Local and International Freshwater Scientists Meet in Burlington

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2015

Discussions focus on problems and solutions for the world’s large lakes

What’s the latest science on microplastics pollution in our lakes? What can be done to protect drinking water from harmful algae blooms? Which fish species are now safe to eat?

These questions, and many others, will be explored at the 58th International Conference on Great Lakes Research, which will draw more than 650 scientists from around the world to the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, May 25-29.

“New Views, New Tools” is the theme for the conference, convened by the International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) and UVM. This is first time the international conference will be in Vermont.

Keynote Speakers:

Jake Vander Zanden is a professor at the Center For Limnology, University of Wisconsin. His research focuses on developing a better understanding of lake food webs that includes deep-water pathways and linkages among habitats and ecosystems. His work includes efforts to understand and predict the spread and impact of aquatic invasive species in inland waters. Vander Zanden will speak about new tools for studying Great Lakes food webs on Tuesday, May 26 at 11:15 a.m. in Ira Allen Chapel.

Maude Barlow is National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians. She has served as Senior Advisor on Water to the 63rd President of the United Nations General Assembly and was a leader in the campaign to have water recognized as a human right by the UN. She is the author of numerous books and reports; her latest book is Blue Future: Protecting Water For People And The Planet Forever. Barlow will speak about the future of protecting water for people and the planet on Thursday, May 28, at 11:15 a.m. in Ira Allen Chapel.

Arthur Cohn, Director Emeritus of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, will address conference delegates at the IAGLR Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 28, on shipwrecks and the cultural legacy of the Great Lakes.

Secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, Deb Markowitz (Tuesday) and Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin (Thursday) will welcome conference attendees before each keynote speaker.

Other Speakers of Interest:

John Hartig, Refuge Manager of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Hartig is devoted to helping develop the next generation of conservationists in urban areas. He has recently published a book Bringing Conservation to Cities: Lessons from Building the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. "Most urban residents are disconnected from the natural world," notes Hartig, a long-time IAGLR member and former president. "As a global community, we cannot afford to allow this disconnection to continue." He will be presenting on this topic in the Citizen Science session on Thursday, May 28 at 1:40 p.m. in the Frank Livak Room.

Sessions of Interest:

Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes Ecosystem
Awareness of plastic pollution, while well-documented within the world's oceans, is just emerging as a contaminant within freshwater ecosystems. This session will focus on plastic pollution within the Great Lakes Ecosystem, including its beaches, open-waters and sediment. Researchers will discuss the development of NOAA Marine Debris Program's Action Plan for the Great Lakes region. An open discussion follows. For more information on this session, contact: Sherri "Sam" Mason, [email protected]

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Considerations for Drinking Water Suppliers
State officials need to be prepared to handle potential cyanotoxin scenarios in drinking water supplies. This session will cover monitoring methods, risk assessment, and treatments for a drinking water facility's response to HAB emergencies. For more information on this session, contact: Dan Peckham,  [email protected]

Holy Toledo! Nitrogen in the Great Lakes (Yes, Nitrogen): Blooms, Cyanotoxins, and Hypoxia
Phosphorous pollution has been given a great deal of attention, but the role of nitrogen in lakes has been largely ignored—despite growing scientific understanding of its role in toxic algae blooms. A focus on phosphorus control has not prevented blooms from occurring. This session will explore the role of nitrogen in causing lake eutrophication and algae troubles. Contact: Mark McCarthy, [email protected]

HABs and the 2014 Toledo Drinking Water Crisis
This session will focus on the 2014 Toledo drinking water crisis that resulted from harmful algae blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie in August 2014—and the caused a ban on drinking water to over 500,000 citizens. Topics include forecasting and monitoring of the algae blooms leading up to the crisis, responses and actions including testing and water treatment procedures, impacts and effects to the local community, press and media attention, and subsequent public, political and policy outcomes. Contact Patrick Lawrence, [email protected] or Carol Stepien, [email protected]

Citizen Science: New Perspectives and Applications
Engaging citizen scientists to assist with data collection and foster an appreciation for science and the environment is becoming increasingly common. Yet concerns over data quality and project design can limit the use of information produced. In addition, the focus on data collection ignores the potential for citizens to make more meaningful contributions, including helping to define research questions, apply local or other expertise, and help make decisions about the issues studied. This session looks at citizen science initiatives, challenges and opportunities for use, and technologies to enable the approach. An open discussion follows. Contact Stephen Hensler, [email protected] or Paula McIntyre, [email protected]

When Can We Eat The Fish?
The conventional view is that many airborne toxics are slowly decreasing in the water and fish of the Great Lakes—and, therefore, existing policies are adequate.  However, new tools reveal new toxics, and some analyses of “legacy contaminants” reveal ongoing trouble. This session will explore when it will be possible to safely consume Great Lakes fish at desired levels. Contact Judith Perlinger, [email protected]

New Perspectives and Techniques for Non-native Species Risk, Monitoring and Management
Non-native aquatic species continue to have global ecological and economic impacts.  With increased globalization of commerce and ever changing scenarios by which species can be introduced, scientists and managers must adapt approaches to best account for non-native species threats and impacts. This session focuses on the latest tools and techniques driving risk assessment, monitoring, and management of non-native aquatic species. Contact Stephen Hensler, [email protected] or Meg Modley, [email protected]

View the conference program at [url=http://iaglr.org/iaglr2015/program/]http://iaglr.org/iaglr2015/program/[/url]

Follow the conference hashtag on Twitter: #iaglr2015

Contacts at the University of Vermont:

Ellen Marsden
Professor of Fisheries, Chair of Wildlife & Fisheries Biology Program
802-598-8224
[email protected]

Jason Stockwell
Professor of Aquatic Ecology, Director of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory
802-735-4426
[email protected]

Joshua Brown
University Communications
802-656-3039
[email protected]