Matt Herbert
@matteherbert.bsky.social
Conservation Scientist @nature.org in Michigan; Great Lakes, conservation, fish, freshwater, biodiversity, nature, ecology, sustainability; Views expressed here are my own, and not of my employer or any other organization I'm associated with
Reposted by Matt Herbert
Ship traffic will be fun to watch. All the Great Lakes will likely have wave heights over 25 feet late tonight into late Monday night. The NWS in northern Michigan mentioned that the occasional hurricane force gust is possible on Lake Superior with top wave heights of 34 feet! #GreatLakes #weather
December 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Ship traffic will be fun to watch. All the Great Lakes will likely have wave heights over 25 feet late tonight into late Monday night. The NWS in northern Michigan mentioned that the occasional hurricane force gust is possible on Lake Superior with top wave heights of 34 feet! #GreatLakes #weather
Reduced Sea Lamprey control efforts during the 2020 Covid shutdown caused an increase in #GreatLakes lamprey numbers. But control efforts since then have already brought them back under control. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining control efforts.
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
Invasive sea lamprey declining as control efforts in the Great Lakes resume
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes surged because treatments were limited.
www.michiganpublic.org
December 28, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Reduced Sea Lamprey control efforts during the 2020 Covid shutdown caused an increase in #GreatLakes lamprey numbers. But control efforts since then have already brought them back under control. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining control efforts.
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
Re-establishing river-spawning populations of Great Lakes Lake Whitefish can help conserve their populations. And efforts are underway to develop and test ways to do exactly that. This article highlights work that Sault Tribe is leading. #GreatLakes @mlive.com
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Tribes move whitefish upriver in bid to revive Great Lakes runs
Biologists are releasing live whitefish in Upper Peninsula rivers to see whether they can serve as a bridge for large-scale species restoration.
www.mlive.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Re-establishing river-spawning populations of Great Lakes Lake Whitefish can help conserve their populations. And efforts are underway to develop and test ways to do exactly that. This article highlights work that Sault Tribe is leading. #GreatLakes @mlive.com
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
This could be a huge help!
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
Michigan lawmakers seek $500M to stop mussels, save Great Lakes whitefish - Bridge Michigan
US Reps. Debbie Dingell and Tim Walberg are planning legislation to boost research to control invasive mussels, following Bridge Michigan reporting about the impending collapse of whitefish.
bridgemi.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:15 PM
This could be a huge help!
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
bridgemi.com/michigan-env...
This is a really important bill to ensure that critical science that supports Great Lakes fisheries management continues. #GreatLakes #Science #fisheries
www.sooleader.com/local-news/b...
www.sooleader.com/local-news/b...
Bipartisan bill to protect Great Lakes fisheries moves forward in Senate
The bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Gary Peters aims to bolster Great Lakes fishery research and management efforts
www.sooleader.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:26 PM
This is a really important bill to ensure that critical science that supports Great Lakes fisheries management continues. #GreatLakes #Science #fisheries
www.sooleader.com/local-news/b...
www.sooleader.com/local-news/b...
Michigan continues to reduce investment in the protection and management of our natural resources. #PureMichigan
michiganadvance.com/2025/10/22/m...
michiganadvance.com/2025/10/22/m...
Michigan Senate greenlights big hike to fishing, hunting fees, House GOP says ‘No way’ • Michigan Advance
Hunting and fishing fees in Michigan would increase to net revenue of more than $20 million under a bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday, which was met with staunch opposition from Republicans in both...
michiganadvance.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Michigan continues to reduce investment in the protection and management of our natural resources. #PureMichigan
michiganadvance.com/2025/10/22/m...
michiganadvance.com/2025/10/22/m...
Sault Tribe released over 425,000 Walleye and over 100,000 Lake Whitefish in conservation efforts to support fish populations and healthy fisheries. #GreatLakes #PureMichigan #Indigenous
www.9and10news.com/2025/10/06/s...
www.9and10news.com/2025/10/06/s...
Sault Tribe releases over 500,000 fish in annual stocking effort
The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians has completed its annual fish stocking, releasing over 500,000 walleye and whitefish to support fisheries and address invasive species challenges.
www.9and10news.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Sault Tribe released over 425,000 Walleye and over 100,000 Lake Whitefish in conservation efforts to support fish populations and healthy fisheries. #GreatLakes #PureMichigan #Indigenous
www.9and10news.com/2025/10/06/s...
www.9and10news.com/2025/10/06/s...
This massive restructuring of the Forest Service would vastly reduce capacity within the agency to protect & manage land/resources. It's also a shift in management away from western states. Public comment period ends Sept 30th. #conservation #outdoors #nature
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
The dismantling of the US Forest Service is imminent
The public has less than a week remaining to comment on the administration's plans.
www.motherjones.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This massive restructuring of the Forest Service would vastly reduce capacity within the agency to protect & manage land/resources. It's also a shift in management away from western states. Public comment period ends Sept 30th. #conservation #outdoors #nature
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Matt Herbert
Grand Portage Band launches first Indigenous-led coast guard on Lake Superior
@GreatLakes
wtip.org/grand-portag...
@GreatLakes
wtip.org/grand-portag...
Grand Portage Band launches first Indigenous-led coast guard on Lake Superior | WTIP
When the U.S. Coast Guard closed its Grand Marais station in 2022, it left a significant gap in safety coverage along a large stretch of Lake Superior. For the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chip...
wtip.org
September 24, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Grand Portage Band launches first Indigenous-led coast guard on Lake Superior
@GreatLakes
wtip.org/grand-portag...
@GreatLakes
wtip.org/grand-portag...
There aren't very many large, contiguous roadless areas left in the US. And it turns out that 99% of Americans understand that and care that those lands remain roadless. I would have guessed #RoadlessAreas would be popular, but 99%?!?
#Conservation #Outdoors
www.outdoorlife.com/conservation...
#Conservation #Outdoors
www.outdoorlife.com/conservation...
More Than 99 Percent of Americans Disapprove of Roadless Rule Rollbacks, According to New Analysis
A public comment period for the planned rescission of the Roadless Rule ended Friday with more than 99 percent of comments opposing the move.
www.outdoorlife.com
September 24, 2025 at 9:31 PM
There aren't very many large, contiguous roadless areas left in the US. And it turns out that 99% of Americans understand that and care that those lands remain roadless. I would have guessed #RoadlessAreas would be popular, but 99%?!?
#Conservation #Outdoors
www.outdoorlife.com/conservation...
#Conservation #Outdoors
www.outdoorlife.com/conservation...
Great day yesterday scouting sites with partners from Little Traverse Bay Band and Sault Tribe, in preparation for upcoming work this fall/winter, as part of our efforts to develop restoration strategies for tributary runs of Lake Whitefish. #GreatLakes
August 26, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Great day yesterday scouting sites with partners from Little Traverse Bay Band and Sault Tribe, in preparation for upcoming work this fall/winter, as part of our efforts to develop restoration strategies for tributary runs of Lake Whitefish. #GreatLakes
New Report Sounds Alarm Over Lack of Planning and Oversight For Upcoming Great Lakes Water Demands
#Water #GreatLakes
greatlakes.org/2025/08/grea...
#Water #GreatLakes
greatlakes.org/2025/08/grea...
Great Lakes Region Unprepared for Increasing Water Use Demands - Alliance for the Great Lakes
CHICAGO, IL (August 20, 2025) – The Great Lakes region faces the prospect of water shortages, groundwater conflicts, and contaminated aquifers as demand sharply increases from large water users such [...
greatlakes.org
August 20, 2025 at 3:09 PM
New Report Sounds Alarm Over Lack of Planning and Oversight For Upcoming Great Lakes Water Demands
#Water #GreatLakes
greatlakes.org/2025/08/grea...
#Water #GreatLakes
greatlakes.org/2025/08/grea...
Michigan has hundreds of dams that are well past their projected lifetime and pose threats to public safety. Funding has been helping to remove the worst dams, but that funding may be drying up.
#PureMichigan #Rivers #Dams #PublicSafety
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
#PureMichigan #Rivers #Dams #PublicSafety
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
Deteriorating dams are being removed in Michigan. Will the money for that effort dry up?
A number of deteriorating dams have been torn down and streams restored. It's expensive, and Michigan's budget is facing challenges.
www.michiganpublic.org
August 14, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Michigan has hundreds of dams that are well past their projected lifetime and pose threats to public safety. Funding has been helping to remove the worst dams, but that funding may be drying up.
#PureMichigan #Rivers #Dams #PublicSafety
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
#PureMichigan #Rivers #Dams #PublicSafety
www.michiganpublic.org/environment-...
Reposted by Matt Herbert
Annual flood series for the Milwaukee River at Milwaukee, just downstream of I-43 bridge, 1915-2023. Top of the scale is 20,000 cfs, flood of record was 18,200 cfs. At 2:30 AM this morning it was at 19700 cfs, at 9AM, 19300 cfs, off-scale (too high for the gage?) in between.
August 10, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Annual flood series for the Milwaukee River at Milwaukee, just downstream of I-43 bridge, 1915-2023. Top of the scale is 20,000 cfs, flood of record was 18,200 cfs. At 2:30 AM this morning it was at 19700 cfs, at 9AM, 19300 cfs, off-scale (too high for the gage?) in between.
Reposted by Matt Herbert
Crazy rainfall event totals on the west coast 🌊🌊
August 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Crazy rainfall event totals on the west coast 🌊🌊
New study shows that the contribution of Indigenous and community-governed lands are often overlooked or are undervalued in #biodiversity conservation assessments. These oversights can impact our goals and lead to lost opportunities.
#Indigenous #Conservation
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
#Indigenous #Conservation
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
Indigenous and Traditional Territories
A new study finds that undervaluing Indigenous and traditional territories could derail global conservation goals—and that local solutions are needed.
www.nature.org
August 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
New study shows that the contribution of Indigenous and community-governed lands are often overlooked or are undervalued in #biodiversity conservation assessments. These oversights can impact our goals and lead to lost opportunities.
#Indigenous #Conservation
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
#Indigenous #Conservation
www.nature.org/en-us/what-w...
Live along the #GreatLakes coast in Michigan? Learn how the Michigan Coastal Management Program is helping coastal communities to be more environmentally/economically resilient and sustainable in an upcoming webinar.
#Michigan #PureMichigan
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MID...
#Michigan #PureMichigan
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MID...
Reminder to register for the August 12 webinar on the Michigan Coastal Management Program’s Pathway to Resilience
content.govdelivery.com
August 5, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Live along the #GreatLakes coast in Michigan? Learn how the Michigan Coastal Management Program is helping coastal communities to be more environmentally/economically resilient and sustainable in an upcoming webinar.
#Michigan #PureMichigan
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MID...
#Michigan #PureMichigan
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MID...
Reposted by Matt Herbert
I stumbled across a few amazing photos of Lake Michigan taken from the ISS in April of 2024. These were shot by astronaut, Jeanette Epps.
The #GreatLakes are pretty great. Let's hope they stay that way.
The #GreatLakes are pretty great. Let's hope they stay that way.
July 30, 2025 at 10:09 PM
I stumbled across a few amazing photos of Lake Michigan taken from the ISS in April of 2024. These were shot by astronaut, Jeanette Epps.
The #GreatLakes are pretty great. Let's hope they stay that way.
The #GreatLakes are pretty great. Let's hope they stay that way.
Frog Bay Tribal National Park along Lake Superior (established by Red Cliff Band in 2012) was the first of its kind. Other Tribes have since followed with similar parks.
#GreatLakes #Indigenous
www.wpr.org/news/lake-su...
#GreatLakes #Indigenous
www.wpr.org/news/lake-su...
On the Lake Superior shoreline, tribal national park holds special meaning
Frog Bay Tribal National Park opened in 2012 to restore reservation lands back to tribal ownership and ensure tribal members and outsiders alike can access the area for generations.
www.wpr.org
July 28, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Frog Bay Tribal National Park along Lake Superior (established by Red Cliff Band in 2012) was the first of its kind. Other Tribes have since followed with similar parks.
#GreatLakes #Indigenous
www.wpr.org/news/lake-su...
#GreatLakes #Indigenous
www.wpr.org/news/lake-su...
Reposted by Matt Herbert
💦So, let's build more Data Centers & Crypto Mining Sites .... [derp] #H2O #OhioBlues #Aquifer #Freshwater #GreatLakes www.propublica.org/article/wate...
“Staggering” Water Loss Driven by Groundwater Mining Poses Global Threat
A new study finds that freshwater resources are rapidly disappearing, creating arid “mega” regions and causing sea levels to rise.
www.propublica.org
July 28, 2025 at 1:05 PM
💦So, let's build more Data Centers & Crypto Mining Sites .... [derp] #H2O #OhioBlues #Aquifer #Freshwater #GreatLakes www.propublica.org/article/wate...
It's illegal to move fish and other wildlife around without authorization (and major evaluation). Increasingly, people are moving rare species, particularly because of concerns about #ClimateChange. This could become a major problem. #Fish #Conservation
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
(PDF) Unauthorized Translocations of Threatened Fauna in Freshwater Ecosystems: Insights From the Iberian Southeast
PDF | Unauthorized translocations of native and threatened wildlife are widely conducted for conservation purposes. This illegal practice remains... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ...
www.researchgate.net
July 28, 2025 at 1:13 PM
It's illegal to move fish and other wildlife around without authorization (and major evaluation). Increasingly, people are moving rare species, particularly because of concerns about #ClimateChange. This could become a major problem. #Fish #Conservation
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Climate change continues to drive weather extremes in the Great Lakes region
#GreatLakes #ClimateChange
www.wpr.org/news/report-...
#GreatLakes #ClimateChange
www.wpr.org/news/report-...
Report: Climate change continues to drive warmer weather, extremes in Great Lakes region
An updated report confirms that climate change is impacting the Great Lakes region through warmer and wetter weather, greater fluctuation in lake levels and disappearing fish populations.
www.wpr.org
July 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Climate change continues to drive weather extremes in the Great Lakes region
#GreatLakes #ClimateChange
www.wpr.org/news/report-...
#GreatLakes #ClimateChange
www.wpr.org/news/report-...
Wetland regulation fight could go to the Supreme Court. #Wetlands #water
www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/07/this...
www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/07/this...
This wetland fight could go to the Supreme Court | Great Lakes Now
A court case pitting farmer against farmer in Iowa could decide the fate of wetlands nationwide.
www.greatlakesnow.org
July 16, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Wetland regulation fight could go to the Supreme Court. #Wetlands #water
www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/07/this...
www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/07/this...
Fish are disappearing in an African lake that feeds the people of four countries. #Freshwater lakes may not be as vast as oceans but they are just as important. #fisheries
news-decoder.com/finally-a-fo...
news-decoder.com/finally-a-fo...
Finally, a focus on freshwater fish
Fish are disappearing in an African lake that feeds the people of four countries. Freshwater lakes may not be as vast as oceans but they are just as important.
news-decoder.com
July 16, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Fish are disappearing in an African lake that feeds the people of four countries. #Freshwater lakes may not be as vast as oceans but they are just as important. #fisheries
news-decoder.com/finally-a-fo...
news-decoder.com/finally-a-fo...
Reposted by Matt Herbert
Wetlands of Teejop, now Madison, recorded by the public land survey in 1834, two years after forced cession of these Ho-Chunk lands. The Yahara River then also had a more wandering path across the swampy isthmus. Also note the sugar grove (now Maple Bluff) and trail.
July 15, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Wetlands of Teejop, now Madison, recorded by the public land survey in 1834, two years after forced cession of these Ho-Chunk lands. The Yahara River then also had a more wandering path across the swampy isthmus. Also note the sugar grove (now Maple Bluff) and trail.