The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region comprises eight states and
two provinces: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in the United States, as well as
Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Although the international border
separates distinct political traditions and cultures within the region,
an integrated resource base and manufacturing complex has developed.
The binational region is North America's industrial heartland, and also
supports a multi-billion dollar outdoor recreation and tourism industry,
a world-class maritime transportation system and a diverse and extensive
agricultural base.
A major influence underlying the region's
economy
and culture are the five Great Lakes, which form the largest fresh
surface water system in the world. These "Freshwater Seas"--Superior,
Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario--dominate the landscape of the Great
Lakes Basin. In fact, this system is so large that from the moon it
is visible to the naked eye. These lakes greatly affect our way of
life in the region, as well as all aspects of the the natural
environment, from weather and climate, to wildlife and habitat.
Successfully managing human activity and the natural components of the
Great Lakes ecosystem calls for enhanced communication. The
Great Lakes Information Network, or GLIN, is designed to meet this
challenge. GLIN is a cooperative project of
agencies and organizations in the region that work together to make
their Great Lakes regional information available online via GLIN, thus
providing one place to look for information about the Great Lakes region.
This partnership consists of state, provincial, federal and tribal
government, regional and non-governmental organizations, universities
and the private sector. Our holdings on the web and the
GLIN gopher
continue to grow, so check in regularly for
what's new online. We'll also keep you up to date on
regional news.
If you have information about the Great Lakes region that you'd like to make available via GLIN, or if you have any other questions or comments, please contact the GLIN staff. You can submit an online form or contact Carol Ratza, GLIN Director, Great Lakes Commission, cratza@glc.org, 313-665-9135; or contact Ron Emaus, GLIN Technical Partner,CICNet, remaus@cic.net, 313-998-6419.
GLIN is supported by grants from the Ameritech Foundation; the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce; and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes National Program Office.
Revised: April 10, 1995
Maintained by Paula McIntyre,
mcintyre@glc.org.