Strengthening collaboration for a healthier Great Lakes
In September 2025, Toledo hosted the Areas of Concern (AOC) Cross-Agency Partnership Summit, a three-day gathering that brought national attention to work in AOCs around the Great Lakes. Held at the Glass City Convention Center, the Summit convened 284 participants from 134 organizations representing federal, state, local, nonprofit, academic, private-sector, and community partners, all working toward a shared goal: restoring Great Lakes Areas of Concern and advancing progress toward delisting.
The Ohio Lake Erie Commission hosted the Summit in partnership with U.S. EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office, and proudly supported by members of the Maumee AOC Advisory Committee (MAAC).
The Summit reinforced a simple but powerful truth: long-term environmental recovery depends on strong partnerships. By bringing together practitioners from across the Great Lakes basin, the Summit created space to share lessons learned, align priorities, and strengthen relationships that directly support cleanup, restoration, and stewardship efforts.
Why it mattered
Over three days, participants engaged in:
- 33 sessions and panels featuring 34 speakers
- Interactive poster sessions highlighting real-world AOC projects
- Field trips across the Maumee AOC—including a highly attended Maumee River boat tour—to see restoration work firsthand
- Networking events at local venues such as the National Museum of the Great Lakes and tours of the US EPA’s Great Lakes Guardian
Topics ranged from contaminated sediment cleanup and habitat restoration to public engagement, funding pathways, and navigating the delisting process.
Key takeaways
- Collaboration is essential: Participants overwhelmingly identified cross-agency partnerships as the most important factor in AOC success.
- Learning by doing works: Field trips and poster sessions were among the most valued elements, helping connect planning decisions to on-the-ground outcomes.
- Connections matter: Many attendees cited informal conversations and networking as the most impactful part of the Summit.
- Support enables participation: Travel assistance helped ensure representation from AOCs across the Great Lakes, bringing diverse local perspectives into the conversation.
Looking ahead
Evaluation results showed exceptionally high satisfaction, with strong support for holding future AOC Cross-Agency Partnership Summits on a regular basis. Participants expressed interest in continued learning, more interactive sessions, and ongoing dialogue about post-delisting stewardship and long-term monitoring.
For the Maumee AOC, hosting this Summit was both a point of pride and a reminder of the important role local partners—including MAAC—play in advancing restoration, collaboration, and community stewardship.
Together, these partnerships are helping turn plans into progress and progress into lasting environmental outcomes for the AOCs and the Great Lakes.