Restoration Tours
In 2025, the Healing Our Waters Coalition launched a new initiative focused on engaging and educating decision makers on the restoration successes in the Great Lakes. The restoration tours provided our partners, local advocates, and organizations with the opportunity to showcase the important work the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has contributed to improving the health of communities and the Great Lakes. We had huge success with the first round of tours and we are actively planning more for 2026.
2026 Tours
ILLINOIS
South Calumet Watershed (City of Harvey)
Hosted by: Friends of the Chicago River
INDIANA
Grand Kankakee Marsh
Hosted by: Indiana Wildlife Federation
MICHIGAN
Bigelow Creek (Muskegon River Watershed)
Hosted by: Trout Unlimited
Detroit River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Friends of the Detroit River
Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County)
Hosted by: Clinton River Watershed Council
St. Clair River Area of Concern (Algonac and Clay Township)
Hosted by: Friends of the St. Clair River
Eastside of Detroit
Hosted by: We the People of Detroit
Ottawa Sands
Hosted by: National Audubon Society
MINNESOTA
St. Louis River Estuary (Duluth)
Hosted by: Minnesota Environmental Partnership
NEW YORK
Finger Lakes Watershed
Hosted by: Ontario County Soil & Water Conservation District
OHIO
Maumee River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Ottawa Soil & Water Conservation District
Boric’s Landing Park and Chagrin River Floodplain (Eastlake)
Hosted by: Chagrin River Watershed Partners and Ohio Environmental Council
Cleveland
Hosted by: Black Environmental Leaders
WISCONSIN
Fox River (Green Bay)
Hosted by: Wisconsin Conservation Voters
Allouez Bay (Superior)
Hosted by: National Audubon Society
Ozaukee County Parks
Hosted by: Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department
2025 Tours
INDIANA
Great Calumet River Area of Concern and Roxana Marsh
Hosted by: The Nature Conservancy
Chicago Tribune article
Floodplain Corridor of Little Calumet River
Hosted by: The Wetlands Initiative
Indiana Dunes National Park
Hosted by: Save the Dunes
Save the Dunes blog post
MICHIGAN
Grand River Green Schools, Grandville
Hosted by: Grand Valley Metro Council and Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds
School News Network article
Fox17 article
WOOD Radio news release
St. Clair River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Friends of the St. Clair River and Alliance of the River Rouge
Friends of the St. Clair River video
Muskegon Lake Area of Concern
Hosted by: West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission
University of Michigan article
LinkedIn post
St. Clair Flats – Harsens Island Unit, St. Clair County
Hosted by: Ducks Unlimited
Detroit River Area of Concern (Celeron Island, Sugar Island and Stoney Island)
Hosted by: Friends of the Detroit and Alliance of Rouge Communities
CBS Detroit video
Ottawa Sands County Park
Hosted by: Audubon Great Lakes
Grand Haven Tribune article
Stormwater Improvements in Grand Traverse and Kalkaska Counties
Hosted by: Conservation Resource Alliance
Rouge River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Alliance of Rouge Communities and Friends of the Detroit River
CBS Detroit video
MINNESOTA
St. Louis River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Minnesota Environmental Partnership and Family Freedom Center
WDIO article
NEW YORK
Buffalo River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
OHIO
Cuyahoga River Area of Concern
Hosted by: Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District
Spectrum News article
SIGNAL Akron article
Secor Metropark and Howard Marsh Metropark
Hosted by: Junction Coalition and Ohio Environmental Council
ABC13 article
WISCONSIN
Chiwaukee Prairie-Illinois Beach Lake, Plain
Hosted by: Lake County Forest Preserve District
Lake County Forest Preserve District blog post
Green Bay, Brown County
Hosted by: Ducks Unlimited
Ozaukee County Parks
Hosted by: Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department