Lake Erie is unique among the Great Lakes. Its shallow waters and southern location result in the highest primary production, biological diversity and fish production of all the Great Lakes. This highly valuable resource is also situated in the most altered basin, and has suffered from invasive species, increases in nutrient concentrations, pollution and habitat destruction. These anthropogenic changes have caused wildlife and plant populations to decline and in some locations disappear, changing Lake Erie’s natural biological diversity and diminishing many of its ecological services. Through the efforts of many agencies, organizations, and individuals working over decades, Lake Erie has shown the ability to recover, and we expect that future, focused efforts will lead to further restoration of the functions and ecological richness of the lake, and the quality of life for people in the basin.
The Lake Erie Biodiversity Conservation Strategy is a binational initiative designed to support the efforts of the Lake Erie LaMP by identifying specific strategies and actions to protect and conserve the native biodiversity of Lake Erie. It is the product of a two‐year planning process involving over 190 people from 87 agencies and organizations around the basin.