The Stony Lake Heritage Foundation has recently agreed to support the Environment Council for Clear, Ston(e)y and White Lakes on a new, broadly based aquatic ecosystem monitoring initiative. The purpose of the initiative is to promote understanding, awareness and response to reduce the spread and mitigate the impacts of invasive species in Clear, Ston(e)y and White Lakes. The program will inspire and engage youth to engage in collecting and reporting wildlife observations, including species at risk.
Clear, Ston(e)y and White Lakes are subject to growing pressures from shoreline alterations and development, water level fluctuation and drawdowns, nutrient and chemical inputs impacting water quality, and climate change. Each stressor has multiple impacts. An ecosystem approach to monitoring is required to quantify and mitigate impacts on an ecosystem scale.
The project is a long-term one and will require significant collaboration and engagement with public, private and educational partners. Significant linkages have already been formed in this regard, and more capacity is steadily being added.
Due to Covid-19 there are limited opportunities for students to gain field experience in environmental programs. This project engages student volunteers as Lake Guardians to provide them invaluable training and field experience while collecting data to support long term ecosystem monitoring objectives.
The Heritage Foundation is delighted to support this project through operational funding support and through support for youth environmental bursary awards towards the cost of post-secondary education in related fields. Youth participating in the program will be eligible to apply for these bursaries.
Further information about the Lake Guardians and the Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Project is available At EnvironmentCouncil.ca or by contacting Ed Paleczny (Stoneylaketimber@gmail.com).