Environmental Protection Agency award

THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE AND THE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT, PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 113-235. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL BASIN-WIDE COASTAL WETLAND MONITORING PROGRAM WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY EVALUATING ONGOING AND FUTURE RESTORATION EFFORTS. FISH, INVERTEBRATE, BIRD, AMPHIBIAN, AND PLANT COMMUNITIES, ALONG WITH CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL VARIABLES, WILL BE ASSESSED IN THE MAJORITY OF COASTAL WETLAND AREAS THROUGHOUT THE GREAT LAKES BASIN. WORK ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: STRATIFIED RANDOM SITE SELECTION OF COASTAL WETLANDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE GREAT LAKES BASIN; SAMPLING OF SELECTED WETLANDS (UP TO 20% PER YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS); DATA ENTRY; DATA QUALITY CONTROL; DATA AND METADATA MANAGEMENT; AND CONSTRUCTION OF A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE WEB-BASED DATA PORTAL. THE DATA AND THE RESULTS WILL BE USED TO PREVENT FURTHER DEGRADATION AND LOSS THROUGH FUTURE WETLAND PROTECTION AND RESTORATION EFFORTS. RESTORATION MANAGERS WILL BE PROVIDED ACCESS TO WETLAND