More than 20 volunteers needed for shoreline monitoring in 2018

If you live along the Lake Huron shoreline, or have a cottage on the lake, you can make a difference in the health of this important body of water.

No matter whether you live in Manitoulin Island, Parry Sound, Wasaga Beach, Tobermory, or Port Franks, the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation is looking for individuals, young, old, student, retired, or family teams, to monitor the shoreline or a shore near you on Lake Huron for the 2018 summer season.

The Coast Watchers volunteer monitoring program has been part of the coastal centre for almost a decade.

Coast Watchers along the shore of Lake Huron are the eyes and ears of the coast. Volunteers and lakeshore owners or visitors are the first ones to notice serious coastal issues, such as algae blooms, garbage wash-ups, inappropriate use of beaches by All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) or machinery, and many other stressors that could affect the health of humans or wildlife.

Regularly observing these events will allow the coastal centre to work with its partners to organize community beach-cleanups, investigate water quality with the health unit, and work on beach management with municipalities.

You can contribute to making a Great Lake great - become a Coast Watcher today!

As a Coast Watcher you will:

- Be the eyes and ears of the Lake Huron coast
- Pick a section of beach you will visit once per week in the summer months
- Get a Coast Watcher kit from the coastal centre with simple monitoring equipment
- Fill out the easy data sheets detailing observational data
- Submit the data monthly to the coastal centre digitally or in person
- Create change along the coast

How to get started:

- Training and equipment will be provided in March and April, 2018 - monitoring occurs between May 1, and Oct. 30, 2018
- Are you interested - fill out the on-line form before April 1, or contact the coastal centre at CoastalCentre@LakeHuron.ca or 226-421-3029
- Don’t know if you can commit but still want to get involved - give the coastal centre a call or E-mail and the centre can get you involved in some way