\nZoom link: https:\/\/wisconsin-edu.zoom.us\/j\/92187019071<\/span><\/p>\n
The Lake Superior Water Trail (LSWT) presents a complex governance challenge, spanning international boundaries, three U.S. states, and twelve Indigenous nations. Unlike federally designated National Scenic Trails, the LSWT lacks a unified management structure on the United States side, resulting in fragmented administration and inconsistent stewardship. This study investigated a sample of governance entities, their stakeholder roles, and community engagement strategies to characterize the overarching governance models currently shaping the Trail\u2019s development across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.<\/span><\/p>\n Conducting 47 semi-structured interviews ranging from local to federal public agencies, tribal organizations, and non-governmental organizations, this study applied theoretical thematic coding based on four pre-established conceptual frameworks: types of governance entities, stakeholder roles, the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation and the Democracy Cube. The analysis identified two governance models in action: the Public-Nonprofit Combination Model in Minnesota, where government agencies provide oversight and infrastructure while nonprofits handle outreach and volunteer coordination; and the Traditional-Community Model in Wisconsin and Michigan, defined by decentralized decision-making and informal local consensus, often lacking official regulatory designations.<\/span><\/p>\n This study recommend<\/span>s the establishment of a \u201cLake Superior Water Trail Collaborative\u201d with a primary role of cross-jurisdictional coordination. Future planning must evolve beyond physical implementation to prioritize mutual benefit for trail communities, explicitly defining the Trail\u2019s value to local economies, cultures, and environments. This will position the LSWT as a cornerstone of a broader Great Lakes Coastal Trail Network.<\/p>\n Cami Armendariz, Water Policy and Science Communications Fellow (2024-2026), will present her thesis research on the governance of the Lake Superior Water Trail on March 11th. Location: SFS Ballroom & Zoom Zoom link: https:\/\/wisconsin-edu.zoom.us\/j\/92187019071 The Lake Superior Water Trail (LSWT) …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38548,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_tribe_events_status":"","_tribe_events_status_reason":"","_tribe_events_is_hybrid":"","_tribe_events_is_virtual":"","_tribe_events_virtual_video_source":"","_tribe_events_virtual_embed_video":"","_tribe_events_virtual_linked_button_text":"","_tribe_events_virtual_linked_button":"","_tribe_events_virtual_show_embed_at":"","_tribe_events_virtual_show_embed_to":[],"_tribe_events_virtual_show_on_event":"","_tribe_events_virtual_show_on_views":"","_tribe_events_virtual_url":"","footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"tags":[],"tribe_events_cat":[],"class_list":["post-3314","tribe_events","type-tribe_events","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n![](\"https:\/\/superiorconservancy.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/map_lake_superior_water_trail.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"