The Great Lakes Futures Project: Aiming to protect and restore the Great Lakes, around 21 universities and institutions in the U. S. and Canada are working hard to develop long-term research project plans. On Monday, the University of Michigan has been also announced as one of the participants of this collaboration.

Initially, it would be the discussion over factors that have badly affected the lakes in last 50 years. Apart from this, those factors that are expected to have an effect over the lakes in next fifty years will also be a part of conversation. Some of the commonly known factors that could be blamed for this devastation include invasive species, climate change, the economy and chemical pollution.

Managing the Great Lakes in the right way has become quite difficult. With the help of these project plans, it seems that academics, government officials, industry and a lot many answer big-picture questions such as how to manage watersheds will get a clue.

To generate more and more awareness about this Master Project plan, it is expected that the team will also produce scholarly and popular publications. Public events with schools and community groups will also be a part of it.

The University at Buffalo is another participant of this project.