The MiCorps program, in partnership with the DEQ, will host the 11th annual MiCorps conference for volunteer water quality monitors on Nov. 4-5 at the Kettunen Center in Tustin, Mich.
MiCorps is a statewide network of monitoring programs run by volunteers to assist the DEQ in collecting and sharing water quality data to protect and manage Michigan’s lakes and streams. The annual conference reviews current volunteer efforts and how monitoring is conducted around the state to help protect and restore Michigan’s lakes and streams.
The conference agenda includes presentations from volunteers, regional experts, DEQ staff and MiCorps staff about lakes and streams as well as success stories from monitoring efforts. In particular, this year’s conference will focus on utilizing the program’s monitoring data for management purposes, communicating information and outcomes to the public, reviewing studies on Michigan’s inland lakes, monitoring streams at road crossings, and monitoring for invasive species.
Volunteer monitors may also attend one of two free training workshops offered on the afternoon of Nov. 4: Stellar Volunteers and Stellar Volunteer Programs or An Interagency Approach to Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach, Monitoring and Control. The two-day event will be held at the Kettunen Center on Center Lake.
The conference is intended for volunteer monitoring program leaders, citizen volunteers, water resource professionals, and others interested in the health and protection of Michigan’s lakes, rivers and streams.
The registration deadline is Oct. 28. The conference program and registration form are available at https://micorps.net/events/micorps-annual-conference-2015/
The Great Lakes Commission is assisting the DEQ in developing and administering the MiCorps Program, in collaboration with the Huron River Watershed Council, Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc., and Michigan State University.
For more information about the MiCorps program, visit www.micorps.net.
Source: DEQ