With Memorial Day fast approaching, many Michiganders are preparing to re-open cottages on the state's more than 11,000 inland lakes. If you're lucky enough to have a summer place on the water or live lakeside year-round, the way you landscape and manage your property can have a big impact on water quality and lake-dwelling wildlife.

More than 60 scientists, natural resource professionals, outdoor recreation enthusiasts and others gathered in Muskegon on Monday for the Freshwater Dune Summit, organized by MEC and our partners at Heart of the Lakes and West Michigan Environmental Action Council.

Seven agriculture-heavy Michigan counties are among the nation's most likely to be impacted by the loss of native pollinators, according to the first study to map wild bees in the United States.

Ben Stupka is tired. That's no surprise-he and his wife, Laura, have a two-year-old son and a daughter born in August.

Editor's note: This post is by MEC intern Teha Ames.

The University of Michigan last week released a report three years in the making that offers a comprehensive review of Michigan's policy options regarding fracking for natural gas and oil.

Stormwater runoff is a major source of pollution in our waterways. The sediment, nutrients and chemicals that are introduced to our lakes and streams from stormwater are hurting fish populations and affecting human health and safety.

Here's a figure to impress the guests at your next cocktail party: The Great Lakes shoreline in the United States and Canada is more than 10,000 miles long-nearly half the circumference of Earth.

One of MEC's most-read blog posts was a 2013 analysis that pointed out serious flaws in-and helped build the opposition needed to block-a controversial proposal to develop a road through a public dune preserve on the Lake Michigan coast.

The numbers confirm what we Michiganders know from experience: We love wildlife. Michigan's 3.2 million wildlife watchers add $1.2 billion to the state economy every year, according to the Department of Natural Resources.