LakeSuperiorStreams co-Prinicipal Investigator and Superior Stormwater Protection Team co-founder Cindy Halgely wins an award from the Lake Superior Binational Program.

From MN Sea Grant: LakeSuperiorStreams co-Prinicipal Investigator and Superior Stormwater Protection Team co-founder Cynthia Hagley, Minnesota Sea Grant's Environmental Quality Extension Educator, received the Outstanding Educational Programming for Youth and Teachers Award at the Lake Superior Binational Forum's annual Environmental Stewardship Awards Program in July. Hagley earned this recognition for her work with the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Great Lakes. This work encompassed helping to organize a highly successful youth symposium about Lake Superior and her skill at bringing scientists and educators together aboard the Environmental Protection Agency's research vessel, Lake Guardian.

Hagley, who stepped off the R/V Lake Guardian yesterday with the scientists and educators participating in the most recent COSEE Great Lakes excursion, said, "Raising scientific literacy, especially regarding the Great Lakes, isn't my job, it's my calling. I'm aware that I would not be able to influence science curriculum without outstanding educators, colleagues, and researchers to work with. I feel like this recognition from the Lake Superior Binational Forum honors all of us involved in COSEE Great Lakes efforts."

The Lake Superior Binational Forum is a partnership involving small businesses, environmental organizations, industry, Native Americans, First Nations and academia. Its purpose is to provide input and analysis to the U.S. and Canadian governments about critical issues relating to Lake Superior such as discharge of toxic substances, pollution prevention and restoration efforts. For a full list of this year's award recipients, go to: www.superiorforum.org/forum.

For information about COSEE Great Lakes, the recent Shipboard and Shoreline Science Workshop, and other Great Lakes opportunities for educators, go to: http://coseegreatlakes.net.

NRRI stream collaborative wins environmental award (4.3 mb PDF)

In July, a Duluth-based stream restoration collaborative received national recognition - make that bi-national recognition, from the U.S. and Canada.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Senior Advisor Cameron Davis presented the 2010 Environmental Stewardship Award to Ron Weber whose private donation to NRRI started the Weber Stream Restoration Initiative. Each year, the Lake Superior Binational Forum recognizes people who make a “superior” effort to protect or restore the lake's natural environment.

"The Weber Initiative was highly scored by the binational judging panel because it represents a partnership of scientists and resource managers from more than 25 different groups that has culminated in at least 13 stream-related projects along Lake Superior's North Shore," said Lissa Radke, U.S. coordinator for the Forum.

Started in 2005 with endowment funds and garnering almost $2 million in externally funded grants, the Weber Stream Restoration Initiative's goal is to enhance habitats and biodiversity in Lake Superior tributary streams by protecting and restoring watersheds along Minnesota's North Shore.

"We believe that protection and restoration of these streams will be successful only if both the root causes of damage, as well as the symptoms of disturbance are addressed," said Rich Axler, lead investigator on the project. "That's why we depend on a consortium of professional resource managers, academic scientists, and the public in cross-disciplinary communication about ongoing activities in the North Shore watersheds."

The Lake Superior Binational Forum is a multi-sector stakeholder group of U.S. and Canadian volunteers that work together to provide input to governments about lake issues and educate basin residents about ways to protect and restore the lake. More about this organization is at www.superiorforum.org.

Todd Carlson (left), an Environmental Specialist with the City of Duluth Stormwater Utility and a member of the LakeSuperiorStreams team and Regional Stormwater Protection Team (RSPT) since their inception, received the 2009 Central States Water Environment Association Collection System Award in recognition of outstanding contributions in advancing collection system knowledge resulting in direct or indirect improvement in water quality. The presentation was made at their annual meeting in Chicago, IL.

Rick Gitar, the Water Regulatory Specialist from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, received a 2009 National Wetlands Award for State, Tribal, and Local Program Development. Rick built a successful tribal wetlands program across 44,000 acres of wetlands in Northeastern Minnesota. He is the Band's representative to the Superior Regional Stormwater Protection Team.

LakeSuperiorStreams.org received the 2007 Environmental Stewardship Award in the Community/Organization category for the United States from the Lake Superior Binational Forum.

The award was presented on July 15, 2007 — Lake Superior Day.

Get the details!

LakeSuperiorStreams.org and the RSPT were jointly a Finalist for the Minnesota Environmental Initiative 2007 Education Award. Find out more here.

Candice Richards and Erik Larson receiving a 2005 Environmental Stewardship award for the U. of Minnesota Duluth Facilities Management Department's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program from the St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee, Jan 25, 2006. Find out more about their Glensheen Parking Lot, Lake Superior shoreline protection, and rain garden projects and keep checking this website for more UMD pollution prevention projects.

LakeSuperiorStreams.org (formerly called DuluthStreams.org before broadening its scope to include the larger Western Lake Superior Region) received a Technical Excellence Award in recognition of "Outstanding Research in Stream and Lake Restoration, Protection and Management" from the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS).

For details read this.

DuluthStreams.org receives an Environmental Leadership Award for education and outreach at the 4th Annual Road Salt Symposium, March 30, 2005 in St. Cloud.

Get the details.

DuluthStreams.org receives the 2004 Environmental Stewardship Award for Media from the St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee. Get the details.