Voices of the Lake

Voices for the Lake is an inspired project that seeks to encourage stewardship of Lake Champlain and the Lake Champlain Basin through social media, while also connecting people who care about the health of the lake with shared stories and regional resources. It’s based at the Echo Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington, Vermont. I think the idea of using social media to inspire stewardship of Lake Champlain (or really, any natural resource) is brilliant. It’s a model other groups, institutions, and individuals can borrow from.

Throughout 2009, VFL has been building an online community using a variety of social media tools. For example, with Facebook (link to VFL Facebook page), YouTube (link to VFL YouTube page) Twitter link to VFL Twitter page), VFL is experimenting with connecting the online community with the conservation community. The core of the project are the digital stories contributed by community members; communicating their thoughts, feelings, and stories about their watershed. Beyond the ECHO YouTube channel and our social media network, these videos are also shared through the popular ECHO Update e-newsletter.

In 2010, the VFL videos will be featured as part of a Google Map “mashup”, a mixture of content or elements from multiple sources. The VFL interactive watershed map will allow the user to choose and explore a menu of watershed-focused content layered in the mashup, including videos, photos, current news topics, and local activities. Two viewing and recording booths will allow people to interact with, or even contribute to, the map’s content; through rating, commenting, or recording a video.

Below is a video of Small Dog’s Kali Hilke talking about her memories of Lake Champlain. It’s just one of hunderds. Check them out on YouTube!