Landscape Scale Restoration to Address Lake Erie Harmful Algae Blooms

The Stewardship Network

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Friday, February 3, 2023
12:30 pm - 1:20 pm
02/03/2023 12:30:00 02/03/2023 13:20:00 America/Detroit TSN Conference: Landscape Scale Restoration to Address Lake Erie Harmful Algae Blooms https://conference.stewardshipnetwork.org/session/3-1230-concurrent-session-7-room-c Virtual The Stewardship Network staff@stewardshipnetwork.org

The increasing recognition, commitment, and investment around solving Lake Erie’s water quality issues have generated momentum and opportunity in the region. This presentation shares The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) multifaceted and collaborative approach to improving water quality in Western Lake Erie Basin with a focus on strategically restoring natural infrastructure. Highlighted will be TNC’s partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Sandusky Bay Restoration Initiative, the largest landscape-scale intervention for ecological restoration ever undertaken in the State of Ohio with potential to restore more than 64 square miles over the next 10 years. Several of the initial portions of the initiative have been funded for construction. Projects are designed to reduce sediment resuspension, enhance nutrient processing and assimilation, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife.

Presenters

Tom Denbow
Biohabitats
Tom Denbow specializes in water resources planning and design including conservation planning, wetlands, riparian, and stream protection and restoration, and watershed management. Mr. Denbow has served as project manager for environmental planning, ecological restoration, and design-build projects. He has extensive experience in leading completion of planning, design, and technical studies on watershed and habitat restoration design. He has led many public and stakeholder forums and meetings and made presentations to a broad range of stakeholder groups including City Councils and Committees, conservation organizations, and citizens groups on water related topics. Mr. Denbow was the recipient in 2011 of the annual Individual Award by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission for his leadership efforts to restore and protect Lake Erie watersheds for the benefit of protecting Lake Erie. He also was the founding Executive Director of the Chagrin River.
Ashlee Decker
The Nature Conservancy
Ashlee Decker is a Restoration Ecologist with the Nature Conservancy (TNC). She supports TNC’s Natural Infrastructure program through partnerships and collaboration, strategically identifying priority projects, acquiring grant funding, and managing wetland restoration projects. Ashlee has a master’s degree in Environmental Science and has been working in the field of ecological restoration and education for over 12 years.