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Pine River Watershed Initiative Network creates wetlands, plants trees, educates at Environmental Study Area
The McLarty Environmental Study Area is located on Bruce Road 6/Side Road 20 in the Township of Township of Huron-Kinloss. It is open to the public to enjoy the great outdoors. This area is designed for people in the community to learn about the Pine River; wetland creation; and education about the local wildlife and plants that this area supports.
The Pine River Watershed Initiative Network (PRWIN) has installed a trail system throughout the area, created two wetland ponds, planted memorial trees, an Osprey nest and planted more than a thousand tree seedlings.
Community groups have enjoyed outdoor classroom experiences at the McLarty location. The 4-H Conservation Club and the Ripley Horticultural Society – For Our Youth have stopped by to enjoy nature along the river flats.
Local youth groups, clubs and day camps are welcome to experience this opportunity.
Projects in the Pine River Watershed benefit the southeast shore of Lake Huron as well as local creeks and the Pine River.
To learn more about the McLarty Centre, and the late Dr. Tom McLarty, farmer and laparoscopic surgery pioneer, visit this web page:
To find out more, please email pineriverwin@yahoo.ca
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
Here are some more photos from the McLarty Environmental Study Area:
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Student from Sarnia receives Stockholm Junior Water Prize
Congratulations go to Annabelle Rayson, a Grade 12 student at St. Patrick’s Catholic High School in Sarnia, who received the Stockholm Junior Water Prize.
HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden announced the winner during a ceremony at World Water Week 2022 (August 23 to September 1) in Stockholm.
A photo of the local student receiving the award, from the Crown Princess, is in an article by The Sarnia Observer:
Healthy Lake Huron's website published an article about Annabelle Rayson's algae research in May.
The article can be found here:
She was also interviewed this week on CBC radio:
Congratulations, Annabelle!
It's inspiring to see a young person from Lake Huron's southeast shore receiving international recognition for her research on how to improve water quality in the Great Lakes.
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Tenth Annual Ipperwash Beach Cleanup on the 10th!
You are invited to the Tenth Annual Ipperwash Beach Cleanup on Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
This 'end-of-summer' beach cleanup is looking for some volunteers so please meet at Centre Ipperwash Beach Boat Launch (end of Ipperwash Road) for a garbage cleanup with friends.
All ages are welcome.
Please be prepared for walking along sand and road surfaces.
Please wear close-toed footwear, a hat, and gloves (latex gloves and hand sanitizer will be available).
You are also invited to bring a refillable water bottle.
Please RSVP to Emily Febrey by email at efebrey@scrca.on.ca
This event is hosted with support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.
To learn more visit this web page:
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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Great Goderich Shoreline Cleanup Fundraiser takes place on Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
The Lake Huron Coastal Centre is hosting the Great Goderich Shoreline Cleanup.
When: Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cleanup locations: St. Christopher’s Beach, Goderich; and entrance to the Menesetung Bridge (the Big Rock), North Harbour Road.
We, at the Lake Huron Coastal Centre, believe this event is an opportunity to bring our community together to fight back against plastic pollution on Lake Huron.
This is a family-friendly event. It will feature a beach barbecue, courtesy of Zehrs Goderich, as a ‘Thank You’ to the incredible volunteers.
All money raised will go towards local conservation projects.
As a volunteer, you can help to keep the Goderich beaches beautiful, safe, and clean by clicking the volunteer button on the Lake Huron Coastal Centre's beach cleanup web page.
For information on how to become a sponsor for this event email the Lake Huron Coastal Centre.
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Sunset Beach Cleanup Summary: What’s on Your Beach?
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
Everyone loves Lake Huron sunsets. That’s one of the reasons we decided to enjoy the beautiful sunset glow while making our beaches cleaner at the same time.
Litter collected during our Beach Cleanup events is logged into the Ocean Wise database that collects information, on shoreline litter, nationally, to help decision-making and policy creation.
Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup is a conservation program that provides Canadians across the country the opportunity to take environmental action in their communities.
The Top Three litter types found at the Sunset Beach Cleanup events were:
Sauble Beach
- #1 Cigarette butts – 1,319
- #2 Plastic pieces – 86
- #3 Food wrappers – 46
Port Elgin
- #1 Cigarette butts – 957
- #2 Plastic pieces – 242
- #3 Food wrappers – 187
These events were made possible by Community Foundation Grey Bruce.
If you would like to volunteer for a Beach Cleanup, please visit this link:
You might also lead your own cleanup:
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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Maitland Conservation offering 100 per cent funding for stream buffers
If you are in the Maitland, Nine Mile, or Eighteen Mile River watersheds, and you’ve been thinking about planting along your stream, municipal drain, or flood plain, now is the time to act, according to Maitland Conservation.
Maitland Conservation can help landowners access 100 per cent funding for buffering watercourses in the Maitland, Nine Mile and Eighteen Mile River watersheds.
Recent funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada has been allocated to participating conservation authorities across Ontario to help with the federal government’s goal of carbon sequestration.
Maitland Conservation is focusing these planting projects in areas that “need it most in our watershed,” along vulnerable watercourses.
Planting along watercourses and flood plains creates resistance to flowing water which slows storm runoff and reduces the flooding risk downstream, according to the conservation authority. Vegetation in these areas also helps to stabilize banks, filter nutrients, and create or enhance habitat for wildlife.
Many buffers additionally act as windbreaks. This reduces soil loss from wind erosion. Buffers play an important role in keeping nutrients and soil on the land and out of watercourses. This ultimately benefits water quality in the Great Lakes, according to this conservation authority along Lake Huron’s southeast shore.
Since Huron County is predominantly rural, Maitland Conservation has been finding creative ways to buffer areas along municipal drains. In order to make sure there isn’t interference with drain maintenance, Maitland Conservation staff work closely with local Drainage Superintendents in priority areas to ensure drain function and future maintenance access are not impacted. Planting densely on only one side of the drain and then incorporating shrubs, wildflowers and widely spaced trees on the other side are ways to make sure access can be maintained.
Greg Urquhart, Forestry Technician with Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA), said word of mouth among landowners is helping to expand projects along some longer stretches of open drains.
“A 1.6-kilometre stretch of drain over four properties will be planted this fall,” he said.
In addition to open municipal drains, Maitland Conservation is also restoring marginal flood plain land that participating landowners are willing to retire. The conservation authority works closely with the landowners and various stakeholders to ensure successful projects.
“Each site is different, and every landowner has different goals on for their property,” said
Shannon Millar, Restoration Technician. “We work with all parties to come up with the best plan for each site.”
If you are interested in planting a stream buffer on your property or planning another stewardship project, you are invited to reach out to Maitland Conservation staff.
One consistent source of funding is the Huron Clean Water Project (HCWP) which is funded by the County of Huron and administered by staff at Maitland Conservation and Ausable Bayfield Conservation.
The HCWP encompasses funding for a variety of projects ranging from livestock exclusion fencing to community projects and tree planting.
Different funding opportunities pop up regularly, so call their staff to see if your project is eligible.
To learn more, contact Shannon Millar, Restoration Technician, Maitland Conservation, by email at smillar@mvca.on.ca or by phone at 519-335-3557, extension 233.
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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Microplastic Awareness Project 2021 finds microplastic presence in more than 80 per cent of 24 samples taken on Lake Huron
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
Coast Watcher citizen scientists collected 24 samples at the beginning and end of the season and found microplastic pollution in 83.3 per cent of those samples.
Tests of lake water samples in 2018 found that 95.7 per cent of the samples contained microplastic.
Microfibres were the most common microplastic found in both 2018 and 2021.
Microfibres are commonly released from clothing in washing machines. If the washing machine does not have a microfibre filter they are released into the municipal wastewater system. Since microfibres are 100 times finer than a human hair, most wastewater treatment plants do not filter the fibres before they are released into Lake Huron.
Microplastic poses a risk to humans through contamination of drinking water. More research needs to be done to better understand how ingestion of microplastics can impact human health.
We can also take personal actions that reduce microfibre pollution of the Great Lakes.
Learn more here:
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Keep the Great Lakes Great
Conservation Ontario and Ontario's 36 conservation authorities (CAs), including CAs along Lake Huron's southeast shore, have been sharing a public information campaign, on social media, called Keep the Great Lakes Great.
The Great Lakes help make Ontario a great place to live.
Whether you love to fish, swim, boat, camp, play on a sandy beach with your kids or walk along a shoreline trail, Ontario’s Great Lakes support an ecosystem that is unique in the world.
These beautiful lakes are an unparalleled treasure — holding one fifth of all the surface fresh water on Earth.
Most Ontarians live within the watersheds of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system.
We all benefit from the Great Lakes.
Their resources provide us with drinking water and energy, food and recreational opportunities.
Many of us live along, or near, a Great Lakes shore.
The Great Lakes also provide Ontario with numerous economic advantages.
The Great Lakes regional economy is the world’s third largest.
Almost 50 per cent of Canada’s manufacturing, along with 83 per cent of Ontario’s power generation, and 95 per cent of Ontario’s agricultural lands, depend on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. (SOURCE: Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks)
The Great Lakes support a rich array of plants, animals and ecosystems and are the foundation for Ontario’s strength and success.
What’s so great about the Great Lakes?
Here's a video from Environment and Climate Change Canada:
Here's a Great Lakes video from the Weather Network:
Watch this video from the United States:
#HealthyHikes #HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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Coast Watchers 2021 Annual Report – Volunteer citizen scientists collect Lake Huron data as part of Coast Watchers
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
Findings from the Coast Watchers Annual Report for 2021 include qualitative and quantitative measurements taken by Coast Watcher citizen scientists from May-October 2021.
The findings from the work of these citizen scientists enable us to compare 2021 data to previous years to determine trends over Coast Watcher’s 17-year data set.
You may learn about how atmospheric conditions, wildlife, algae blooms, beach litter, microplastics, human activity, storm and erosion damage have impacted the Lake Huron shoreline by clicking on this link:
If you are interested in becoming a Coast Watcher, please click this link:
Thanks go to all our dedicated Coast Watcher volunteer citizen scientists.
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The Bayfield Beach Shipwreck: A Story of Shoreline ‘Protection’
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
In this segment of ‘What is Buried in Your Beach?’ we will uncover how the Lynda Hindman shipwreck came to be a tourist attraction and conversation maker off the shores of Pier Beach in Bayfield.
(HISTORICAL NOTE: There are alternate spellings of Lynda. Linda has been used in some historical texts. Some sources state the boat originated from Dunkirk, New York. We wrote the specifics of the boat’s history based on a newspaper clipping sourced from the Maritime History of the Great Lakes.)
People have tried to ‘protect’ Bayfield Pier Beach, from erosion, with a variety of structural features over the years. These attempts have ranged from well-designed and coastal-engineered constructions to ‘Do-it-Yourself’ weekend-style projects.
(NOTE: Shorelines are regulated in Ontario and permits are required for any shoreline protection works so contact your local conservation authority first if you are considering any shoreline works.).
Without a reliable management plan in place it was once common to see the dumping of concrete slabs, the placing of concrete blocks (some with exposed re-bar) and triangular structures (known as Wave Busters and/or Lenson Mobile Breakwaters TM). The installation of steel, sheet pile walls, breakwaters, and groynes extending into the water was a common sight for many years.
Yet the strangest story of attempted shoreline protection in Bayfield is the Lynda Hindman shipwreck. What may have been assumed to be an accident, caused by a bad weather event or human error, was actually an attempt at wave protection for the adjacent property owned by Brigadier Dr. Morgan Smith.
The Lynda Hindman was originally known as the Steam Screw. It was owned by William A. McGonagle. It was built in Lorain, Ohio in 1908 and it weighed 355 gross tons. It changed hands to another United States family in 1936 and was renamed Marguerite W. before it found its home in Canada in 1954 with the Hindman family of Owen Sound.
The tugboat was used for their lumber business and spent most of its time in White Fish Bay and Sault Ste. Marie. Ruth Hindman was the first to officially own the boat within the family before it was passed onto Lynda Hindman, as we know it today.
A vicious Lake Huron storm broke the boat free from its cables. This caused it to be put out of commission. It was then relocated to the Goderich harbour where it sat with other scrap metal. It was purchased in 1973 by Brigadier Dr. Morgan Smith who towed it to Bayfield and pulled close to shore.
The following is an excerpt from a newspaper clipping that explains the history of the shipwreck:
“I was at the Archive Building in Bayfield last week. They have typed (verbal) records about the Lynda Hindman. Apparently, several of these old steamships were moored at Goderich, Ontario in the 1970’s awaiting dismantling for scrap sale. A resident of Bayfield purchased the stern of the Lynda Hindman and had it hauled from Goderich to Bayfield to use as a breakwall. A mishap with storms and ice stopped this procedure and the stern now sits off the shore of Bayfield, sticking out of the water about 12 feet. Most tourists believe it is a wrecked ship, but the truth is it is only the stern section and was left by this landowner in Bayfield 30 years ago. It now adds to the local lore.”
Currently the Lynda Hindman sits underneath the surface of Lake Huron after disappearing in 2018 due to high water levels.
Although it didn’t serve the shoreline with much protection from waves, it is part of the fascinating history of Bayfield.
SOURCES:
- Doom VS. (2011, November 8). The Hindman Scuttling.
- Lake Huron Coastal Centre. (2019). Bayfield Pier Beach Management Plan: Coastal Processes and Management Recommendations. Goderich.
- West, G. (1966). Lynda Hindman, C153120, sunk, abandoned, 1966. Retrieved from Maritime History of the Great Lakes.
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Global water monitoring event is chance to highlight Lake Huron water quality research
Conservation authority collects local water quality data that supports research by Great Lakes partners in Canada, U.S.
The World Water Monitoring Challenge (EarthEcho Water Challenge) is held each year to highlight work that takes place around the world to monitor water quality.
In past years, World Water Monitoring Day has been celebrated on September 18.
The EarthEcho Water Challenge now takes place between March 22 (World Water Day) and December of each year.
Find out more at:
Mari Veliz is Healthy Watersheds Manager at Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). She said this world-wide World Water Monitoring education event is a chance to highlight some of the important Great Lakes and climate research taking place locally.
“Staff at ABCA are collecting and analyzing data about water and climate at the Integrated Water and Climate Station in Parkhill,” she said. “Our conservation authority has also been a local research partner collecting information about phosphorus and other nutrients in Lake Huron and their impacts on lower Great Lakes such as Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie.”
Conservation authority staff aren’t doing this work alone. They provide boots-on-the-ground expertise and local data as part of partnerships with federal departments and provincial ministries in Canada; with education institutions; and even partners from the United States.
Conservation authority staff collect and interpret data for programs such as flood forecasting and warning; drought and low water response; and environmental monitoring of watershed conditions.
Local landowners have also been partners on research projects. Agricultural producers from the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association (HSCIA) are the leaders of the ONFarm Huronview Demonstration Farm along with the County of Huron and industry and other partners such as the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
As September 18 approaches, ABCA is sharing information on some important research projects with local participation. Watch for articles on water and climate research in Parkhill and Great Lakes phosphorus sampling and modeling on Lake Huron.
To learn more visit:
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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Local researchers work alongside U.S. scientists to study Great Lakes water quality
Research partners study nutrient loading in Lake Huron and how this impacts lower Great Lakes such as Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie
A local conservation authority has worked side by side with American researchers studying phosphorus nutrient loading in Lake Huron and its impact on lower Great Lakes such as Lake St. Clair and (through the Detroit River) Lake Erie.
The impact of nutrient loading on the Great Lakes, and the resulting potential for eutrophication, is a public health and environmental concern. Eutrophication is when there are too many nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, causing too much growth of plants such as algae. Too much algal growth leads to algal blooms. As the algae decompose, there is less dissolved oxygen in the water and other organisms, such as fish, can die. The growth of algal blooms can smell bad, block sunlight, and release toxins.
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) environmental monitoring staff began water quality research, in 2021, alongside the University of Michigan, the National Atmospheric Oceanic Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The researchers used satellite imagery to locate sediment plumes flowing from Lake Huron into the St. Clair River. They tested water in the plumes for suspended solids and total phosphorus.
Mari Veliz is ABCA Healthy Watersheds Manager. She said partnerships between U.S. and Canadian researchers make it possible to better understand the issues facing Lake Huron and the other Great Lakes. “The spread of algal blooms can have negative impacts on human health and ecology,” she said. “They can also have negative economic impacts.”
The research project found the Lake Huron phosphorus load was a significant component of the overall load affecting lower lakes. The scientists found ways to improve load estimates using turbidity and suspended sediment measures. The research found phosphorus concentrations are higher than is typically measured in most monitoring programs during ‘re-suspension’ of sediment in water, particularly during storms and high wind events.
Researchers measured water turbidity (lack of clarity that is correlated with phosphorus concentrations) and found ‘re-suspension’ events are more frequent than found in typical monitoring programs.
The researchers showed phosphorus loads from Lake Huron, estimated using turbidity from water treatment plant intakes, were almost 90 per cent higher than previous estimates.
The research shows the need to reduce nutrient loading is even greater than previously thought, according to Veliz. International partners preparing lake management plans should consider this as they update and implement their lake remediation action plans, she said.
Canadian and U.S. departments and ministries and agencies and universities often lead these research projects. Local data, collected by conservation authorities and the technical staff from the local wastewater treatment plants, also play an important role, according to Veliz.
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2022 Province-Wide Ontario Bio Strip-Till Tailgate Tour with Strip-Till and Green Planting Conversations
The 2022 Province-Wide Ontario Bio Strip-Till Tailgate Tour with Strip-Till and Green Planting Conversations is organized by St Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Field Crop Team.
This informative activity is "coming to a farm and research station near you" between September 6 and 9, 2022.
Organizers invited you to "join your neighbours and new acquaintances on all or part of the 2022 Ontario Biostrip Till and Conventional Strip Till Tailgate Tour."
There are sites located in Chatham, Huron County, Simcoe County, Dundas, Ottawa, Niagara and Brant.
"There is a stop not too far away from you," according to organizers.
This is a chance to meet with other farmers, researchers, extension and conservation authority staff and to explore the world of BioStrip Till and Conventional Strip Till farming.
The team behind the tour say you can chat with people who have different levels of experience and lots of questions.
The tour is very informal.
"Join us by parking safely on the side of the road as indicated in the site details table and maps, and meet with the host for what part of the two-hour block interests you," according to promotional materials.
The event takes place rain or shine, so bring your raincoat, rubber boots, umbrella and a lawn chair.
There are no refreshments, lunch or washroom facilities provided at the sites so organizers ask you to plan accordingly.
To learn more about Bio Strips and information on times and locations please visit this web page:
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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Huron Soil and Crop outlines cover crop benefits
Huron Soil and Crop says planting cover crops this year can build soil health to benefit next year’s crops
Now is a great time to plant cover crops, according to the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association (HSCIA).
Alan Willits, HSCIA President, said cover crops planted this year can help to preserve and build soil health which can help with next year’s crops.
There are many good reasons to plant cover crops, according to the HSCIA President.
“Cover crops help to reduce the loss of topsoil and nutrients and increase organic matter and help to create conditions that are favourable for the next year’s crop,” he said. “Those are just some of the reasons to consider planting more cover crops.”
There may be funding available to support cover crops. One funding program is the Huron Clean Water Project which has supported a Cover Crop Incentive since 2015. Ausable Bayfield and Maitland Valley conservation authorities deliver the program on behalf of the County of Huron. Willits recommends people get in touch with their local conservation authority to find out more.
“Completing an application may be as simple as a short phone call,” he said.
Landowners interested in finding out more about cover crops, and available cover crop funds, may contact Brooklyn Rau, Stewardship Technician at Ausable Bayfield at (519) 235-2610 extension 261 or Ben Van Dieten, Stewardship Projects Lead at Maitland Valley at (519) 335-3557 extension 245.
To learn more visit the Huronview Demonstration Farm website:
#HealthyLakeHuron #LandtoLake You are a #PieceofthePuzzle
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More than 30 youths take part in Coastal Conservation Youth Corps
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
We are excited to announce that the Coastal Conservation Youth Corps (CCYC) program was a huge success this summer.
The Coastal Conservation Youth Corps hosted more than 30 youths.
The Lake Huron shoreline became an outdoor classroom where they learned about beach restoration, biodiversity, invasive species, species at risk, plastic pollution, and much more.
This year (2022), the CCYC participants worked together to accomplish four Beach Cleanups, removing 63 pounds of litter, removing 11 bags of invasive species, and planting six different types of native grasses.
Thanks go to all the incredible young people who participated this summer.
Here are participant testimonials:
- “As a CCYC participant I enjoyed learning about Lake Huron’s coastal environment while meeting other participants, curious people in the community, and the Lake Huron Coastal Centre staff. Naturally when I saw a job opening to become the Coastal Education Assistant I jumped at the opportunity. I have been at the Lake Huron Coastal Centre for two months and I have loved every minute of it. It has been just as exciting as when I was a participant in the program last year.”
- “CCYC helped me to make new friends with similar interests. It has inspired me to consider a career in conservation, and it was a fun and impactful way to earn volunteer hours for high school. It is also a great way to stay active during the summer months and to make a difference in the community.”
Local youths will continue their positive impact during the final CCYC session this autumn in Goderich. We have only a few more spots left for the fall group, which happens over two weekends (September 17-18 and October 1-2). Registration is still open but spots are filling up fast.
Learn more here:
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Learn more about living along the shoreline
St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA) invites you to learn more about living along Lake Huron's shoreline and to "join the discussion."
St. Clair Conservation is encouraging people to get in contact with their planning and regulations department early when looking to purchase or build along the shoreline.
SCRCA is also providing ways for people to learn more about living with erosion.
To learn more about shoreline processes and to find out more from SCRCA resources, as well as information products from other conservation authorities, you are invited to visit the St. Clair Conservation website:
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Froggy Fest celebrates conservation, creativity
By Alyssa Bourassa, Coastal Stewardship Technician, Lake Huron Coastal Centre
Froggy Fest is a “celebration of conservation and creativity.”
When: Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Courthouse Park in Goderich alongside the Farmers’ Market.
This event is a chance for you to:
- Do froggy art with real artists.
- Learn amazing stuff from conservation experts.
- Take in a concert by Boy in December.
- Take home free seeds and other sweet giveaways.
To find out more, visit the Facebook event:
Also, visit this World Rooted Art link:
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Don't forget to visit the Healthy Lake Huron website!
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