Quality of place involves creating public space environments that support individuals’ ability to thrive. Public spaces are focal points for all communities. How communities plan for, use, and maintain public spaces is essential.

This publication is available through Purdue University Extension’s Education Store.

Invasive crayfish pose a significant and ongoing threat to aquatic ecosystems in the Laurentian Great Lakes (GL) region. Coordination and communication among crayfish stakeholders are crucial for effective management. The Invasive Crayfish Collaborative (ICC) brings industry, science, and land management stakeholders together to enhance the management of invasive crayfish in the GL. To systematically guide the direction of the ICC and help facilitate the coordination of research, collaboration, and outreach, a five-year strategic plan was developed. This plan, informed by data from ICC surveys, workshops, and external feedback, outlines priority projects designed to equip stakeholders and partners with the necessary resources to effectively tackle the challenges presented by invasive crayfish. This plan plays a key role in highlighting the collective vision for crayfish management and ultimately contributes to the protection of native species and preservation of our aquatic ecosystems.

Invasive crayfish represent an ongoing threat to aquatic ecosystems in the Laurentian Great Lakes region, and one of the major pathways of introduction is through the sale of live organisms to consumers (i.e., organism-in-trade pathways). This study investigated the live trade of crayfish in the Great Lakes region through a survey of crayfish retailers to understand sale and utilization of crayfish, as well as retailer sentiments about conservation and environmental stewardship. A database of 617 retailers across eight Great Lakes states was compiled and 123 retailers were contacted for the survey. Sixteen retailers who sold crayfish through the aquarium and bait trades completed the survey. Findings revealed that retailers rely on their wholesalers for information about crayfish, signaling a critical need for increased outreach efforts directed towards these suppliers. Moreover, retailers expressed a need for clear and consistent communication regarding regulatory changes. The results underscore the importance of effective communication and education within the crayfish supply chain to mitigate the risk of future invasive crayfish introductions in the Great Lakes region.

This quick fact sheet provides highlights of IISG’s work through 2023 with a bi-state perspective.

This quick fact sheet provides highlights of IISG’s work through 2023 with an Indiana perspective.

This quick fact sheet provides highlights of IISG’s work through 2023 with an Illinois perspective.