Dave Dempsey

ALPENA — As part of the Sanctuary Lecture Series and the 30 Days of Peace, author Dave Dempsey will speak about his book, “Lake Nation: People and the Fate of the Great Lakes,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, 500 W. Fletcher St.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for this free presentation, open to the public.

The more than 35 million people who live among the Great Lakes overwhelmingly profess devotion to these waters — yet the Lakes are in mediocre condition at best. Why the gap? Dempsey will discuss his findings for his most recent book, in which he seeks answers not in political theory, but in personal narratives. He will also draw upon his career shaping Great Lakes policy.

Dempsey has helped shape conservation and Great Lakes policy for 30 years and is an author and co-author of 11 books. He is currently a policy advisor for FLOW, a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to protecting Great Lakes waters using the public trust doctrine. His career has included policy and leadership roles for the International Joint Commission, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Michigan Environmental Council, Clean Water Action-Michigan, Michigan Council on Environmental Quality and Michigan Governor Blanchard’s Administration.

In 2009, Dempsey was awarded the annual Michigan Author Award by the Michigan Center for the Book, the Michigan Library Association and Sleeping Bear Press. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Michigan University, a master’s degree in resource development from Michigan State University, and has served as an adjunct instructor in environmental policy at Michigan State University and Western Michigan University.

From the bookcover, September 2018:

“Dave Dempsey’s previous book, ‘Last Summer on Lake Huron,’ was his diary of living by his favorite of the Great Lakes, sharing the impact that one Great Lake can have on one individual. Now, with ‘Lake Nation,’ Dempsey pulls together almost two dozen perspectives from those with first-hand knowledge of the Great Lakes, connecting the commonalities among those who value this amazing fresh water resource,” writes Tom Vance, book reviewer.