Ontario Trillium Foundation grant making waves along Lake Huron shoreline

Officials with the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation welcomed members of coastal municipalities, councils, First Nations, and the Historic Saugeen Metis to the second annual Coastal Municipal Form and Ontario Trillium Foundation recognition event, Thursday in Goderich, to learn about the progress of the Coastal Action Plan for the southeastern shoreline of Lake Huron.

Judy Keightley, local foundation grant review team member, attended to congratulate the centre’s members on receiving a $248,000 grant, and to hear more about how increased communication with shoreline residents, visitors, and organizations is already making a difference.

Also in attendance, was Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson who said the Lake Huron shoreline is home to a diverse range of ecosystems, wildlife and landscapes.

"Ensuring that efforts are coherent along the entire length of the lakeshore to protect and preserve the integrity of this biodiversity, is essential to maintaining the health and well-being of both land and lake, alike,” she said. “The support of the foundation in the development of a Coastal Action Plan is a good step that will hopefully provide organizations, municipalities and landowners with the tools they need to work together and co-ordinate conservation activities successfully, and in a timely manner.”

“This investment by the foundation to create a Coastal Action Plan for the shoreline between Sarnia and Tobermory will create a unified direction and set of recommendations to keep our shoreline healthy and resilient to change” said Hannah Cann, coastal stewardship co-ordinator and project manager of the plan.

“There is such a diversity of landowners, managers, and stewards along our lakeshore, making it challenging to stay up-to-date with the good work everyone does. Municipal forums such as this one, are an opportunity to talk about coastal features, issues, and opportunities along our lakeshore to inform sustainable management of this precious resource.”

"The generous contribution of this foundation grant enables the coastal centre to pursue a plan that will command positive action toward this coastal zone of Ontario that many value highly for both recreation and sustenance,” said Erinn Lawrie, executive director of the centre. “This grant has allowed us to expand the amount of community outreach we do and gain the perspective of landowners, lake-visitors and conservation stewards to develop a new perspective of Lake Huron.”

With the Coastal Action Plan, the centre has begun analysing the relationship between biodiversity features such as sand beaches, dunes, bluffs and gullies, and threats such as climate change, development, and increased use, to determine which best management practices could be employed along high-stress areas of the coast.

The centre supports the Canadian coastline of Lake Huron, and fosters communication and partnerships between environmental agencies and organizations, working toward a sustainable and resilient coast. The centre provides education, resources, and information on lake-wide issues and its programs reflect the inter-connectivity between land and water.

To learn more about the Coastal Action Plan or see how you can be involved, you can find more information on the coastal centre’s website at www.lakehuron.ca/coastal-action-plan