Summer 2019 • Issue 2
Science and Policy
Published August 2019
This issue on Science and Policy examines the critical, often challenging pathway between scientific discovery and effective environmental management in the Great Lakes. It highlights successes such as the restoration of Areas of Concern and lake sturgeon populations, while also illustrating persistent gaps where robust scientific knowledge has yet to translate into policy action, particularly regarding Cladophora blooms. The content explores diverse mechanisms for bridging this divide, from the institutional partnerships of the International Joint Commission to the student-led efforts that drove legislative changes like the Microbead-Free Waters Act, emphasizing the essential role of sustained collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders.
Features
Restoring lake sturgeon
Thirty years of tracking lake sturgeon reshaped hydropower policies to save an ancient species.
Restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern highlights value of research
Thirty years of remedial action plans in Great Lakes Areas of Concern drove billions in economic recovery and community rebirth.
Students engaging in science policy
The Toronto Science Policy Network trains students in evidence-based advocacy.
IISD Experimental Lakes Area committed to policy
Whole-lake manipulation experiments at IISD-ELA generate applies science that informs policy.
The IJC’s science and policy partnership
The International Joint Commission bridges science and policy for the Great Lakes.
The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015
Three key factors enabled the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 to succeed.
Cladophora body of knowledge built; still awaiting policy
Decades of research on nuisance algae exist, yet policy action remains stalled.
Departments
G. Douglas Haffner
Doug Haffner discusses energy transfer in food webs and integrating knowledge into policy.
Gail Krantzberg
Gail Krantzberg shares strategies for communicating science to decision-makers on Great Lakes governance.
Don Scavia
Don Scavia reflects on modeling phosphorus and the need for social science in policy.
Emily Tyner
Emily Tyner uses social media data to inform management decisions on public preferences.
Looking for research on a specific topic?
Explore our Article Directory to filter all issues by topic, article type, region, or keyword. Or browse the Author Index to find a contributor.
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Fall 2022 • Issue 15
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Spring 2022 • Issue 13
Ecosystem Approach
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Winter Research
Fall 2021 • Issue 11
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Summer 2021 • Issue 10
Community Science (Citizen Science)
Spring 2021 • Issue 9
Community Service
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Fall 2020 • Issue 7
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Arts and Science
Spring 2020 • Issue 5
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Technology
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Summer 2019 • Issue 2
Lakes Letter Redux
Spring 2019 • Issue 1