|
|
- Info
Impacts of changing land use
| Author: |
Thorp, S.; Rivers, R.; Pebbles, V. |
| Date: |
1997 |
| Periodical: |
In: State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference 1996. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 130 p. |
| Abstract: |
Development is a major ecosystem stressor for the Great Lakes basin and its nearshore areas. The many forms of development�covering industrial, commercial, residential, agricultural, and transportation-related activities�carry specific, significant, and cumulative impacts for the natural world and particularly for Great Lakes water quality. These activities take place throughout the basin, but their most immediate and direct impact on the Great Lakes appears to be on lands proximate to the lakes themselves and their tributary waters. Land use in coastal areas of the Great Lakes is changing in response to the region�s evolving economy and industrial restructuring as well as to the relentless forces of urban sprawl. The aesthetic and recreational attraction of the shores is also spurring renewed public appreciation and use of this asset, whether it be an urban waterfront or a remote location. |
|
