The Clean Lakes Alliance received international recognition from the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) for its commitment to community education and outreach.
The Clean Lakes Alliance works to engage businesses and residents in projects such as shoreline cleanups, prairie seed collections, and native plantings through weekly volunteer days running from Earth Day through October. These events both restore natural spaces and empower participants to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.
The organization brings together a cross-sector coalition that includes 19 partner organizations through its “Renew the Blue” initiative, a model for lake cleanup. It has seen the participation of 13,000 volunteers, including nearly 100 trained citizen scientists who monitor conditions across the Yahara lakes. The LakeForecast program allows the public to access real-time water quality information and annual “State of the Lakes” report cards to better understand local water health. The organization also hosts Clean the Lakes 101 Science Café, a monthly educational series open to the public that features expert speakers on lake science and local conservation efforts.
