With 31,407 Great Lakes islands, how do you know which ones are the most critical to conserve? Canadian and U.S. scientists have been tackling this question for the past three years. Working with partners, the team has been identifying Priority Island Conservation Areas (PICAs). These PICAs will be part of the forthcoming Framework for the Binational Conservation of the Great Lakes Islands. The document will help island managers, owners, and policymakers prioritize and target island conservation actions. The Framework will be a living document to improve the conservation of the world's largest collection of freshwater islands.

What can you do to help? We invite island owners, managers, policymakers, and interested citizens to come to the remaining island workshop in Clayton, New York (August 21). We will discuss our approach to ensure that it is useful to people working on local island issues. Participants will view maps and PowerPoint presentations with the latest information about the islands. Ideas and information from participants will be incorporated in the Framework. We hope participants—and those who cannot attend—will share ideas, information, and visions for the future of the globally significant islands of the Great Lakes. Workshop handout (PDF file) with draft chapter three and table of contents of forthcoming Framework report is available now for your early review and comment.

Please join us! Modest honorariums will support travel for some members of U.S. or Canadian NGOs, tribes, and First Nations!