MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Tuesday, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, held a webinar stating updates in fresh water research conducted throughout the state.
Coastal Community Development Coordinator Adam Arend focused on the Michigan Coastal Management Program’s ‘Pathway to Resilience,’ based around five key points. These were Community Development, Coastal Hazards, Coastal Habitat, Coastal Waters, and Public Access.
The lecture discussed working alongside community masterplans, as Arend comments that local efforts are essential to a healthy coast. This includes providing funding towards cleanups of various coastal hazards, as well as the ecosystems in those areas.
“A critical aspect for the Michigan Coastal Management Program is to provide technical assistance to promote adaptation strategies into master plans,” said Arend, “as a critical step to becoming resilient.”
Arend also touched on water level adaptation, as even the best forecast programs can only reach out about six months, some water levels are often difficult to prepare for. The final point was behind the discussion itself, by providing public education about these planned resilience measures. This includes building off of community workshops through EGLE.
“Folks who attend the Scenario Based Planning Workshop will be able to walk away understanding how to identify coastal hazards in their community.”
For more information about Michigan Coastal Management Program, visit here.
