The Environment Report

Lakes Superior and Erie have too many sea lampreys. The invasive fish latch onto big fish like lake trout and salmon and drink their blood and body fluids. A single lamprey can kill up to 40 pounds of fish in its lifetime.

A group in northern Michigan has been working for more than a decade to connect a bike trail between Suttons Bay and Harbor Springs. But now, one legislator says the proposed path could harm the agriculture industry. Representative Triston Cole, R-Mancelona, says local farmers have concerns about security and safety along the route.

If you hit the grocery stores in the Toledo area a couple weeks ago, hoping to pick up some bottled water, you were out of luck. Several stores completely sold out, thanks to rumors that the city would soon be issuing another “do not drink” advisory for tap water. It didn’t. But water pollution in the Maumee River and western Lake Erie is creating harmful blooms so large, you can literally see them from space.

Canada geese have been spending their winters farther north. Scientists have figured out geese are drawn to cities for safety more so than for food. Michael Ward is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He’s an author of a study on Canada geese in the Chicago region. Ward and his team fitted Canada geese with radio collars and tracked them for two years, trying to understand why there are so

Lake Superior is cold, deep and clear. But it’s no longer the clearest of the Great Lakes. Lakes Michigan and Huron have gotten clearer , bumping Lake Superior to number three. Scientists have been able to figure how much clearer by using satellite imagery.

Forests in our region are under attack from a shrub. The culprit is an ornamental plant called Japanese barberry . It was introduced from Asia in the late 1800s. It’s been in used in landscaping in Michigan for decades, but it’s considered invasive . I just found out I have some in my front yard. They’re pretty, with bright red berries that birds love to eat.

Researchers find there could be more health effects lingering decades after a toxic contamination of Michigan’s food supply.

Well... it's not an absolute "no." It's more of a "probably not," given what we've learned about the Huron Mountain Club in reporting this story. We'll get to the downright practical ways you might get into the club below. In the meantime, we'll just say it doesn't hurt your chances if you’re Channing Tatum , or related to Henry Ford (and even Ford had trouble getting in).

The silky strands made by spiders are prized for their strength and suppleness. Now, scientists in the Great Lakes region are using technology to reproduce spider silk. And there's a wide range of users – from the Army to a famous British fashion designer.

Most veterinarians probably don't picture themselves working with bees. But thanks to new federal regulations , more and more might soon find themselves with six-legged patients.