body of water with rocks near shore

Solutions work best when devised and implemented by the communities they will impact. This is the foundational principle for Purdue Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s Sustainable Communities Extension planning efforts, which include Conservation through Community Leadership (CCL) and Tipping Point Planner. The programs aim to support communities to facilitate, implement and maintain locally-driven natural resource management strategies through collaborative environmental planning.

“The Extension teams typically work with local government entities, such as town councils, plan commissions and parks departments, in collaboration with interested stakeholders within the community,” said Kara Salazar, assistant program leader and Extension specialist for sustainable communities.

Read the full story from Emma Ea Ambrose and the Purdue University College of Agriculture: https://ag.purdue.edu/stories/new-resources-from-purdue-extension-and-illinois-indiana-sea-grant-support-environmental-planning-at-the-local-level/

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Join the 2026 Great Lakes BioBlitz! 🌎🦋📸Starting Earth Day, educators, students, youth groups, and families are invited to help document biodiversity across the Great Lakes region using iNaturalist. A kick-off webinar is scheduled for April 16th at 2 pm CT.Participate anytime during the four‑week event. Snap photos, make observations, and contribute to real conservation data while getting students outside and engaged with nature. Learn more and get ready to explore: https://sites.google.com/wisc.edu/annual-great-lakes-bioblitz/2026 #TeachingTuesday#GreatLakes
Don’t miss out! Join us for a deep dive into the latest Lake Michigan fisheries science.Topics will include:-Reef restoration impacts on aquatic and fish species-Wild reproduction rates for salmon and trout species from the Great Lakes Mass Marking Program-Fisheries update from the Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesLearn more & register: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_86eBlPnbjdm7pPg
Celebrate Earth Day with freshwater science and good conversation! Join Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Northwestern Center for Water, Loyola University researcher Tim Hoellein, and IISG’s Sarah Zack for Science Sips: Trash Talk about Chicago Waterways. Learn what research reveals about litter and trash in Lake Michigan and Chicago waterways and what we can do to help.Plus, enjoy Great Lakes trivia games!📅 April 22, 2026⏰ 7–9 PM📍 Sketchbook Brewing Company, Evanston Tap RoomCome curious and ready to test your Great Lakes knowledge!