Hundreds of advocates for the Great Lakes are preparing to gather in Chicago, Illinois, September 26-27, for the 2024 Great Lakes Conference, put on by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

To help combat tree inequity, nonprofit environmental advocacy organization Faith in Place was awarded $1.99 million by the U.S. Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program to increase urban tree canopies in the Great Lakes region. Made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, these funds will allow Faith in Place to facilitate tree planning and workforce development projects at faith institutions and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged communities throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Deep in the heart of urban Chicago, a network of floating wetlands is restoring native wildlife habitats, increasing biodiversity, and encouraging recreation along the north branch of the Chicago River. Known as The Wild Mile, the interconnected islands were installed by grassroots environmental restoration organization Urban Rivers in 2017 and have since been dubbed the world’s first floating eco-park.

In 2019, Save the Dunes joined forces with the Indiana Dunes National Park and other regional partners to increase habitat connectivity and migration pathways for pollinators—some of the most important creatures in the global ecosystem.

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations released its proposed fiscal year 2025 Interior and Environment funding bills. The Republican budget being considered would hold Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding at $368 million (level with current funding) but would eviscerate other core clean water programs by cutting the EPA budget by 20 percent.

The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition and 48 of our member organizations urged House appropriations subcommittees to support robust funding for Great Lakes restoration and clean water priorities in their Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills.

Learn more about the work of the Water Equals Life Coalition - a group helping to address the impacts of water insecurity and advocating for water justice and affordability in Michigan and beyond.

The 330-acre Coveyou Scenic Farm focuses on environmentally sustainable farming practices using solar power, geothermal cooling, collected rainwater, underground drip irrigation, and natural fertilizers.