Lake Tahoe in California. Lake Malawi in Africa. Lake Como in Italy. Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Lake Michigan in our own backyard. Lakes around the world all have one thing in common: they are among the most vital natural resources on the planet, but are the most at-risk of overuse, pollution and climate change.
We're energized by the first ever World Lake Day on August 27, 2025 — created by the United Nations — to continue letting lakes take center stage. Locally and globally, Shedd has long been committed to teaching people about the importance of fresh water and safeguarding it through innovative conservation research and action. Will you join us and show love for your lakes?
Lakes contain more than 90% of the fresh water on the surface of the Earth. These natural marvels are a shared resource and lifeline for all living things, providing critical drinking water for millions of people in the U.S. alone and homes for countless plants and animals. Lakes support industry, regulate climate, store carbon, absorb floodwaters, maintain biodiversity, provide opportunities for recreation and hold significant cultural importance... and that’s just the start!
Contrary to what you might have learned in school, lakes aren’t isolated bodies of water. They are connected to everything: physically (by rivers and streams,) culturally, economically, environmentally, etc. Lakes weave together ecosystems and communities like fabric.
But fertilizers, waste and plastic are polluting lakes worldwide. Water levels are also changing dramatically due to rising temperatures and changes in cloud cover that result in less winter ice cover and more water evaporation. Animals like freshwater mussels are disappearing at rates faster than we can measure.
Though these problems seem big, so are the solutions! Long before the creation of the UN’s World Lake Day, Shedd, our partners and our communities have loved our lakes and the animals that inhabit them. Our longstanding Shedd Aquarium Action Days program removes trash and restores habitats along Lake Michigan and the Chicago River for migratory birds (even endangered piping plovers!), fishes, turtles, pollinators and more.
In 2023, Shedd championed the Great Lakes to become the first and only freshwater Mission Blue Hope Spot, a special place identified as critical to the health of our ocean and aquatic life. The same year, Shedd was named an IUCN Center for Species Survival: Freshwater, one of just 11 Centers on the planet, tasked with assessing and protecting freshwater fishes and mussels here and in Central America.
We all have a stake in lakes and a responsibility to protect them. Let’s rise to new heights to love our lakes!
Need some inspiration? Here are three simple ways to love your lake!
- Join an Action Day: Host your own community clean-up on your lakeshore, or pick up one piece of trash on your next walk around the block
- Visit the At Home on the Great Lakes gallery at Shedd: Touch an endangered lake sturgeon while you’re there!
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Act with Shedd for Endangered Species: Send a letter to your lawmakers to oppose harmful regulations against the Endangered Species Act