According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the intensity of hourly rainfall has increased in U.S. cities since 1970, with the Great Lakes region being among the most affected areas.

Great Lakes Now spoke with Stephen Shaw, a professor at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

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Although wildfires are commonly associated with the West, the Great Lakes region has seen its share of destructive blazes. Lee Frelich, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Forest Ecology, warns that we will likely see more wildfires due to heat waves and droughts caused by climate change.

Vern Northrup is a former fireman and is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Ojibwe.

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Great Lakes Now hosted a multimedia celebration of bird conservation and spring migration across the Great Lakes region last week.

The virtual event showcased the short film “Birds of Paradise” from Points North and the Boardman Review, which follows a waterbird migration counter at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory near Paradise, Michigan.

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Invasive phragmites are overwhelming Ontario’s wetlands, choking out native plants and wildlife. Towering up to 15 feet (5 meters) tall and spreading in dense clusters, this plant outcompetes native species, disrupts ecosystems and threatens wildlife. But a team of dedicated experts and community members are fighting back.

Wetland ecologist Janice Gilbert is leading efforts at Kettle and Stony Point First Nation to combat phragmites.

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Waves of Change is an online interview series highlighting the diverse faces and perspectives shaping the environmental justice movement throughout the Great Lakes region.

For Earth Month, we spoke with Halima Afi Cassells, an award-winning interdisciplinary community-engaged artist, mom of three and avid gardener with deep roots in Waawiiyaataanong also known as Detroit, Michigan.

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Researchers are using cutting-edge technology to map the lakebeds of the Great Lakes, uncovering valuable data about the ecosystems beneath the surface.

At Michigan Technological University’s Great Lakes Research Center, Hayden Henderson and his team are part of an ongoing effort to document benthic. Using a wide array of technology, they’re gathering detailed images of the lakebeds, providing vital information to fishery and resource managers.

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The Great Lakes, the world’s largest system of fresh surface water, supply drinking water to about 40 million people. But industrial pollution, agricultural runoff, and invasive species have caused significant problems. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) was created to address these issues and has received bipartisan support since its inception.

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For over 70 years, a massive U.S. Steel plant on the shores of Spirit Lake near Duluth, Minnesota dumped toxic waste into the water, causing lasting environmental damage to this sacred site.

Spirit Lake, once a vital ecosystem rich in fish, wild rice, and wildlife, was central to the homeland of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

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The emerald ash borer (EAB) has devastated ash trees across North America. But researchers in Ohio discovered something unexpected — some ash trees are surviving. These ‘lingering ash’ not only resist EAB but can even kill its larvae.

Scientists suspected genetic resistance and tested their theory by cloning and crossbreeding surviving trees.

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Carl Gawboy, a celebrated Minnesota artist and Ojibwe scholar of Finnish and Bois Forte Anishinaabe descent, has dedicated his life to preserving and sharing the stories of his people. In his book, Fur Trade Nation: An Ojibwe’s Graphic History, Gawboy combines his prolific artistic talent, family stories, and cultural research to shed light on a largely overlooked chapter of history.

Read Now at Great Lakes Now.