban green space can help control unchecked growth that contributes to habitat loss, traffic snarls and long commute times, among other things.

Protect family farms. Agricultural lands provide useful "corridors" for wildlife, serve as groundwater recharge zones, and contribute to a regional sense of place. Land use plans, taxes, incentives, and other creative programs can be designed to help encourage the protection of rural agricultural communities and the enhancement of farmland as wildlife habitat. Organic farming practices that don't rely on dangerous chemicals should receive special encouragement.

Encourage restoration and conservation. Degraded habitat, such as wetlands ditched or drained for agriculture, can be restored and play a valuable role in improving the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Government programs that provide financial incentives, from matching funds to tax-breaks, should be expanded with appropriate outreach to landowners in the Great Lakes basin.

We all have a responsibility to work for better planning and policies that will protect our Great Lakes habitat and biodiversity. Click here to learn what you can do in your community to help protect the Lakes.