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CDL, Chelsea Parks & Rec, and Dr. Paul Seelbach present a series of presentations on water's role in life in Michigan and beyond. Hear from professors and experts on water management and conservation.
Michigan is abundantly blessed with natural water resources: from our four Great Lakes to our plentiful inland lakes, streams, rivers, and marshes. Join us for one or all of these presentations throughout 2026 and 2027 with current and former water experts. You'll hear from the men and women helping to study and shape strategies for managing and conserving our water.
Wednesday, Dec. 2 | Water Values and Sustainable Strategies
Jon Allan is a prominent environmental scientist and policymaker who spent nearly 40 years shaping water policy, ecological conservation, and natural resource governance across Michigan and the Great Lakes region. He has served as Director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes, Chair of the Great Lakes Commission, and U.S. Co-Chair of the IJC Water Quality Board. Throughout his career, his work has focused heavily on the intersection of ecological health, economic sustainability, and water resource management.
Tuesday, Jan. 5 | Huron River: History, Threats, and Successes
Jason Frenzel is an environmental conservationist and civic leader who serves as the Director of Community Engagement at the Huron River Watershed Council. Based in Ann Arbor, he has previously served on Ann Arbor City Council and worked at Ann Arbor City’s Natural Areas Preservation Department. He has worked to develop community partnerships, coordinate volunteer programs, and lead participatory science initiatives to protect the Huron River.
Tuesday, Feb. 2 | The Almost Great and Wondrous Inland Lakes of Michigan
Dr. Kevin Wehrly is a fisheries research scientist who serves as Station Manager at the Institute for Fisheries Research, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, partnered with the University of Michigan. He has spent over two decades leading aquatic ecosystem research, data modeling, and conservation initiatives across the state of Michigan.
Tuesday, Mar. 2 | The Character and Geography of Michigan Rivers
Dr. Paul Seelbach is an aquatic ecologist and fisheries scientist who spent nearly four decades bridging academic research with state and federal resource management in Michigan. He has served as Professor of Practice at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability; and as statewide Fisheries Research Manager, Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Much of his research focused on exploring relationships between watershed landscapes, habitat characteristics, and fish communities in Michigan’s rivers.
Tuesday, Apr. 6 | Developing the Science for Managing Wild Trout in Michigan Streams
Dr. Rick Clark, Jr. is a fisheries scientist who spent over four decades shaping fisheries management, research, and policy in the state of Michigan. He has served as Research Professor at Michigan State University’s Quantitative Fisheries Center; and as statewide Fisheries Research Manager, Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Some of his research has contributed to understanding and management of wild trout populations in Michigan streams.
Tuesday, May 4 | Managing Pacific Marine Mammals: The Path to Environmental Protection and Sustainable Resource Use
Dr. Ingrid Biedron is a marine scientist specializing in marine mammal acoustics, fisheries policy, and ocean conservation. She is a Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Biologist for the federal Marine Minerals Administration, formerly the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM); has served as a marine biologist for Oceana and the NOAA; and has taught at Boston University and Georgetown University. Her work bridges the gap between marine research and environmental management, with the goal of developing federal policies which protect wildlife while also allowing sustainable human resource uses.
Wednesday, Jun. 2 |Connecting People to Fish, Water, and Conservation
Doug Denison is a water resource scientist, environmental planner, and senior executive with over 25 years of experience in aquatic biology, environmental permitting, and ecological restoration. He served as Vice President and Director of the Environmental Services Sector at SmithGroup (formerly SmithGroup JJR; a national architecture, engineering, and planning firm) in Ann Arbor. He has played lead roles in major Great Lakes ecosystem rehabilitation and waterfront infrastructure projects.
Wednesday, Jul. 7 | Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
Dr. Kurt Kowalski is a Research Ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center. He has conducted research for over 30 years to improve the restoration and management of Great Lakes coastal wetlands, leading to cleaner water and better habitat for fish and wildlife.
Tuesday, Aug. 3 | Potential Effects of Climate Change on Lake Michigan's Food Webs and Fisheries
Dr. Ed Rutherford is a fisheries scientist and ecologist whose career as a quantitative modeler has significantly advanced the understanding of Great Lakes fish populations, food web dynamics, and invasive species management. He worked as a Research Fishery Biologist at the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; and prior to that as an Associate Research Scientist at the University of Michigan, School for Environment and Sustainability.
Wednesday, Sep. 1 | Herding Catfish: The Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Julie Mida Hinderer is an aquatic sciences professional who serves as the Science Programs Manager for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC). In this role she oversees operations of the commission's extensive research programs and coordinates international science partnerships. Her primary professional focus is on mobilizing knowledge to better inform decision-making by breaking down communication barriers between researchers and state, provincial, and Tribal fishery managers and generating products to communicate science in more accessible formats.
Tuesday, Oct. 5 | Protecting the Great Lakes: Policy and Politics
Tim Eder has dedicated nearly four decades to protecting, restoring, and managing the freshwater ecosystems of the North American Great Lakes. He has served in major executive, philanthropic, and advisory roles, most notably leading the interstate Great Lakes Commission and later serving as an Environmental Program Director with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and then as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Great Lakes Protection Fund.
Wednesday, Nov. 3 | Community Engagement in Water Stewardship
Allison Voglesong Zejnati is a communications and public affairs expert specializing in Great Lakes water quality science and policy. She currently serves as the Public Affairs Specialist for the International Joint Commission (IJC), Great Lakes Regional Office in Windsor, Ontario, where she works with Canadian, US and Indigenous experts from around the Great Lakes region.
AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Workshops & Presentations | Science, Health, or Technology |
The Chelsea District Library is a single branch library serving the City of Chelsea and surrounding townships. The library has 4 small study rooms, one medium meeting room, and the McKune room, our main programming room.