Kurt Kowalski, Ed Roseman, Mary Anne Evans, Robin DeBruyne, and Sasha Bozimowski (GLSC, Ann Arbor, Michigan) were invited to attend the US Fish and Wildlife Service Saginaw Bay-Western Lake Erie Coastal Wetland Conservation Blueprint Phase II kick-off meeting held virtually on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. Participants of this meeting discussed a common understanding of the vision and metrics that were chosen in Phase I, created a shared understanding of the currently available data, and explored approaches to measure progress. Once completed, the Blueprint will articulate a vision for the collaborative conservation community’s shared goals, needs, and mandates. Partners and stakeholders will be able to use these products to leverage funding for, plan, and implement projects while ensuring the sustainability of Saginaw Bay-Western Lake Erie ecosystem services for current and future generations.