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Beyond the Shore

Beyond the Shore

Written by: Michigan Public
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You could be forgiven for mistaking the Great Lakes for oceans. Many of us have made memories on the beaches – but there’s so much more to learn about our huge inland seas. Join us as we travel to Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Superior, and Lake Ontario to discover something about each that makes them so special and learn why it will take communities across the Great Lakes region to ensure they stay great for generations to come.

The first episode drops May 1, with new episodes every Friday through May 29. Subscribe at michiganpublic.org/bts or wherever you get your podcasts.

2026
Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Lake Ontario, Unsafe Passage
    May 29 2026

    The American eel is an unlucky and undeniably slippery hero. Sometimes thought of as slimy or scary, it’s an underdog in the conservation world. An animal existing in frighteningly low abundance compared to its early 20th century glory. An animal that has the power to instantly capture the imagination with its mysterious and obscured life cycle.

    In this episode, we take a road trip through Canada, following part of the very long and arduous American eel migration from Lake Ontario, talking with people along the way and witnessing their obstacles up close.

    Support for the production of this podcast was made possible by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, as part of its Great Lakes News Collaborative.

    Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

    More at michiganpublic.org/bts

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    31 mins
  • The ancient origins of, and enduring connections to Lake Superior
    May 22 2026

    Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes, one of the largest lakes in the world. And its history stretches back to a stunning geological event in the earth’s history. That event made the Upper Peninsula's Keweenaw Peninsula rich with copper - and it didn't take long for humans to start mining it. The impact of this copper mining boom is evident everywhere you go in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

    This area has the largest deposit of what’s known as native copper anywhere in the world. And people up here are still dealing with the leftovers.

    Over the course of the past century, storms have blown the coarse, dark sand down along the shore, and over Buffalo Reef. And those sands and remnants of the copper have impacted fish populations, who love the rocky shore of the reef for spawning, and the tribal fisherman who fish those waters.

    Support for the production of this podcast was made possible by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, as part of its Great Lakes News Collaborative.

    Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

    More at michiganpublic.org/bts

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    25 mins
  • Restoring the dinosaur fish of Lake Erie
    May 15 2026

    Lake Sturgeon are huge, long-lived fish that are often called “living fossils.” They have survived all of Lake Erie’s hardships, and now scientists, educators and community members are all working hard to restore their populations.

    Michigan Public's Kate Furby and Jodi Westrick traveled around the state to learn more about Lake Sturgeon, from going out on frozen Black Lake during the ice fishing season to touching baby sturgeon in the Toledo Zoo, all in the name of learning more about the efforts being made to restore these populations to their rightful waters. Efforts to ensure lake sturgeon are here for future generations.

    Support for the production of this podcast was made possible by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, as part of its Great Lakes News Collaborative.

    Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

    More at michiganpublic.org/bts

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
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