Such management would best be accomplished by a consolidated governing body, empowered by the Canadian and U.S. governments to enforce regulations. This is a challenging prospect considering the legal, political and bureaucratic difficulties, but the advantages are numerous. Duplication of research, monitoring, and surveillance efforts would be avoided. Interdisciplinary planning, in which specialists from many fields work together to devise management plans, would be far easier to achieve within such a framework. In addition to political and scientific action, public participation is necessary.
Citizen groups can and do make a difference throughout the Lake Erie basin.
At Ashtabula, Ohio, public participation has improved plans to clean up the Ashtabula River and the city s Lake Erie harbor. At Erie, Pennsylvania, citizens have led the effort to clean up the city s bay and harbor and to protect the unique habitat at Presque Isle. At Point Pelee, Ontario, conservationists, concerned residents, and sportspeople are taking an active role in the effort to protect and manage Point Pelee Provincial Park. Explain the eutrophication process and its ramifications on the Lake Erie ecoystem. Understand the debate over lake management between residents, the fishing industry, the shipping industry and politicians.