Copyright © Amanda Hakala
www.fullcirclesuperior.org
A Hike Around the World’s Greatest Great lake
Bringing Attention to Fresh Water
Caring for the Health of:
The Great Lakes
The Planet
People

The expedition will take Kate Crowley
and Mike Link, both in their 60s, on a
5 month hike through 3 states
(Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan)
and 1 province (Ontario) in Canada
covering over 1500 miles on foot
around the shores of Lake Superior.

Along the way they will conduct
research and help educate about this
Great Lake. They will be assisted by a
Sag wagon driver and educator,
Amanda Hakala, helping them bring
education programs to communities
around the lake and beyond.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Expedition Route
http://www.superiortrails.com/maps/superior-map.html
Can you imagine walking over 1500
miles at an average of 15 miles a day?
That is what Mike Link and Kate
Crowley are training to do starting on
April 29th, 2010. Their journey around
the lake will begin in Duluth, MN and
move counter clockwise around the
lake through Wisconsin, Michigan,
Canada and back to Duluth, MN.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Why Walk Around Lake Superior?
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
This adventure began for Mike and Kate
with a love of walking and lakes and a
desire to do something to help protect a
lake that they love, so that it will be here
for their grandkids and for many
generations of both humans and plants
and animals to come.
“We hope that we can get people to see the importance of water in their
lives and the protection of this precious resource for the future.”
Full Circle Superior’s mission is to bring
attention, education and research to
the Great Lakes and to promote healthy
water quality and fresh water
conservation now and for future
generations.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Mike Link and Kate Crowley are two grandparents in
their 60s from Minnesota who have spent the majority
of their lives caring for and educating about the natural
world. They have 4 grandkids, who they want to leave a
better, healthier world for. Each of us has an impact on
the future of the world, their goal is to show the
positive changes we can make to protect fresh water
and to make the future brighter for everyone.
Kate worked at the Minnesota Zoo and the Audubon Center
of the North Woods as an educator. She is a published
magazine and newspaper author.
Mike was the Director at the Audubon Center of the North
Woods for 38 ½ years. He has taught college classes for
Northland College and Graduate School course for Hamline
University and has been involved in a number of research
projects.
Together they have published 22 books and touched
numerous lives with their passion and vision for a better
future.
Copyright © Mike Link & Kate Crowley
Copyright © Mike Link & Kate Crowley
Wei Hao, Technical
Assistant, Webmaster
(Singapore, Canada)
Todd Starling, Canada
Segment Coordinator
(Thunder Bay, ON)
Wei Hao is a student of environmental and
conservation biology at the University of
Alberta in Canada. He supports the expedition
from behind the scenes, designing Full Circle's
website and databases, and providing technical
assistance during the hike.
"I am Mike and Kate's North Western Ontario
contact. I will be recruiting and coordinating
sponsors in North Western Ontario. I will also
be finding locations for the presentations in
Thunder Bay. My main order of business will be
welcoming Mike, Kate, and the team into this
great country.
Jennifer Johansen,
Photographer
(Minnesota)
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Amanda Hakala,
Education Coordinator,
Sag Wagon Support
(Minnesota)
Jennifer is the official photographer of the
expedition members. She owns and operates
Jennifer Johansen Photography in St. Paul, MN.
She will be generously sharing her wonderful
photography skills to document Mike and Kate as
they prepare for their hike and at points along the
way as the expedition travels around the Lake.
“I will be creating curriculum and educational
materials along with our education partners, working
with teachers and classrooms through our online
education programs, helping teach graduate classes
with Mike, helping with the research projects and
doing educational programs in communities around
the Lake with Mike and Kate. I will also be navigating
the Sag wagon vehicle and providing general support
throughout the expedition.”
In the core natural history focus of this expedition, we will
attempt to create, as completely as possible, a primary
baseline inventory of the composition and diversity of flora
and fauna of the coast of Lake Superior. Although there has
been no such cross-state/province inventory of the entire
shoreline, we certainly are not the first to undertake this kind
of project.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
A similar study, the Michigan Natural Features Inventory - a
joint project between the Nature Conservancy and the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality - analyzed
the journals of men who first surveyed Michigan in
preparation of it becoming a state. Among other things, they
contained detailed observations of flora, fauna and the
natural features of Michigan's shorelines before settlement,
dating back to the 1830s. It may be interesting to contrast
those observations with what we find, how much has changed
in the past 180 years. Aided by digital technology, we hope to
accomplish this within the summer of 2010.
Traditional methods of vegetative surveys will be
supplemented by high-resolution photography towards each
cardinal compass point of each sample plot, creating a
detailed photographic survey of the terrain.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
More conventional plot samples will be conducted at evenly
spaced intervals throughout the circumnavigation, at which
we will record the following observations:
•Date & Time
•GPS Coordinates
•Species present
•Species relative abundance
•Animal sightings, tracks or sign
•Other notable observations, e.g. environmental anomalies,
land use, particular landscape features
Copyright © Mike Link &
Kate Crowley
http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fact/cyr
o1.htm
http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fa
ct/eues1.htm
In collaboration with the Invasive Species Research Institution at
Algoma University (Canada), members of the circumnavigation will be
on the lookout for a number of invasive species throughout the hike
with GPS receivers. The locations, extents and types of the populations
encountered will be entered into a geographic database for study; it is
hoped that with the first survey of its kind covering the entire coastline
of Lake Superior, researchers and managers on both sides of the border
can use the information gathered to raise awareness of, contain, and
mitigate the threats that invasive and noxious species face to local
ecosystems and communities.
Copyright © Mike Link &
Kate Crowley
Focal invasive species for shoreline hikers
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe)
Japanese knotweed (Spiraea japonica)
Common reed (Phragmites australis)
Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Focal invasive species for the land SAG group
Blueweed / Viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare)
Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)
Dog-strangling vine / Pale swallowwort (Cynanchum rossicum)
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
http://www.nps.gov/plants/
ALIEN/fact/phau1.htm
http://www.nps.go
v/plants/ALIEN/fac
t/cest1.htm
http://www.nps.go
v/plants/ALIEN/fac
t/cest1.htm
The species surveyed were chosen by ISRI coordinators based on
the following criteria:
Known distribution & habitat
Noxious Weed lists for provinces and states around Lake
Superior
Invasive Alien species lists for provinces and states around Lake
Superior
We are collaborating with Minnesota Seagrant and the Natural Resources
Research Institute at UMD on the Lake Superior Streams project.
In essence, while "out in the field" conducting our shoreline
circumnavigation, we will be recording the measurements and locations of
all the streams/waterways that we cross, as well as collect water samples
from them. These samples and data will be forwarded to our partner
laboratories to undergo water quality and chemical data analysis.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
What do people actually know about the lake? What
are their concerns? Do attitudes change around the
lake or is this a similar feeling among all who live
around its shores?
•A questionnaire will be designed with help from
Michigan Tech, Lakehead, and SeaGrant.
•Our interviews will be random as we travel around
the shoreline creating a cross section on peoples’
relationship to this Great Lake.
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Copyright © Mike Link &
Kate Crowley
Copyright © Mike Link &
Kate Crowley
Copyright © Amanda Hakala
Education is a very important element in our expedition. Before, during
and after the expedition we will be providing:
• Online education resources for schools like yours
•And education programs in parks and communities around the lake and
throughout Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario
•To be a part of this adventure and to learn about importance of this Great
Lake and fresh water join us in learning more about Lake Superior as we
travel its shores
•And learn what we can all do to help protect its health
Center for Water
& Society
Sigurd Olson
Institute
Audubon Center
Of the North Woods
Dr. Rolf Peterson, a
professor with the School of
Forestry at Michigan
Technological University, is
one of the world's foremost
wolf biologists. He has been
conducting wolf and moose
research studies on Lake
Superior's Isle Royale since
1970.
Lonnie Dupre
During an arctic career
spanning over 20 years,
Lonnie Dupre has travelled
over 14,000 miles
throughout the high arctic
and polar regions by dog
team, ski and kayak. His
path has often followed in
the footsteps of the Arctic
explorers of the last century
- Robert E. Peary, Roald
Amundsen and Knud
Rasmussen - to the North
Pole, circumnavigating
Greenland, and beyond.
Like them, Lonnie has lived
and travelled with the Polar
Inuit, learning from these
hardy people and
developing a deep
appreciation for their
culture and way of life.
Kelly Dupre
Lonnie Dupre's wife,
has worked with
youth in a variety of
positions and age
ranges for more than
20 years, in jobs as
diverse as outdoor
educator, naturalist,
camp director,
science teacher,
coach, juvenile
probation officer, and
special education
teacher.
She is deeply
passionate about art
and writing in
addition to the
outdoors.
Dr. Alex Mayer
Dr Alex S. Mayer is a Professor
of Geological and
Environmental Engineering at
MTU. His research and
teaching focuses on
groundwater flow and
transport, a challenging and
exciting interdisciplinary field
at the confluence of a
multitude of topics, issues and
scales, ranging across
disciplines from geology and
mathematics to engineering
and conservation. A variety of
other topics capture and
engage his interests in
addition to the latter,
including sub-surface
remediation and the
environmental and social
aspects of water as a vital
resource. Dr. Mayer is the
Director of Michigan Tech's
Center for Water and Society.
Dr. William Rose
Bill Rose is a volcanologist and
professor with 38 years
experience living on Lake
Superior. He studies actively
erupting volcanoes, especially
in Latin America. He has
focussed on volcanoes and
their atmospheric effects,
using remote sensing tools.
One driving objective has been
to inform and protect
international aviation from
drifting volcanic clouds. He
teaches meteorology,
volcanology and intercultural
hazards communications. His
research is funded by the
National Science Foundation.
He works closely with outdoor
and parks education efforts
which use Lake Superior as an
educational focus.
Dr. Dan Dewey
Dan grew up in Sandstone, MN and has been
an outdoor enthusiast from an early age. He
graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College
with a degree in biology before working for the
MN Department of Natural Resources, the
Arizona Game and Fish Department then two
years of service with the US Peace Corps. The
Peace Corps inspired him to go to medical
school at the University of MN. He worked for
American Field Service as well while applying
for medical school. He completed a residency
in Family Medicine then worked for Baylor
International Pediatric AIDS Initiative in Africa
for 1 1/2 years before returning to the US to
complete a fellowship in Emergency Medicine.
Dan is the founder and president of the
international medical benevolence
organization World Altering Medicine.
He has had the opportunity to travel and work
in North, Central and South America, Europe,
Africa and Asia. He is inspired and humbled by
Mike and Kate's goal of walking around Lake
Superior. He will provide medical guidance
during the expedition.
Jerry Phillips
In 1974, Mary and Jerry Phillips
had no idea what a success their
dreams of opening Wisconsin's
first bed and breakfast would
become. They simply wanted to
"test the waters," to see if their
business plan was viable. Today
the Phillips are still living the
dreams they started out with 30
years ago with the Rittenhouse
Inn in Bayfield, Wisconsin
.
No
Photo
Available
Steve Hoecker
Steve was formerly
with the Superior
National Forest and
worked with Mike
and Kate on his
ground breaking
Resort Naturalist
program. He has been
the guiding force for
the creation of
northern Wisconsin's
premier great lake
visitor center.
Beth and Bill Blank
Bill and Beth are retired owner-operators of
the Solbakken Resort at Lutsen, MN and the
small-but-good Solbakken Bookshop. They
have lived in Lutsen since late 1979. While at
the resort we initiated development of the
North Shore Mountain Ski Trail and the
Lutsen-Tofte Tourism Association.
Beth served briefly on the founding board of
the Superior Hiking Trail Association and the
advisory board for the Audubon Center; Bill
was founder and president of the Gitchi Gami
Trail Association, a non-motorized trail
flanking Lake Superior.
Beth is a prolific quilter, originally making
quilts for all the beds in her resort; and both
are enthusiastic readers. Their interests
include both Alpine and Nordic skiing,
hiking, canoeing, and camping. Bill does
running and inline marathons and long
distance biking. Beth loves both birding and
wildflowers. As Highpointers Club members
they have visited 36 of the 50 state
highpoints.
Dawn Elmore
Dawn Elmore was born and raised in
Thunder Bay, Ontario and currently
resides in Goulais River, Ontario on the
north shore of Lake Superior near Sault
Ste. Marie. She loves the outdoors and is
an active volunteer with the Voyageur
Trail Association, a hiking club
dedicated to developing and
maintaining a continuous hiking trail for
public use across Northern Ontario,
from Manitoulin Island to Thunder Bay.
Dawn graduated from the University of
Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of
Science in Wildlife Biology, and
currently acts as Academic Development
and Project Coordinator at Algoma
University, facilitating new program
development and writing grant
proposals.
Since relocating back to northern
Ontario in 2004, Dawn and her husband
Kirk have enjoyed exploring the
wilderness north of Superior from their
home base on the Goulais River. Worldclass hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing
are all located minutes from home.