In the heart of the Great Lakes, where the Detroit River connects millions across two countries, the University of Windsor hosted a first-of-its-kind workshop to strengthen cross-border stewardship of shared waterways.
The University partnered with the Detroit-Windsor United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) to welcome the International Joint Commission's (IJC) Great Lakes Water Quality Board for a two-day event held Nov. 20 and 21.
The workshop marked a milestone in cross-border collaboration, bringing together leaders, researchers and students from UWindsor and Wayne State University to address restoration, sustainability and resilience in the Detroit River watershed.
"This was a multinational gathering that brought together scientific experts and community groups from across the region," said Dr. Lee Rodney, interim special advisor to the provost for the RCE.
"We discussed the need to shift the language of monitoring from areas of concern' to areas of care' so communities can build a stronger sense of purpose in shared stewardship."
Participants explored a range of topics, including water remediation, environmental justice and cross-border policy. Central to the discussions was the belief that ecological restoration and social revitalization must go hand in hand - healthy communities depend on healthy ecosystems.
Raj Bejankiwar, a physical scientist with the IJC's Great Lakes Regional Office in Windsor, spoke about how restoration strategies have evolved. He noted that while past efforts rightly focused on removing legacy pollutants such as mercury and pesticides, the future demands a more holistic approach.
"Learning from Indigenous perspectives that all things are connected, a holistic approach to planning and implementing restoration helps keep the lakes, communities and local economies healthy," said Bejankiwar. "Genuine and thorough involvement of every section of the community is essential for future revitalization efforts."
Participants reflected how pollution and climate change continue to disproportionately affect communities along the river, underscoring the need to include residents' voices in the processes for planning solutions.
Community leaders emphasized that locally informed solutions, grounded in lived experience, lead to more meaningful and lasting outcomes.
Students from both sides of the border played a key role, presenting research, joining interactive discussions and connecting with faculty and environmental professionals.
The workshop gave students a chance to apply classroom learning to real-world issues, while reinforcing the importance of collaboration in protecting shared waters.
"Being part of this discussion showed me how essential community is in creating environmental change," said Allison Ware, a Detroit-Windsor UN RCE fellow. "Seeing strong Indigenous representation and hearing from leaders across the region was eye-opening and encouraging."
Ware said the experience strengthened her belief in shared responsibility.
"We are all keepers of our waterways," she said. "As someone who grew up along Lake Erie, it was inspiring to see so much empathy and passion for protecting the places we depend on."
The workshop closed with a forward-looking focus on next steps, including ongoing research partnerships, deeper community engagement and sustained knowledge sharing between UWindsor, Wayne State and the IJC's Great Lakes Water Quality Board.
Organizers said the event has built momentum for continued binational action on water quality, environmental health and community resilience, aligning with the University of Windsor's commitment to collaborative, community-connected research across the Great Lakes region.
