Our Future Vision

Our Integrated Environmental Plan (IEP) will guide Apostle Islands National Lakeshore towards more sustainable operations. Through behavioral, policy, and technological changes we are confident a greener future can be achieved and the park can be preserved and enjoyed for generations to come. Our commitment to sustainability means a commitment to strive for maximum sensitivity and protection for the parks (and the planet's) natural and cultural resources, doing so in a way that is economically sensible and considers the short and the long term impacts of our decisions. It also means valuing our role and contribution to the wider community of which the park and its staff and visitors are members of. Our bold vision calls for:

Smart Energy:

• Using the cleanest and most efficient energy options available

• Decreasing demand by modifying behaviors

• Moving toward using ground water source heat pumps to reduce the amount of fossil fuel used for heating

Ecological Integrity:

• Monitoring and mitigating the introduction and spread of exotic plants and invasive species

• Educating visitors about stewardship and how they can help the park achieve its vision

• Composting, recycling, smart purchasing, reuse and reduction efforts to minimize waste generation

• Environmentally Friendly Purchasing

• Buying and using the least amount of hazardous materials possible; non-toxic alternatives receive preference

• Considering the full impact of a product on the planet before it is purchased including what it is made of, how it was manufactured, how it will get to the park and how it will be disposed

• Giving preference to local, organic, and environmentally friendly products

• Keeping product inventories - check inventories before purchasing so duplicate products are not acquired

Low-impact Transportation:

• Encouraging visitors to use mass transit, carpool or use energy efficient vehicles to get to the park

• Using low-impact transit options within the park including bicycling, hiking, and sailboats

• Minimizing travel of park staff by using technology instead of travel for distance meetings, incorporating multiple items into one trip, and purchasing greenhouse gas offsets if necessary

Water:

• Ensuring National Park Serice and visitor activities do not contribute to the contamination of Lake Superior

• Achieving zero groundwater and bacterial contamination in the park

• Reducing water consumption to the minimum amount needed for a task

• Exploring options to reuse gray water

 

Significant changes have been made to our operations and to employee/public outreach efforts as we continue to work towards shifting people's thinking, values and actions into a long term core theme of environmental and sustainable responsibility. We are proud of the progress we have made and intend to continue along these lines with increased future efforts. Please "Do Your Part" http://www.doyourpartparks.org/ by joining with Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, or any other participating park site of your choice, to help show that significant progress can be made on our combined sustainability efforts. Thank you.

 

A new day dawns over Outer Island

NPS Photo

 

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