For land use planners, balancing community growth and environmental health is always a challenge. But after months of pilot testing, IISG is putting the final touches on a new web-based tool that will help them do just that. 
 
The Tipping Points and Indicators tool uses the latest watershed research and cutting-edge technology to show planners where aquatic ecosystems in their area are in danger of crossing a “tipping point,” triggering rapid and sometimes irreversible shifts in how they function. With help from a Sea Grant facilitator, planners can use the tool’s interactive maps, simulators, and recommended response strategies to develop watershed-specific plans that prevent ecosystems from being degraded beyond repair. 
 
Specialists from Ohio, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant programs have spent the last few months testing the tool in broad range of communities and divers audiences. Planning groups from the industrialized southern Lake Michigan to the more preserved northern Wisconsin and Minnesota can now use the decision support system to kick off the watershed planning process. In Indiana, Ohio, and New York, facilitators have also introduced planning consultants and state employees to tool modules so they can take the process back to their own communities. 
 
Experiences so far have been positive, with many users expressing excitement about the role Tipping Points and Indicators could play in improving watershed planning. Community members, local officials, and consultants were particularly interested in the tools’ recommended policies, ordinances, and outreach efforts tailored to local needs. In fact, a watershed advocacy group from the Duluth area mentioned they could have spent a whole day on that module alone. 
 
To further enhance the tool, users also recommended making maps and planning strategies more watershed-specific. Many of these refinements are being made now. Others, including the addition of the new land cover data and models that predict future tipping points, are expected in the coming months. 
 
And as the project grows, so does the lead team. Last month, IISG brought Purdue software developer Brandon Beatty onboard to help boost the usability of Tipping Points and Indicators and ensure it continues to rely on the latest research and technology. 
 
The tipping points tool is part of a four-year project funded by NOAA and EPA and coordinated by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Partners include Purdue University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Windsor, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystem Research, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the Sea Grant Great Lakes Network.

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Don't miss out on the latest edition of our "Making Waves in Education" newsletter! Reserve your spot for a live, Students Ask Scientists call from Lake Superior, and stay updated on upcoming in-person events to learn and network with fellow educators. Perfect for Illinois and Indiana educators passionate about the Great Lakes and environmental education.
Join us on June 6-7 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to explore aquaculture business management at the NCRAC Aquaculture Business Short Course! Presented by Sea Grant & @purdueextension, this course provides essential skills for effective farm finance management. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your expertise in aquaculture!Important Info:-Hands-on training to help aquaculture producers manage their farm finances-Includes one-on-one expert time + free $120 textbook-Instructors from Purdue, Mississippi State, and University of Maryland-Laptop + farm financials required for participation-Limited seating – first come, first served!More info at the link in bio.
May is National Water Safety Month—and Lake Michigan deserves your attention. Its waves may look calm, but dangerous currents and sudden drop-offs make it the most hazardous Great Lake for drownings.This May, we’re encouraging everyone to take a moment to get informed. Check out our brochures, safety tips, and the new Lake Michigan water safety video before heading out to the beach or boat.Full story at the link in bio.
Join the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative for an exciting webinar featuring educator and author Rick Reynolds. Rick will demonstrate how to engage grade 2-12 students using the newly developed science curriculum "Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems". Rick will share STEAM activities, including scientific investigations and simulations. Participants will also gain the tools and confidence to participate in the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative’s crayfish study- supporting ongoing research and conservation efforts. Register for the webinar at the link in bio.
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