"Is the Coast Clear?" was a one-day conference, held on July 17, 2004, to bring people together interested in learning more about the state of our lake's coastal environment. With past conferences held in Goderich and Port Franks, this year's conference was the largest yet, held at the CAW Family Education Centre in Port Elgin. The conference attracted 140 participants, including cottagers, farmers, government agencies, politicians, municipal staff, businesses and community organizations.

The keynote address by Dr. Wm. Fyfe, Professor Emeritus, University of Western Ontario, provided a remarkable backdrop for the presentations that followed. His global experience with how people can affect their environment was portrayed in a manner that conference participants could relate to their own lives in southwestern Ontario. Experts from a variety of disciplines spoke on topics related to Lake Huron’s water quality, biodiversity, coastal processes, as well as the issue of climate change. The purpose of the conference was to bring people and ideas together to build on the process of developing actions to improve the environmental condition of the lake.

Water Quality

• Completion of a report for Environment Canada on historical nearshore water quality information for Lake Huron from Sarnia to Sauble Beach. Report centred on bacterial pollution, algal fouling and public complaints over the last 20 years.

• Organized groundwater public education workshops in Huron and Lambton Counties for the provincial “Well Aware” program.
  
  

Climate Change

• Participate on national Advisory Committee for the Coastal Zone Node of the Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations Research Network.

• Promote the inclusion of Centre’s climate change education resources kit into area elementary schools.

Coastal Processes

• Completion of a sand dune management plan for Sauble Beach for a local community organization called “Friends of Sauble Beach. Presented findings to Council of the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.

• Provide water levels monitoring and advisories to agencies, municipalities and the community.

• Provide technical advisory services on issues concerning coastal erosion and dune conservation.

• Presented papers at the Canadian Coastal Conference at Queen’s University, and the Carolinian Canada conference on environmental restoration at the University of Western Ontario.

Biodiversity

• Community advisory and management planning for beach restoration in Port Franks.

A Little Help from our Friends ...
Thanks to all those who assisted the Coastal Centre this year to advance the cause of coastal conservation.

• Saugeen Conservation
• Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
• Town of Saugeen Shores
• Township of Huron-Kinloss
• Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
• Town of Goderich
• Central Huron Township
• Ontario Trillium Foundation
• Environment Canada
• Ontario Ministry of the Environment
• Bruce Power
• Ontario Power Generation
• Friends of Sauble Beach
• BM Ross and Associates
• Groundhog Divers
• Greater Grand Bend Community Association
• Private donors

Other work in 2004 ...

• Completion of the Coastal Centre’s Strategic Plan.
  Development of a marketing plan for the Coastal Centre.
• Participant on Huron County Water Protection Steering Committee.
• Property Inspections for property owners, municipalities, agencies and prospective buyers of coastal property.
• Participate on the Pine River Watershed Improvement Network in Huron-Kinloss.
• Presentations at Sauble Beach community regarding dune conservation planning.
• Presentation to Lake Huron Bi-National Partnership committee on nearshore water quality.
• Centre’s website was awarded “Site of the Month” for June 2004 by the Great Lakes Information Network, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• Participated at Coastal Zone Canada conference, St. John’s, Newfoundland.
• Led field tours of the lakeshore for local field naturalists and cottage associations.
• Review technical reports for CA clients.
• Advise participating municipalities concerning local coastal issues.
• Regular media interviews on Lake Huron issues.

The Coastal Centre is a member of the Canadian Coastal Science and Engineering Association, Coastal Zone Canada, and the International Society for Ecosystem Health