With more than 11,000 lakes in our midst and four Great Lakes surrounding us, you could say every day is lake day in Michigan. But Wednesday, Aug. 27, is officially the first World Lake Day, declared by the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly and dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and sustainably managing the world’s lakes.

The State of Michigan is marking the occasion with a proclamation by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and the Office of the Great Lakes (OGL) in Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is seizing the day to invite all Michiganders to connect with local water resources, learn about lakes, take steps to steward and safeguard our waters, and reflect on the wonders of our Great Lakes State. A list of opportunities to get involved is below.

“Michigan’s lakes – Great and small – are not only vital to our environment, they are essential to our identity,” said EGLE Director Phil Roos. “EGLE is honored to join the United Nations in celebrating World Lake Day and promoting good stewardship of these precious freshwater resources.”

The U.N. suggests participating in activities related to education and raising awareness of the importance of lakes, and the preservation, conservation, restoration, and sustainable management practices of lakes and ecosystems.

The OGL encourages Michiganders to take time on World Lake Day – or any day – to learn about, care for, and enjoy Michigan waters, through actions as simple as picking up trash or joining an organized cleanup, swimming or wading, boating or fishing, reading a book or article, or supporting organizations advancing research or stewardship. Among the opportunities to engage:

• Register to join the “Lakes for Life: Global Voices, Local Action” webinar, 1-2:30 p.m., Aug. 27, sharing powerful lake stories, youth-led action, and science-based solutions across continents. This live celebration, co-hosted by AquaVox, Water Solutionaries and Shedd Aquarium, will bring together leaders, experts, educators, and community members including Emily Finnell, head of the OGL, to highlight the importance of lakes in sustaining life, biodiversity, and livelihoods around the world.

• Check out water-related webinars such as “Fostering Connections to Michigan’s Water Wonderland for Wellness and Stewardship.” Past and future EGLE webinars are featured on EGLE’s webinar series and past events and recorded webinars webpages.

• Enjoy the outdoors in and around Michigan waterways safely and sustainably by following tips for responsible recreation.

• Observe wildlife in your backyard, a nearby water body, or anywhere. Consider exploring tools and resources to identify Michigan flora and fauna while contributing new biodiversity data to science, such as iNaturalist, Seek, or eBird. Or share photos and reflections on EGLE’s Facebook page or on personal social media accounts using the hashtag #WorldLakeDay.

• Read up! The Library of Michigan’s searchable Read Michigan BiblioBoard lists more than 100 eBooks related to the Great Lakes – all Michigan Notable Books selections. The Library of the Great Lakes and partners chose two books for its 2024-25 Great Lakes, Great Read program: “The Water Walker” by Joanne Robertson for children and “The Best Part of Us” by Sally Cole-Misch for adults. Or curl up with EGLE’s inviting and information-packed 2024 Michigan State of the Great Lakes Report.

• Find interactive EGLE Classroom lessons and webinars on topics like Great Lakes literacy, the federal Clean Water Act, and the urban water cycle, experience hands-on learning with materials from the Environmental Education Resource Lending Station, or explore the From Students to Stewards toolkit for place-based educational resources related to water resources and protection of lakes and streams.

• Explore Michigan Department of Natural Resources educational opportunities, such as the Academy of Natural Resources, Nature Awaits, or Nature at School.

In a way, World Lake Day is a late-summer complement to the annual Michigan Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week held by EGLE and partners in early June to focus on resources and activities related to our waters.

Globally, World Lake Day highlights the crucial role lakes play in worldwide ecosystems, economies, and cultures.

In July, the 2025 World Lake Conference in Brisbane, Australia, laid some of the groundwork for the observation.

“Lakes are lifelines for drinking water, biodiversity, recreation, climate resilience, and more,” said Michigan Great Lakes Senior Advisor and Strategist Emily Finnell, who addressed the conference on topics including stewardship. “Michigan offers powerful examples of how communities can unite to safeguard these vital waters for future generations.”

Michigan features more than 3,200 miles of coastline along four Great Lakes, 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, and enough groundwater to fill Lake Michigan over again. The Great Lakes hold more than 21% of the world’s fresh surface water, and more than 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada rely on the Great Lakes for their drinking water.

The UN’s designation of World Lake reflects growing international recognition of freshwater lakes as critical resources and defenses against the worst impacts of climate change. The observation will be held each Aug. 27 – the date of the first World Lake Conference in 1984 in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Michigan has had a sister state relationship with Shiga Prefecture since 1955 because of their shared commitment to lakes. Japan’s largest freshwater body, Lake Biwa, is in Shiga.

The International Lake Environment Committee Foundation has more information about World Lake Day. Learn more about caring for Michigan’s lakes on OGL’s Stewarding the Great Lakes webpage, including links to local events, videos, educational resources on topics such as invasive species identification, proper disposal of old medications, and information on how to volunteer with the Michigan Clean Water Corps.