The dunes around Lake Michigan draw millions of visitors each year. But
the dunes are more than just a tourist attraction: the sand is a
valuable commodity in manufacturing. And sand dune mining has been
going on since the turn of the century. Today, dunes in Illinois and
Wisconsin are protected since they fall within state park boundaries.
There are some small mining operations in some of Indiana’s dunes, but
by far, most sand dune mining happens in Michigan. The state’s had a
law in place for more than twenty years to regulate the mining… But a
new report alleges that the law isn’t working. And the dunes are slowly
vanishing. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:
Tag: resource management
Mining Endangers Sand Dunes (Wrap Version)
Sand dune mining has been going on around Lake Michigan since the dawn
of the industrial age. The sand is used by foundries to make molds for
casting metal. But despite a 1976 law to protect the dunes, a new
report released today (Tuesday 4/20) claims the dunes are in more danger
than ever. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Wendy Nelson reports:
Lake Effect Aids in Cranberry Farming
Cranberries are a well-established crop in Wisconsin, but other Great Lakes states are looking to grow the berry as well. On the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, farmers are hoping to take advantage of the heavy lake effect snows to cut the cost of growing the crop. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Eugene Sonn reports: