GBA Update Spring 2024

GUARDIANS OF THE BAY

By Katherine Denune, Chair, Guardians of the Bay Committee

T his summer will be the second year of our new conservation program to care for and monitor highly visited Crown land islands. I am excited to share this new initiative as it could serve as a model for other Georgian Bay communities. A group of approximately 20 cottagers created the Sans Souci Islands Stewards due to concerns over increasing human activity on two well-loved Crown land islands. Cottagers identified the growing number of visitors and campers, vegetation loss, and human waste as potential adverse impacts on the islands. As neighbours, we love these islands and want people to continue to enjoy them in a manner that preserves their unique environments. Collectively, our goals are to minimize human impact on the islands, create a community of passionate conservationists, and learn more about Georgian Bay's unique wildlife. Last summer, we initiated our long-term monitoring program to learn more about how visitors use the islands and the unique species that live there. Volunteers visit the islands at least once a year, fill out monitoring forms and collect any litter they find. Together, we record data on species at risk, flowering plants, visitor count, signs of human impact, types and quantities of litter, etc. We are excited to monitor tadpole populations over time. During our first season, we successfully replaced an old and worn-out camp toilet, commonly known as a "thunderbox," on one of the islands. The Outer Islands Project of White Squall in Nobel generously donated the thunderbox. In addition, the Outer Islands Project served as an excellent resource for us as they lead an ongoing volunteer effort to maintain Crown land campsites on Franklin Island and its surrounding areas. We quickly realized that installing a thunderbox was easier said than done, as the old hole was full of plastic bags and bottles that were challenging to remove. We hope that visitors will treat our new, shiny thunderbox with care and respect. Looking forward to this summer, we are excited to continue monitoring these islands and share how much we care about these special places in our community. Please consider what areas in your community could use a little help. To learn more and see our efforts from last summer, visit: bit.ly/SSCAStewards A New Community Stewardship Model stewardship program in the Sans Souci and Copperhead area. The Sans Souci Islands Stewards is a community

www.georgianbay.ca

GBA UPDATE Spring 2024

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