A team of six University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) master’s students, along with SEAS Professor of Practice and Engagement Mike Shriberg, have been working with Michigan Sea Grant, the Michigan chapter of The Nature Conservancy and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help the state of Michigan define and reach its conservation goals for the Great Lakes.

The clients had been modeling their Michigan the Beautiful initiative after the federal America the Beautiful effort, where the federal government has aligned with the United Nations’ global goals of designating 30% of Earth’s land and ocean areas as protected by the year 2030, otherwise known as 30x30. The Michigan the Beautiful initiative drew from these models, and the project clients are pursuing a 30x30 initiative for the Great Lakes in Michigan: conserving 30% of the Great Lakes by the year 2030. Committing to this initiative would create an identifiable benchmark and metric for Great Lakes conservation. 

This goal served as the framework for the students’ project. Advised by Shriberg, Jennifer Read, director of the U-M Water Center and SEAS Lecturer Shannon Brines, the project’s principal goals are to define what is considered conservation, use this definition to perform a geospatial analysis to demonstrate how much of the Great Lakes are already conserved areas, develop a set of recommendations to reach this goal by 2030, and continue to support Great Lakes conservation.  

The student team, consisting of Alicia Echeveste Sanchez (MS ’25), Calvin Floyd (MS ’25), AiLi Pigott (MS ’25), Lauren Talbot (MS ’25), Longyu Xue (MS ’25) and Cailin Young (MS ’25), was well equipped to meet these expectations, according to Shriberg. The students are a mix of SEAS specializations and bring technical skills relating to geospatial data science and spatial analysis, policy skills to develop recommendations, and ecology skills that help to define how resource protection and conservation are measured in the state of Michigan. 

“They are a great team because they come from different perspectives within the same area,” said Shriberg. “On a personal level, they are a lot of fun and highly motivated. They all enjoy the work they are doing and are putting a lot of time into the project.”

The team’s diverse skills have helped them understand the fundamental ecological protections for the Great Lakes that serve as the framework of Michigan’s 30x30 initiative.

“The project’s broad scope gave us the opportunity to explore complex issues from multiple angles, and I was especially excited to contribute to policy recommendations that support coastal community resilience—a field I’ve been passionate about for years,” said Talbot. “From the encouragement and knowledge of my teammates and advisors, I’ve developed into a more confident and capable researcher and student.”

The students performed three forms of analysis throughout the project. First, the team utilized mapping and spatial analysis tools to visualize areas like national marine sanctuaries, national parks and state parks, and establish a baseline value for how much of the water bodies are conserved at the time of commitment to 30x30. 

Simultaneously, the student team performed an intensive round of document analysis. This focused on national and international conservation practices and gave insight into what strategies are most successful and which generate obstacles and challenges. 

Third, the students interviewed focus groups with stakeholders and rights holders around the state who are interested in the conservation and protection of the Great Lakes. They spoke with environmental advocates, local governments, state government officials, Indigenous leaders, educators and more. 

“It has been a powerful experience engaging with Michiganders,” said Floyd, “and it has reminded me how much the people of the Great Lakes State care about this resource. Their insights and ideas have been inspiring and have driven our work.” 

Based on their research, the student team has developed a list of 10 recommendations that are currently being finalized. The list will be shared with interviewed stakeholders for final input. 

The wide-reaching recommendations touch on many components of conservation. Some of the recommendations are straightforward, direct calls to Congress to increase funding for conservation projects across the state, with a focus on biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution.

“The policy recommendations we developed for the state of Michigan are not only feasible, but offer real momentum,” said Young. “From unifying coastal efforts through the Great Lakes Forever Pledge, to securing dedicated funding for coastal resiliency and freshwater ecosystem protection with the Great Lakes Trust Fund, to expanding public access and recreational opportunities by increasing the State Natural Area program, Michigan has a real opportunity to become a leader in the region.” 

Other recommendations focus on looking to the future in the Great Lakes through curriculum expansion and prioritization of the Lakes. This will “pass the baton to the next generation of Michiganders,” said Floyd. Recommendations that focus on how zoning ordinances can protect coastal communities around the state can draw local governments and decision makers into the statewide commitment to stewarding freshwater, he noted.

“The State of Michigan has a large role to play in stewarding 20% of the world’s surface fresh water,” added Floyd. “I believe our project provides strong frameworks and ideas for how the state and its partners could approach the future of Great Lakes stewardship.”

Once finalized, the recommendations will be presented to the Michigan DNR. The recommendations are targeted at three major entities: government agencies, the state legislature, and the nonprofit and advocacy community, according to Shriberg. But the recommendations don’t stop there, he emphasized. If implemented, these recommendations will increase people’s connection to the Great Lakes, promote biodiversity, and increase the health of freshwater impacted by pollution and agricultural runoff.

“These actions would strengthen both natural systems and community well-being throughout the state,” said Young, “As Mike [Shriberg] always says, the Great Lakes are a Great Unifier. If leveraged effectively they can help make Michigan the Beautiful not just an idea or slogan, but a truly impactful program that benefits all Michiganders.”

Shriberg said students will walk away from the project with three major takeaways. The first is a well-developed network of professional connections who have served as their advisors, clients or stakeholders. Secondly, because of the scale of this project, the students have developed hard skills relating to complex project management, such as data management and focus group facilitation. Finally, “they’re going to have a phenomenal product to show at the end of this, not just for our clients but also in their job interviews and application materials.”

Shriberg doesn’t just see this project as an experience that benefits the students on his team. There have been a number of master’s projects at SEAS that relate to resource management in the Great Lakes, and many other SEAS students and faculty are interested in similar issues. “There is historically strong congressional support for the Great Lakes, but the key issue this project is addressing is how to translate that into action,” explained Shriberg. ”I think everyone in SEAS at some point will face a similar challenge of taking something that is as iconic as the Great Lakes and developing actionable policy to support it.”