SUCCESS STORIES

Lake Planning and Water Quality Improvement

Lake Erie Water Quality Improvement

By the mid 1970s, Lake Erie was choked with masses of decaying algae due to over-fertilization with human waste, farm chemicals and phosphate detergents. By the mid 1980s, restoration efforts by the governments of Canada and United States, under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement resulted in nutrient levels to dropping back to acceptable, sustainable levels. However, in recent years, nutrient levels are once again rising, and fish stocks are declining. The governments of Canada and the United States have developed a Lakewide Management Plan for Lake Eire to address the reoccurring problems of nutrient and sediment loading, habitat loss and the invasion of non-native species.Read more.

Charleston Lake Management Plan

Local interest groups have begun the process of preparing a Lake Management Plan for Charleston Lake in eastern Ontario to ensure the health and natural beauty of the lake and surrounding ecosystems. Part of this process is determining present lake health and threshold levels for development and recreational activities. The Charleston Lake Association will raise public awareness on lake quality issues by organizing visioning sessions, public information and educational workshops, and shoreline stewardship visits. Read more.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Nonpoint Source Success Stories (Section 319)

This website features projects receiving grants (from the Section 319 Program) that have achieved documented water quality improvements. Read more.

Septic Re-Inspections & Septic Alternatives

Chelsea, Quebec - Septic Reinspection Program

In 1991, the municipality Chelsea, Quebec, a community located north of Ottawa, established a mandatory septic reinspection and pump out program for residential septic tanks.

Lake Skaneateles, New York - Composting Toilet Program

Lake Skaneateles, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, is the source of drinking water for the city of Syracuse. Since there are also many cottages and homes on Skaneateles, the drinking water quality depends on sustainable waste management practices. In 1998, the City of Syracuse initiated a pilot project to encourage residents on the lake to install composting toilets. By the end of 2002, a Sun-Mar composting toilet was installed in 69 cottages and homes on the lake. Read more.

Tay Valley Township, Ontario - Septic Reinspection Program

The Tay Valley Township in Lanark County, Ontario initiated a septic re-inspection program. The program involves a visual inspection of the site - looking for signs of failure, such as breakout, erosion, pipes on surface, etc. as well as an inspection of the tank to determine whether its functioning properly. The municipality contracts the work out to Mississippi Valley Conservation and the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, who conduct the inspections and summarize the results in a report for the township and the homeowners who participated. Contact Sarah Wilie, Septic Inspector at the Tay Valley Septic Office, (Mississippi Valley Conservation) at 613-259-2421 or email for more information. Read more.

Township of Archipelago, Ontario - Septic Reinspection Program

In 1999, the Township of Archipelago, in the District of Perry Sound, Ontario initiated a 5-year septic re-inspection program. The program involves the inspection of all existing septic systems in the Township, in order to identify and bring unsafe systems into compliance with the Ontario Building Code.

Barrie, Ontario - Water Conservation for Wastewater Reduction

The City of Barrie, Ontario with the Ontario Clean Water Agency and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment worked together to help reduce wastewater flows by implementing a water conservation program. The goal of the program, launched in 1995, was to reduce water consumption in 15,000 households by 50 litres/per person/per day. Showerheads and toilets using excessive amounts of water were replaced with low-flow and low-flush versions. Read more.

Centre for Sustainable Watersheds - Wastewater Garden

Centre for Sustainable Watersheds installed Canada's first Wastewater Garden at their headquarters in Portland-on-the-Rideau in July 2004 to eliminate the need for pumping out their holding tank. The zero discharge system treats all the wastewater from their offices, and eliminates the risk of nutrient and pathogen leaching to the environment. Read more.

Wells and Drinking Water

Green Communities Association Well Aware' Outreach & Education Program

Well Aware is a information-sharing project initiated by the Green Communities Association to raise awareness among private well-owners and communities about the importance of properly maintaining wells and protecting wells from contamination. Read more.

Muncipality of Chelsea and Chelsea H20, Quebec - Well Water Monitoring Program

The Muncipality of Chelsea, Quebec offers a Water Research and Monitoring Program to residents called H2O Chelsea. The voluntary program involves collecting data on the quantity and quality of ground and surface water in the community and distributing a survey to residents to gather important water quality information. Read more.

Shoreline Stewardship

M.A.P.L.E - Volunteer Native Species Nursery

M.A.P.L.E., the Mutual Association for the Protection of Lake Environment in Ontario, is a non-profit organization that focuses on promoting the restoration and enhancement of shoreline property by encouraging the maintenance of natural shorelines and revegetating waterfronts. M.A.P.L.E. propagates native shrubs and plants at their nursery at Christie Lake near Perth, Ontario. The plants are available free of charge in exchange for volunteer time or in some cases a monetary donation. Red osier dogwood, virginia creeper, and willows are some of the plants currently available. Read more.

Ontario Living by Water Project

Centre for Sustainable Watersheds is the Ontario coordinator for the Living By Water Project, a national shoreline stewardship outreach program targeted to shoreline homeowners, realtors, municipal leaders, and other water resource stakeholders. They offer a number of programs and resources to help groups and individuals raise awareness about the importance of natural shorelines to protect water quality and ecosystem health. Read more.

The Living by Water Project National Program

The Living By Water Project is a national shoreline stewardship outreach program developed to help shoreline homeowners, realtors, municipal leaders, and other water resource stakeholders obtain the information they require to protect their shorelines. Two shoreline residents from British Columbia began the project in 1997 and today the LBW partnership has several regional coordinators across Canada. Coordinators are committed to helping shoreline residents protect their property, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat. The project helps groups obtain the materials, services, and support to deliver outreach programs designed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting shorelines. Read more.

Peterborough Green Up Water Protectors Program

Peterborough Green Up's Water Protectors Program tackles water quality and water conservation issues, shoreline restoration and pesticide elimination. Peterborough Green-Up worked with the Stony-Stoney Lake Environment Council in the summer of 2002, visiting interested cottagers and providing one on one assistance in “greening” their waterfront. Green-Up also offers workshops and attending special meetings to promote both the aims of the program and the program itself. Read more.

Muskoka Heritage Foundation & Watershed Council

Muskoka Heritage Foundation has developed a 'Take Action' Program to show the importance of individual action in watershed protection. The campaign includes 'The Clean & Green 13' - 13 things you can do to improve the watershed, 10 steps for responsible pesticide use, healthy living fact sheets, and boating naturally. Read more.

Pesticide Bans and Reductions

Green Communities Assocation - Pesticide Free Naturally

Pesticide Free Naturally is a pesticide reduction campaign launched by the Green Communities Association, a national network of community-based non-profit organizations, that focus on household and community action. They created a Pesticide Action Kits that includes information as well as a Pesticide Free Naturally lawn sign. Read more.

Municipality of Chelsea, Quebec - Pesticide Ban

The municipality of Chelsea, Quebec has passed a by-law to ban the use of pesticides for aesthetic purposes. Read more.

Halifax, NS - Phased Pesticide Ban

In 2000, Halifax introduced a by-law, to reduce the use of pesticides on municipal and residential properties. The municipality phased in the by-law over several years, while informing residents of suitable alternatives for sustainable turf maintenance. By April 1, 2003, a general ban came into effect on use of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides for the maintenance of trees, shrubs, flowers, turf, and other ornamental plants on all residential and municipal properties in the Halifax Region. Read more.

Britannia Community Garden, Ottawa ON - Pesticide Free Community Garden

Britannia Community Garden, located in the west end of Ottawa, Ontario is a successful pesticide free garden that was started in 1991 by a group of volunteers. Most of the plants in the garden were donated by local gardeners. Besides natural compost, nothing is added to this garden, not even water.Read more.

Solid Waste

Municipality of Chelsea - Composting Classes

Several times a year the Municipality of Chelsea offers free introductory composting workshops to residents. The Muncipality also has its own permanent composting site, which also serves as a demonstration site for residents. Read more.

Biosphere Exchange - Thousand Islands - Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve

The Thousand Islands - Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve has set up a cyber exchange to faciliate reuse of industrial and residential items. It also provides a ride sharing board. Read more.

Rideau Reuses Online Exchange

This regional online service helps to divert goods from landfill sites to new homes by providing a forum to foster the exchange and reuse of residential items that might otherwise become waste materials. Read more.

Stormwater

Toronto, ON - Stormwater Best Management Practices

The City of Toronto has initiated a study to identify the preferred methods for managing stormwater runoff in the Earl Bales Park drainage area. The goal of the study is to recommend the best stormwater management strategies to improve the water quality of the West Don River, and to reduce erosion in streams in Earl Bales Park. Read more.

Salmon Arm, BC - Stormwater Management Plan

The District of Salmon Arm, British Columbia has conducted several storm drainage studies aimed at managing surface runoff from development. These studies have helped to identify individual drainage basins and their drainage characteristics and also helped to reveal areas for improvement. Provisions for drainage solutions are included in the District's Liquid Waste Management Plan. Read more.

Rideau Lakes Lakeside Village Stormwater Assessment

In partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, Township of Rideau Lakes, and Rideau Lakes Environmental Foundation, Centre for Sustainable Watersheds and the Big Rideau Lake Association have completed a preliminary investigation of the impacts of stormwater run-off from two lakeside villages- Portland and Rideau Ferry - on water quality in Rideau Lake. Read more.

Wildlife Habitat Protection & Connectivity

Algonquin to Adirondack Conservation Association (A2A)

The Algonquin to Adirondack Conservation Association (A2A) is working on linking Algonquin Park in Ontario and Adirondack Park in New York, to connect two of the oldest and largest parks in eastern North America to preserve and restore connectivity in wildlife habitat while respecting sustainable human land uses. Read more.

Ontario Land Trust Alliance

The Ontario Land Trust Alliance is a non-profit organization developed to encourage and support the land trust movement throughout Ontario. They provide administrative and professional support to a province-wide network of member groups, and have developed a set of standards and practices regarding the broad spectrum of land trust activities. They work with land trusts that protect wilderness, agricultural and other lands, water and facilities that have a natural, cultural or heritage significance to communities throughout Ontario.Read more.

Rice Lake Plains, Ontario - Habitat Restoration

Nature Conservancy Canada and various partners are currently involved in a habitat restoration project in the Rice Lake Plains, an area located southeast of Peterborough, Ontario. The once thriving savanna and prairie habitat is now fragmented and overgrown with non-native species. Read more.

Big Rideau Lake Association Loon Monitoring & Protection Program

The Big Rideau Lake Association has participated in the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey to look at long-term population trends and nesting success of loons on their lake. As well, to help mitigate impacts of heavy boat traffic and fluctuating water levels, the lake association built and is maintaining eight loon nesting platforms on Rideau Lake to provide alternative safe nesting locations for loons. Read more.

Species at Risk

Endangered Species Recovery Fund

Environment Canada and the World Wildlife Fund-Canada launched the Endangered Species Recovery Fund in 1988 to fund research and education projects aimed at recovery of Species at Risk in Canada. Read more.

Charleston Lake Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project

In 2001, the Leeds County Stewardship Council, in cooperation with the Canadian Peregrine Foundation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources started a Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project on Charleston Lake in southeastern Ontario. The goals of the three-year project are to reestablish a breeding population of Peregrine Falcons, which are listed as threatened, by releasing them into the wild and raising awareness about their endangered status.

Wilds of Pelee Island

With approximately 40 species at risk , Pelee Island, Ontario has the largest concentration of Species at Risk in Canada. The Wilds of Pelee Island is a charitable organization that works together with volunteers to protect species at risk by restoring ecosystems, and conserving existing habitats.

Backyard Habitat Program of Essex County and Windsor

Loss of habitat is a major factor in species loss in Essex County, Ontario. The Backyard Habitat Program of Essex County and Windsor is a non-profit, community initiative supported by Parks Canada that provides education and encouragement towards creating wildlife habitat in private backyards and protecting Species at Risk. Read more.

Fisheries Habitat Protection

Ontario Stream Restoration website

The Ontario Stream Restoration website is a source of information on streams, including a detailed outline and history of the need for stream and fish habitat restoration, restoration techniques, and a detailed list of successful stream restoration projects and contact information. Most of the projects listed rely heavily on volunteers and community support. Read more.

Upper Credit River Rehabilitation Initiative

In 2003, Credit Valley Conservation and members of the Upper Credit River Rehabilitation Initiative were presented an award by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources recognizing their achievements in fish habitat conservation. The Upper Credit River supports a valuable brook, brown and rainbow trout population as well as Chinook and Coho salmon.

Kawartha Fisheries Association - Walleye Spawning Habitat

The Kawartha Fisheries Association, a volunteer-operated, community-based organization formed in 1996 to help protect the Kawartha Lakes and its fisheries, in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Trent-Severn Waterway, and Trent University successfully created walleye spawning habitat by piling rocks on the ice on Pigeon, Scugog, and Balsam Lakes in the Kawarthas of Ontario. Read more.

Township of Delhi, Ontario - Migratory Fishway

In May 1994, the Township of Delhi, Ontario constructed a Migratory Fishway to allow the migration of fish from the lower to the upper end of the Quance Dam in the Big Creek watershed. The migration of brook and rainbow trout had been previously blocked by the dam.

Rideau Lake Shoreline Inventory

Centre for Sustainable Watersheds in partnership with Parks Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is conducting a shoreline and littoral zone survey of Rideau Lake (Big and Lower). This three year project involves mapping fisheries habitat information in the littoral (shallow water) zone as well as upland development and land use.

Wetland Restoration and Protection

Beechwood Wetland Restoration

In the spring and fall of 2003, volunteers helped to restore the Beechwood Wetland, one of Toronto's many wetlands that have been drained and develothis newly planted vegetation and to control invasive plants. The site has since had some success in attracting wildlife back to the area. Read more.

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Ducks Unlimited Canada is a non-profit organization, dedicated to wetland and wildlife conservation. Read more.

Green Boating

Ontario Marine Operators Association - Clean Marine Program

The Clean Marine Program, developed by the Ontario Marine Operators Association in partnership with other marine industry professionals and boaters’ and anglers’ associations, is a voluntary program to encourage marinas to implement environmental best management practices. Read more.

Boating Naturally Program - Muskoka Heritage Foundation & Watershed Council

The Muskoka Heritage Foundation and Muskoka Watershed Council have developed a website to raise awareness about the importance of clean boating and to promote Clean Marinas in their area. Read more.

California Air Resource Board - Exhaust Emission Standards

In 1998, the California Air Resource Board adopted exhaust emission standards for new engines to reduce emissions from outboard engines and personal watercraft. In addition, some lakes in California do not allow the use of carbureted 2-stroke engines. Read more.

Georgia Strait Alliance - Green Boating Guide

Georgia Strait Alliance was formed in 1990 by individuals concerned protecting and restoring the marine environment and to promote the sustainability of the Georgia Straight, located between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island. GSA works with boaters, marina operators, government officials and others in the region to promote “green” approaches to boating and have developed a Green Boating Guide. The Guide offers tips on sewage disposal, engine maintainence, and other issues concerning boaters. Read more.

Light Pollution

Ecology of the Night Symposium - Muskoka Heritage Foundation & Watershed Council

The Muskoka Heritage Foundation and the Muskoka Watershed Council hosted the international Ecology of the Night Symposium in September 2003 at the Leslie M. Frost Centre. Discussions included, the ecological value of the night, effects of light pollution on human health and the natural environment, and solutions for the light pollution problem. Recommendations were made on what individuals can do at a local level to decrease light pollution. Read more.

Environmental Monitoring

CitizenScience.ca

citizenscience.ca, hosted by the Canada Stewardship Portal and Wildlife Habitat Canada, has developed a directory and map of monitoring initiatives across Canada, so visitors can find out about different monitoring initiatives across the country. Read more.

Ontario Ministry of the Environment - Lake Partner Program

The Lake Partner Program, an initiative of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, supports community volunteers to observe changes in the water quality of individual lakes. Volunteers measure and collect information on water clarity and phosphorusl levels in over 1000 lakes across Ontario. Read more.

Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Environment Canada have initiated an informal partnership to promote an aquatic, macroinvertebrate monitoring network for lakes, streams, and wetlands. The resultant Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) provides a framework for evaluating aquatic ecosystem condition using shallow-water benthos. Read more.

Muskoka Watershed Council - Watershed Report Card

The Muskoka Watershed Council carried out consultations with a number of stakeholders to develop relevant indicators for their comprehensive, yet easy-to-read watershed report card. Read more.

The Streamkeepers Program, BC

The Streamkeepers Program was developed to protect and restore waterways in British Columbia and the Yukon. It provides volunteers with training, guidance, and support required to protect and restore aquatic habitat. It provides support for more than 150 volunteer groups to participate in various environmental monitoring programs including water quality and stream benthic invertebrate surveys. Read more.

Citizens' Environment Watch

Citizens' Environment Watch is a Toronto based organization that has worked together with Environment Canada's Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) on a lichen monitoring initiative that relies on volunteers to map lichen diversity and abundance to explore local air quality issues in the target areas of Toronto, Niagara, Peterborough, and Pembroke. Read more.

The Niagara Escarpment One Monitoring Program

The Niagara Escarpment One Monitoring Program, lauched in 1995 as part of the Niagara Escarpment Plan, includes forest plot biodiversity monitoring. The program is conducted by University of Waterloo students every summer using a protocol established by the Smithsonian Institute and endorsed by EMAN. This monitoring program provides information on tree species, abundance, and diversity, long term trends in forest growth and the impacts of disturbance. Read more.

Ecosystem Monitoring Council of Ontario

In June 2004, 55 individuals representating from conservation authorities, stewardship councils, municipalities, federal government, provincial government as well as volunteer monitoring groups came together as a first step towards development of an integrated monitoring approach for the province of Ontario. Key issues such as data management, protocols, training were addressed, and several working groups have been formed. Read more.

Watershed Report Card

Watershed Report Card A coalition of concerned citizens, professionals and government agencies has developed the Watershed Report Card for use by community groups and schools to assist groups in learning what a watershed is and how it functions as well as assisting them in targeting priority areas for action, monitoring and restoration. Read more.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

eco-Perth

eco-Perth is a nonprofit organization in Perth, Ontario that was formed to take positive action against Climate Change. Read about various past, current, and future projects focused on reducing emissions, including anti-idling signage that has been placed around town, the commuter bus to Ottawa, and the eco-Ride program - an online notice board designed to encourage carpool matches. Read more.

Green Communities Association - EnerGuide Home Visits

The Green Communities Association has developed the Energuide Home Visit as a tool to encourage Canadians to increase energy efficiency in their homes, benefit from improved comforts and lower energy bills, and make a contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Read more.

Edmonton Automobile Cooperative

The Alberta Environmental Network created Edmonton Automobile Cooperative, a nonprofit car sharing organization. The goal of this EcoAction funded program resulted in fewer cars on the road – which in turn means reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Read more.

Partners for Climate Change Protection (PCP)

A partnership between the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, this program is a network of more than 120 Canadian municipal governments who have committed to reducing greenhouse gases and acting on climate change. Read more.

Water Education and Raising Awareness about Water Resource Issues

Waterlution

This Toronto based organization offers water learning programs to inspire pattern-making an d pattern-breaking changes towards a healthy and sustainable relationship water. Through their water learning programs and workshops they engage individuals, organizations and communities in exploring issues facing our local and global water supply with the goal of developing solutions that respect our water and ecosystem. Read more