ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

Voices for the Lake will create an online community network of and for the rural populations surrounding Lake Champlain dedicated to improving the health of the lake. With increasing population and expanding development, the once-pristine lake has been significantly degraded by invasive species, algae blooms, and pollutants that have necessitated beach closings. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 90 percent of this pollution is introduced from the watersheds surrounding the lake. The Lake Champlain Basin Science Center, in partnership with the Vermont and upstate New York public library systems and the Vermont Folklife Center, will tackle this problem with a program of public education and engagement designed to change personal behavior and reduce human impact on the deteriorating water quality of the Basin. The project will create a Web site populated with audience-created videos documenting the natural history of the area and the human impact on it, and promoting good stewardship and conservation. The team will reach over 150 libraries in eight river watersheds surrounding the Lake to engage local residents.