Connection! It’s so important and it comes serendipitously sometimes. Here’s a great example. This summer we hosted an information event called ‘Invasives Around Us’ here in Port Franks. We didn’t have a huge turnout, but we had the right turnout because Nick Mandrak attended. Nick is a University of Toronto professor and Program Director, Conservation and Biodiversity, UTSC Graduate Program, who lives in Grand Bend and is a big fan of the Phrag remediation done at L Lake.
Nick runs a fish study centered in the Old Ausable Channel (OAC) and at L Lake, and nearby small lakes, focused on the rare Lake Chubsucker and Pugnose Shiner, so he is well aware of the habitat improvements via Phrag removal made in our community.
After inviting Bill MacDonald – one of our directors – to present to U of T graduates at an open house event, he asked about bringing a group of 15 to 20 graduate students enrolled in the university’s Community-Engaged Biodiversity Conservation class to Lambton Shores to show them what our group has accomplished in the area. We enthusiastically embraced this – along with representatives from several of our partners working in this area and Lambton Shores’ Mayor Cook. The benefit of this as helping a large group of future environmental leaders become acutely aware of a sizeable, successful, real-world community engagement project is so valuable. It was so inspiring to hear everyone’s presentations and information sharing and passion for protecting this gem of an area. We truly are so fortunate and honoured to be part of educating others on the importance of being good stewards and protecting biodiversity in this special area. There is much more information in the pictures’ captions.
Participants:
University of Toronto, Conservation and Biodiversity graduate student group with Professors Nick Mandrak & Irena Creed
Nature Conservancy Canada- Luke King
LSPCG – Bill MacDonald, Nancy Vidler, Derek Scott, Paul Petersen, Janice & Petar Cuckovic
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority- Mari Veliz
First Nation Phragmites Control- Danalynn Williams
Lambton Shores Nature Trails- Ross Atkinson
Lambton Shores- Mayor Cook
Presenters, faculty and students met at Grog’s for a lunch and a brief overview of what we were about to see on the tour. Introductions and connections were made!Mayor Doug Cook and LSPCG Director Bill MacDonald. Bill was the bridge through which we all connected. His coordination and organization made it all happen!Phragmites phighting pioneer and foremost authority in Ontario and beyond Dr. Janice Gilbert getting to know the students.Great food – as always – at Grog’s.Ross Atkinson of LSNT and Mayor CookOpening remarks by Bill MacDonald LSPCGWelcome delivered by Mayor Doug Cook. From the beginning, we have been blessed with a council that understands and supports the importance of our work in many practical and indispensable ways.Professor Irina Creed UofT Department of Physical and Environmental Science
“This day was important both for the students and the faculty, providing a stellar example of why this course is important. Please share with all of the volunteers who came our deepest gratitude. With hopes that this is the beginning of a long term collaboration. Thank you”Nancy Vidler Chair LSPCGRoss Atkinson Chair of Operations LSNTLuke King Coordinator Habitat Restoration Program NCCMari Veliz ABCA Healthy Watersheds Manager
In Port Franks, they had the opportunity to see (literally!) how community commitment (Nancy Vidler et al.), local leadership (the Mayor!) combined with expert resources (that is you, Janice!) can protect biodiversity.
“I appreciate all the time that went into planning the day and all the effort over the years, to manage phragmites. Your commitment has inspired so many around the province already.”Danalynn Williams First Nation Phragmites ControlBill is now introducing Dr. Janice Gilbert and there’s a lot to say – more than can possibly be contained in a short introduction.Dr. Janice Gilbert speaking about the groundbreaking and innovative work undertaken in Lambton Shores over the last almost two decades to restore essential wetland habitat and biodiversity.Please visit our website lspcg.com to learn more about the incredible contributions Dr. Gilbert has made and continues to make in this area. The Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group could never have accomplished what we have without her!First stop on the tour – the municipal drain at Superior Street in Port Franks. Luke King NCC explains the difficulty of this site and it’s rather unique circumstance – the phragmites is coming from the creek beyond not the other way around.Next stop the Ausable Cut – you can see the mouth to Lake HuronWe are looking at ‘Mosquito Island’ – all local boaters are very aware of this island’s habit of disappearing and reappearing as water levels change but did you know it was once a solid and impenetrable monoculture of Phragmites? This was one of our group’s first projects.Mari Veliz and Nick Mandrak discuss the importance of the cut in terms of a healthy watershed and fish habitat. As always when talking about nature, everything is interconnected. If one system is in trouble, all of them are in trouble. Happily, remediation and responsible management can, and does, make a positive difference.We crossed the road and headed down to the foot of Huron Street where Ross Atkinson discussed the LSNT’s work to connect the waterways, make them accessible, and work with other like minded groups to restore and protect nature for future generations. LSNT installed the boardwalk and canoe/kayak launch here several years ago and many of the group’s volunteers have answered our call both here and in other project areas.Mud Creek as viewed from the launch – once a solid monoculture of Phragmites.Luke King is reminding the group that just up the creek is the municipal drain we were viewing at the beginning of the tour and he spoke about remediation work that NCC is doing along this waterway.Next it was off to the Port Franks beach – where it ALL began years ago.That’s right, the beach was once infested. LSPCG was formed to carry on the work of clearing the watershed, which had first delivered the invasive reed to the beach. It was the conception of the ‘watershed approach – now acknowledged as the best practice for dealing with the spread of Phragmites.Again, Mari and Nick speak to the interconnectedness of watershed health and biodiversity.Next stop – the L Lake wetland along Outer Drive. A very recent and ongoing project and collaboration between several stakeholders and partners, we had to bring ‘before’ photos along to illustrate just how far this wetland has come!Now here we are at the truncated (by the road) end of L Lake where Nick really became animated as this is what brought our efforts to his attention. He is ‘blown away’ by the difference in this area of the lake.
“A HUGE thank you for the time spent with us and the time it took to organize the field trip. You went way above and beyond! Your work exemplifies what can be achieved with community-based conservation. It was an excellent example for the students to witness first hand. Please extend my sincere thanks to the others who were in attendance. If you ever need a local fish guy, you know where to find him.” -NickNick explaining how extremely rare this habitat is and the fish research that has been ongoing here. This is the only spawning ground GLOBALLY for the endangered Lake Chubsucker. The Phragmites was causing the oxygen level of the water to drop and, although relatively resistant to reduced oxygen, the fish was in real danger of being extirpated. With the removal of the Phragmites, the fish are doing much better!We left Port Franks and headed out to KSPFN where Danalynn Williams of First Nation Phragmites Control gave us a tour of a successful control site.Phragmites has made a huge comeback at KSPFN after being remediated years ago – proving that it will resurge if not monitored and managed. Things are back on track now and what a difference! The Chief and band council are committed and, with the help of Danalynn and Dr. Gilbert, restoration is underway.KSPFNThe students were fascinated by the kettles!At the PointLast stop – Lambton Centre youth camp. Here the group heads down to the water. Lambton Centre is a part of our largest remediation project – the Lambton Shores Wetland Remediation Project. By far our largest project to date, this coastal wetland is located along the Lake Huron shoreline within the Municipality of Lambton Shores and covers ~59 ha (146 ac). The wetland complex has Provincially Significant and Globally Rare designations and includes the only meadowmarsh community on Lake Huron within the Carolinian Zone. The meadow marsh, emergent marsh and shallow open water communities throughout this wetland provide critical habitat for a number of species at risk including turtles, snakes, birds and plants. Working with our partners over many years and tackling areas as appropriate tools, money and resources became available we are finally seeing the end of this huge undertaking in the distance! Camp Director Laura Swan explains how the naturalized beach is being used by camp attendees.It was indeed heartwarming to hear about the great programs Lambton Centre has in place to connect youth with the natural world. We’ve come to the end of the day and Bill gives closing remarks and thanks. Thank you, Bill, for doing such a great job communicating with the University of Toronto Researchers the importance of community-based conservation. Your initial visit compelled them to make the trek to Lambton Shores. Time for a group photo! A huge THANK YOU to all of our “tour guides” who took time from your busy schedules, and in some cases, travelled long distances, to participate in the Phrag remediation tour with the University of Toronto graduate students. We sincerely appreciate you doing this, and for all the work you have done and are doing in Lambton Shores to control Phrag and restore biodiversity to one of Ontario’s natural gems. Having the opportunity to say this to you in person yesterday, on behalf of our group, was indeed a pleasure.
“Seeing all that has been accomplished to date validates the hard work and commitment everyone has shown over the past decade and a half. And to hear how this has inspired groups like Lambton Centre to make Phrag awareness a focal point of their education program with young people in their nature discovery program is heartening and encouraging for all of us concerned with how future generations will continue the work started by groups like ours.”
Bill MacDonald Director Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group “It was a true delight to host the graduate biology students from the University of Toronto and share with them the important work taking place in Kettle and Stony Point and the surrounding area. These students represent the next generation of environmental stewards, ready to carry the torch in caring for the land. Understanding the need for shoreline restoration and land stewardship is both a responsibility and a privilege, and it was inspiring to see their enthusiasm and commitment. The professors and students expressed great interest in returning to assist with future research and ongoing projects, and they especially enjoyed hearing the stories of the kettles. A special highlight of the visit was being graced by the presence of an eagle during the tour—a powerful reminder of the connection between the land, the water, and all living things.” – Danalynn Williams
