MILC Workshop 4 Economics and Lakes

Michigan Lakes: What are the Numbers - Ralph Bednarz, MDEQ Limnologist (retired); The Rennie Lake Association: Michigan’s landscape is home to more than 11,000 inland lakes and Michigan’s boundaries are shaped by four of the five Great Lakes with over 3,000 miles of shoreline. These lakes and shorelines are critical resources to Michigan’s environment and quality of life, providing sources of drinking water, irrigation, energy, commerce, recreation, scenic beauty and habitat for fish and wildlife. This presentation introduces and highlights Michigan’s inland lake resources through a numbers lens and sets the stage for the “Economic Contributions of Michigan’s Inland Lakes” presentations to follow.

Social and Economic Benefits of Shoreline Restoration: Muskegon Lake as a Case Study - Dr. Alan D. Steinman, Professor, Grand Valley State University; Director, Annis Water Research Institute: Muskegon Lake (MI) is a designated Great Lakes Area of Concern with a long history of environmental abuse. Following the collapse of the lumber industry, foundries and factories rimmed the lake, leaving a legacy of marine debris, sediment contamination, excess nutrients, and degraded habitat. A series of restoration efforts that have occurred over the course of the past thirty years that have been initiated by an active and engaged group of stakeholders, has resulted in a 30-year period of remediation and restoration. This presentation will review the history of Muskegon Lake uses and discuss the specific economic benefits and social attitudes associated with the changes in Muskegon Lake based on recent socio-economic studies.

The Economic Value of Michigan’s Inland Lakes: A Literature Review - Scott Brown, Michigan Waterfront Alliance: Comprising 1,300 square miles, or just 1.3% of our state’s total landscape area, the existence of 62,798 inland lakes contribute disproportionately to defining, supporting, and sustaining Michigan’s increasingly diverse, world-class economy. The priceless freshwater creations of the last ice age provide near unlimited high quality recreational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of our citizens and visitors to our magnificent state as well as economic opportunity for hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents. The near shore areas of many of our inland lakes also provide premium lakefront living opportunities that support enhanced residential property values that benefit hundreds of Michigan townships and public-school districts. This presentation will provide a summary of the significant findings of several research initiatives that have occurred over the course of the past decade that have sought to identify and quantify the significant, multi-faceted contributions that inland lakes make to local, regional, and state economies.

Significance of Inland Water and State Parks - Ron Olson, Chief, MI DNR Parks and Recreation: This presentation will explore the vital multi-faceted role of inland lakes in helping to attract and support an astounding thirty-five million annual visitors to the 103 state parks and recreation areas that are managed by the Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation.