The Great Lakes Regional Research Information Network (GLRRIN) is developing a comprehensive research and information plan that will help focus research, technology transfer, and outreach efforts on the highest priority issues within the Great Lakes region. The Network consists of five teams, each focusing on one of the Great Lakes . The Lake Michigan team compiled a comprehensive list of organizations with a strong interest in Lake Michigan . The results indicate that ecosystem, pollutants, education, aquatic invasive species, and water issues are the top five priorities for the majority of the organizations. The Lake Michigan team concluded that specific research projects needed to address these problems are dynamic and are expected to change frequently as new discoveries are made and new problems arise. Further coordination among the agencies and institutions sponsoring and conducting research is needed to prioritize specific research questions and distribute agency attention and resources to these questions as conditions change.

You are cordially invited to participate in the implementation phase of this project. At this workshop scientists and funding agencies will engage in a facilitated dialog that is designed to identify specific research questions, data gaps, and time and space considerations needed to conduct research investigating the invasive species impacts on food webs in Lake Michigan beginning in the 2010 field season. If you are a researcher or resource manager working on invasive species and food web issues in Lake Michigan, please join us and help set the research and funding agenda needed to address this important ecological issue.

For additional information, please contact Jen Fackler at jfackler@illinois.edu or 217-333-8806

Workshop Location
EPA Building
12th Floor, Lake Michigan Room
77 W. Jackson Blvd. (corner of Clark and Jackson)
Chicago, IL 60604
(Please allow extra time to go through security.)

Lodging
Union League Club of Chicago (next door to the EPA Building)
65 West Jackson Blvd
Chicago, IL
312-427-7800
Rooms are held under Lake Michigan Workshop
$181 plus 16% hotel tax per night
The block of rooms will be released on May 9th.