• Patrick Donnelly, MCIP, RPP, M.Sc.

Patrick is a +20 year veteran of watershed and coastal zone management. His experience has focused on community environmental awareness, shoreline stewardship and water management.

He currently serves as the Watershed Program Manager for the City of London.

His experience as a Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and a Registered Professional Planner with a Masters of Science Degree provides a wide range of tools and knowledge to the benefit of the shoreline projects and community initiatives. His skill in communicating complex issues and principles to a wide audience including cottagers, urbanites, government officials, council members and interest groups has successfully steered many projects.

His past employment with both provincial and municipal government plus with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority as Planning Supervisor, has provided a broad perspective on government programs and policies, incentives and disincentives. As a private consultant working first with the Lambton County Planning Department as an Environmental Planner, and second with PEIL Consultants in Kitchener as a Senior Environmental Planner have provided Patrick with considerable expertise related to provincial natural heritage and hazard policies, shoreline stewardship initiatives, and conservation projects.

As co-founder of the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, he provides advice and guidance to the Board of Directors. The Coastal Centre is a registered non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to the conservation and wise stewardship of the Lake Huron shoreline. The Centre’s emphasis is on education, research, bi-national management and planning, community outreach and technical advisory services. The four focus areas are water quality, coastal processes, biodiversity and climate change.

• Geoffrey Peach, Hons. B.A., CCEP

Geoff has spent most of his life as a cottager along Lake Huron. Professionally, he has been involved in the conservation of Great Lakes coastal environments for over 20 years. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Geoff went on to work on an MNR wetlands evaluation team conducting biotic and abiotic inventories. He then worked with the St Clair Region Conservation Authority in land use planning, familiarizing himself with the southern Lake Huron shores.

He then spent 10 years as Shoreline Management Coordinator with the Saugeen Valley and Maitland Valley Conservation Authorities where he was involved in a number of research, policy and planning, restoration and education projects related to the coastal environment. He also managed the Goderich Bluff Biotechnical Slope Stabilization Project, and the Clark's Creek Erosion Control Project, which used innovative techniques to stabilize a coastal bluff and a creek estuary using environmentally compatible methods. Geoff has developed considerable expertise in dune ecology and dune conservation, with major restoration projects including the Chantry Dunes and the Southampton Beach Erosion Control projects in the Town of Saugeen Shores.

Geoff co-founded the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, a registered non-profit charitable organization, dedicated to the conservation and wise stewardship of the Lake Huron shoreline. The Centre's emphasis is on education, research, bi-national management and planning, community outreach and technical advisory services.

Recent work has included research on the implications of climate change on Lake Huron's coastal communities, developing education curriculum resources materials for elementary students on coastal issues (including resource kits on Beach & Dune Ecosystems and on Climate Change implications for Lake Huron), protection of the endangered dune plant 'Pitcher's Thistle' along Lake Huron, development of a guidance manual for beach and dune management for the Town of Saugeen Shores, as well as for Providence Bay on Manitoulin Island, and the development of a Conservation Plan for Sauble Beach.

Geoff sits on a national Steering Committee on Climate Change and Canada's Coastal Zones, is a regional juror for the International Blue Flag Program and provides advice to local municipalities on coastal related issues.

His coastal management experience includes land use planning, coastal geomorphology, education and community stewardship initiatives. Geoff' work has focused on the area north of Goderich, and therefore, is the lead staff member in this area.

Both staff are members of the Canadian Coastal Science and Engineering Association and have kept their professional accreditations current with attendance at coastal conferences and their participation in courses on coastal issues and trends.