Coast Watchers, a community science monitoring program focused on the health of Lake Huron, will run for its fifth year at Huron Pines. Coast Watchers volunteers are part of a dedicated group that monitors sections of the Lake Huron shoreline on a weekly basis from May to October to gather data. Volunteers are trained to record air and water temperature, seasonal changes in water levels, occurrences of sensitive or invasive plants, fish die-offs, storm damage and pollution. This information guides restoration efforts, while engaging local volunteers in direct science. Huron Pines is leading the program on the Michigan shoreline with the expectation that it can help guide and prioritize future restoration efforts along the Northern Michigan coast. Learn more about the binational effort here.
This training will introduce you to the Coast Watchers program and cover the basics of data collection, the data collection protocol and explain how you will choose a location to monitor. You will receive all the supplies you need to conduct the monitoring.
What does being a Coast Watcher look like?
Weekly monitoring of an area (~100 feet) of Lake Huron shoreline from May through October
Data collection through the Survey123 app or data sheet (air and water temperature, wind, waves, visibility, wildlife report (species at risk), invasive species, algae wash-up, plastic, storm damage, human activities, photos of what you are seeing)
What are the requirements?
Ability to visit a section of the Lake Huron shoreline once a week from May to October (we are flexible with this if you can’t monitor the whole time or are going to miss a few weeks)
We will provide you with all of the necessary supplies
If you have volunteered as a Coast Watcher in the past and would like to volunteer for the 2026 season, you do not need to complete this training. Please email nick@huronpines.org to get signed up.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Nick Theisen at nick@huronpines.org or (989) 448-2293, ext. 20.
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. It is a priority for Huron Pines to ensure that our communications and programming are available and accessible to everyone. If you encounter barriers to attending the training, such as transportation challenges, please contact maddie@huronpines.org so we can arrange an alternative solution.
We recognize that accessibility is not always possible in every area of our work. Our efforts are ongoing. Through a commitment to continued learning and understanding, we will strengthen our awareness of the barriers and inequities that exist at the individual and community levels, in order to advance more equitable opportunities to experience the outdoors in our region.
Huron Pines is leading the effort to inspire lakeshore communities in Michigan to join the Lake Huron Forever initiative with continued support from Bay Area Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network and Sunset Community Foundation.
