Crews Set Out To Restore Coastlines, Reduce Pollution, Support Sustainable Tourism and More Spanning the Upper Peninsula and Three Great Lakes

June 3, 2026

The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy (SWP) announced the launch of its Great Lakes Climate Corps (GLCC) and Great Lakes Tribal Conservation Corps (GLTCC) field season. These innovative programs provide trained, boots-on-the-ground crew members whose work spans the entire Upper Peninsula and contributes in meaningful ways to environmental projects that improve communities.

Sixteen crew members will work with local and Tribal communities on projects including:

  • Coastal resiliency with the City of Marquette
  • Wildfire risk reduction throughout the Upper Peninsula
  • Pollinator habitat restoration in Hiawatha National Forest
  • Invasive species removal and native plant restoration with Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
  • Trail maintenance and erosion control on the North Country Trail and Ottawa National Forest
  • Electronic waste recycling collection events with Hannahville Indian Community, City of Gladstone, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Iron River, Newberry, and Houghton
  • And planting 100,000 trees in Marquette County!

“When our crews can go from cleaning litter from beaches to reforesting critical tracts of land, all while taking in our beautiful surroundings and inspiring environmental stewardship, they leave a positive mark on our communities,” said Tyler Penrod, SWP’s GLCC Program Manager. “Beyond that, their work makes a measurable difference in addressing local impacts of climate change.”

The programs run for 12-24 weeks over summer and fall, and this year’s cohort includes 16 members across both programs.

Partnerships including tribal, federal, state and local governments are critical for the success of these programs, whose impact spans the Upper Peninsula. Crews serve all three U.P. Great Lakes watersheds including Superior, Michigan and Huron.

If you are a local unit of government, community organization, or private land owner in Marquette County that is interested in having FREE trees planted by the GLCC, please complete this form: https://forms.gle/Nny8JN6jLoRUfEMx5

Volunteer opportunities to join the crews at work this summer and fall will be shared on the SWP Facebook page and include beach grass planting, tree planting, water quality monitoring and more.

About The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy

The Superior Watershed Partnership and Land Conservancy is a 100% local, non-profit organization and a regional leader in Great Lakes protection, climate adaptation and community pollution prevention. The SWP implements a variety of habitat restoration, energy efficiency, sustainable tourism and public education projects with an emphasis on communities in the Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron watersheds. For more information, please visit: https://superiorwatersheds.org/.

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