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Priority Landscapes

Great Lakes

Icy and snow covered bank along Lake Superior under a sunset.
Lake Superior Winter is one of the best times to enjoy the outdoors—especially the views along the Great Lakes. © Jerad White/TNC Photo Contest 2021

Make a Difference in the Great Lakes

For more than 65 years, people like you have helped The Nature Conservancy protect the serene waters of the Great Lakes. We’re building on that legacy by bringing folks together from across the region to help solve tough conservation challenges, from climate change to keeping our water clean.

A rushing river falls into a waterfall between forested banks.

Celebrating Wins for Nature in the Midwest

Explore inspiring Midwest wins—stories of habitat protection and restoration, species revival, and clean energy, all powered by collaboration and community.

Join Our Celebration

Explore the Great Lakes

Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) swimming underwater.

Returning Whitefish to the River

On the banks of the Jordan River, scientists and conservationists work to revive river-spawning lake whitefish, aiming to restore the Great Lakes ecosystem and support local communities.

A person in yellow fire PPE using a drip torch to start a controlled burn in a forest.

Controlled Burns, Wild Benefits: Restoring Midwest Ecosystems with Fire

Discover how prescribed fire is restoring balance to Midwest landscapes, reviving habitats, supporting biodiversity and sparking ecological renewal.

A small brown bird sits on a branch-tip in the snow.

Midwest Winter Birds

Winter in the Midwest provides an opportunity to provide birds with cover, food and water. In return, you might just get to see more birds in your yard!

Three people in canoes paddle along the Lake Erie shoreline at sunset.

Restoring Our Great Lakes for People and Wildlife

Discover how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is revitalizing the Great Lakes region through innovative conservation efforts.

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Sunset over Lake Superior in Michigan.
Sunrise over the Peninsula Copper Harbor Peninsula on Lake Superior, Michigan. © Drew Chylek/TNC Photo Contest 2022

Visit a Great Lakes Chapter

The Great Lakes region consists of a variety of critical ecological systems. Each chapter works both individually and in tandem to protect and sustain these habitats for future generations.

The sun setting under an arch of rock over a frozen Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan Freezer Every year an impressive ice shelf forms along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, the walls often reaching over 10 ft tall and stretching hundreds of feet into the lake. © Stephen Carmickle/TNC Photo Contest 2021

See the Places We Protect in the Great Lakes

The Nature Conservancy has helped protect more than 100 sites throughout the Great Lakes, including prairies, savannas, forests, wetlands and rivers.

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