Nutrient management in Lake Erie: Evaluating stakeholder values,attitudes, and policy preferences |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of Michigan 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States;2. Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), University of Michigan, 4840 South State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, United States;3. NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, 4840, S. State Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, United States;4. Michigan State University, Department of Integrative Biology, Kelzlogg Biological Station, United States;1. Department of Civil Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran;2. Physical Geography Department, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6465, Tehran, Iran;1. Quantitative Fisheries Center, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States;2. Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States;3. Fisheries Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Gaylord, MI 49735, United States;4. Fisheries Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Oden State Fish Hatchery, Alanson, MI 49706, United States;1. Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 0G5, Canada;2. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 101 Exchange Avenue, Vaughan, Ontario L4K 5R6, Canada;1. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lake Huron Fisheries Research Station, 160 East Fletcher Street, Alpena, MI 49707, USA;2. Michigan State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Quantitative Fisheries Center, 375 Wilson Road, 101 UPLA Building, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;1. Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA;2. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, Albany, NY, USA;3. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013, USA;4. U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Oswego, NY, USA;1. Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA;2. Neptune and Company, Inc., Los Alamos, NM, USA |
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| Abstract: | Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have impaired Lake Erie’s western basin water quality since the 1960s. Though scientists agree that eutrophication is a key driver of HABs in Lake Erie, the role of nitrogen is still the subject of debate. The problem is twofold: (1) uncertainty in the specific causes of HABs can lead to inappropriate management solutions, and (2) managing a cross-boundary watershed requires collaboration and agreement on apt solutions from multiple stakeholders as well as many U.S. states and Canadian provinces. In our study, we interviewed 29 stakeholders actively involved in western Lake Erie’s watershed. We analyzed the stakeholders’ values, attitudes, and policy preferences to understand their differences, similarities, and their effects on management decisions. We found that stakeholders agree on the urgency of the problem and the necessity for increased nutrient management in Lake Erie’s western basin. Furthermore, we found that stakeholders can be represented as distinct clusters based on their values, and these value-based clusters are associated with different policy preferences. The different opinions and preferences of these value clusters span across stakeholder sectors and may affect efforts toward policy change. Stakeholders often question the feasibility and effectiveness of existing policies and policy plans. The findings shed new light on the relationship between stakeholder type and environmental values, attitudes, and policy preferences. Collaboration on HABs in Lake Erie will require open lines of communication both to improve policy and to cultivate trust among the multiple parties in this diverse watershed. |
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| Keywords: | Harmful algal blooms Lake Erie Water quality Stakeholder collaboration Environmental values Nitrogen and phosphorus management |
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