Sustain Our Great Lakes is a public–private partnership coordinated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and funded by ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). A significant portion of program funding is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program designed to protect, restore and enhance the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Collectively, the 29 new ecological restoration projects to be supported by Sustain Our Great Lakes will:
restore and enhance more than 7,600 acres of wetlands and associated uplandsrestore fish passage and improve habitat along 107 stream milesengage hundreds of private landowners in habitat enhancement
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District will remove five fish passage barriers along the Menomonee River to improve hydrologic function, aquatic connectivity and habitat along more than 34 stream miles ($400,000)
Ozaukee County will re-connect 2.8 stream miles by remediating eight impediments to fish passage on Mee-Kwon Creek and Kaul Creek in the Milwaukee River watershed ($180,373)
River Revitalization Foundation will stabilize streambank, remove shoreline structures, control invasive species, and restore native riparian habitat on a 3.3-acre site along the Milwaukee River to reduce pollutant loading and improve water quality ($247,489)
For the fifth consecutive year, Ozaukee County has won one of the prestigious Gathering Waters Conservancy Land Conservation Leadership Awards.
2009 - Lynde Uihlein - Conservationist of the Year
2010, Noel Cutright - Conservationist of the Year/ Lifetime of Conservation Achievement
2011 - Ozaukee Washington Land Trust - Land Trust of the Year
2012 - Dale Katsma - Rod Nilstetuen Award for Working Lands Preservation
2013 - Dale Buser and Andrew Struck - Conservationist of the Year.
When this park, Lake Michigan Clay Banks - Cedar Heights Gorge, is a focal point in Ozaukee County, you can tell your children that it was because of you and your network, that this is here today.
Ozaukee County has a unique opportunity to establish a new park rivaling Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve. We need to help the County Board of Supervisors realize the potential and long term value of this acquisition.