Rediscovering the Alvar

Imagine you’re wandering through the woods on a trail shaded by trees.You turn a corner, and suddenly, you’re standing at the edge of a rockygrassland plopped down in the middle of a Northeastern forest. Theseseemingly misplaced grasslands are known as alvars and theGreat Lakes is one of only two regions in the world where they occur.The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly visited one of theseunique sites and met two local volunteers who’ve become the unofficialcaretakers:

Teens Design Program to Evaluate Trees

Last winter, small towns and villages throughout the Northeast were devastated by an ice storm. Many residents lived without power for two weeks. But even after electricity was restored and the roads were cleared, the damage to thousands of trees remained. Local officials quickly cut many of them down, despite protests from residents. Now, a group of high school students has developed a software program that they hope will help the public officials make better decisions about the fate of damaged trees:

Rowing Camp Empowers Women

During the summer, almost every community has sports camps for children. But for women over 30, it’s tough to find a week-long outdoor experience that’s both physically and mentally challenging. That is, until now. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly recently visited a camp in Massachusetts that introduces women from all walks of life to the sport of rowing:

Organ Donation Transplants Grief

Every year, thousands of families across the country are forced to make adifficult decision. A loved one has died, and their organs could be usedfor transplant. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports,an innovative group in Albany, New York is using volunteer donor mothers tohelp families through the process:

Restocking Program Restores Walleye

At one time, the St. Lawrence River was home to some of the best walleye fishing in the world. But by the mid-1980’s, the spawning runs that once brought thousands of fish to this region had dropped off dramatically. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports, a group of local fisherman decided to tackle the problem themselves:

Unique Program Targets &Quot;At Risk" Youth

One in four Americans infected with HIV each year are under the age of twenty. In a recent study in the journal "Science," thirty-five percent of male teenagers reported they had intercourse while they were drunk or high and six percent say they use crack or cocaine. In every city and town, there are teenagers at risk. But getting them to seek help is often an uphill battle. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports, a growing number of agencies are taking their services to the streets: