Future Needs and Opportunities to Restore Ecosystem Health
The overarching challenge facing the Great Lakes ecosystem is to create
governance systems that support its recovery. The behaviors to be governed are
different than those we have had success with in the basin. Government
programs and private initiatives have slowed, and in some cases eliminated,
near-field pollution. Government programs have successfully kept the fishery
on life support. But these are reactions to threats, not actions to restore the
ecosystem. Reactive government programs ossify. They are suited to “rifle
shot” responses to clear and temporary problems. Restoration governance
needs to support action in three areas, outlined below.