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Priority Landscapes

Great Lakes

A double rainbow arcing over waves washing up on the beach.
Rainbow over Lake Huron Summer on the Great Lakes is something truly special. © Sherri Yezbick-Taylor/TNC Photo Contest 2022

Making a Difference in the Great Lakes

For more than 65 years, people like you have helped The Nature Conservancy protect the serene waters of the Great Lakes. We’re building on that legacy by bringing folks together from across the region to help solve tough conservation challenges, from climate change to keeping our water clean.

TNC & Partners

Working Together to Restore Sandusky Bay

Rebuilding a Refuge (3:52) For years, parts of Sandusky Bay have been barren of vegetation due to erosion and poor water quality. Now, the bay and its water quality are seeing a resurgence due to TNC and partner work all along the watershed.
A postcard with a photo of corn stalks overlaid with text that reads, greetings from the Midwest road trip! The Nature Conservancy’s logo is in the upper right-hand corner.

Take a Midwest Nature Road Trip

Explore Midwest landscapes on a nature-filled road trip featuring scenic stops, wildlife watching, trails and more through protected prairies, lakes and forests.

Find Your Next Adventure

Explore the Great Lakes

Bison grazing in a misty field full of flowers.

Celebrating Nachusa’s 40th Anniversary

Over the past four decades, a dedicated community of scientists, staff and volunteers have grown Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois into a prairie jewel.

A woman smiles as she reaches for freshly picked produce in an open kitchen.

Nature Nurtures Midwest Economies

From the soil that grows our crops to the migratory birds that fuel birding tourism, nature is the foundation of a highly functional Midwest economy. Investing in nature can be our greatest asset.

Close-up of a nomad bee on a leaf.

Adventures in Nature

TNC's Trevor Edmonson explores the natural world, and invites you to get out and explore.

By Trevor Edmonson

A dirt hiking trail stretches across an open landscape that overlooks a lake.

Stunning Michigan Hikes

From short day hikes to epic treks, these trails wind through Michigan’s most unique natural phenomena.

The blue sunrise sky reflecting in the still waters of Lake Erie.
Lake Erie Sunrise Lake Erie at sunrise. © David Sucsy

Visit a Great Lakes State

The Great Lakes region consists of a variety of critical ecological systems. Each chapter works both individually and in tandem to protect and sustain these habitats for future generations.

A long narrow fish with light spots under water with submerged vegetation.
Northern Pike One of the most fearsome freshwater hunters, Northern pike can swim up to 10 mph when chasing prey, making them one of the fastest fish in their cool-water habitats. © abadonian/Getty Images

See the Places We Protect in the Great Lakes

The Nature Conservancy has helped protect more than 100 sites throughout the Great Lakes, including prairies, savannas, forests, wetlands and rivers.

Explore