$50,000 is going towards supporting the health of the Great Lakes, as part of a Michigan-Ontario initiative.
It’s called the Lake Huron Forever Initiative and it aims to advance Lake Huron water quality protection and healthy sustainable communities on both sides of the lake.
It was developed by community foundation and conservation partners from the United States and Canada.
Locally, the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation has received $10,000 to support its Green Ribbon Champion program, which is a restoration and stewardship program that provides advice, support, and resources to shoreline residents.
It involves a series of workshops, site visits, and restoration events though which, residents of three municipalities will learn to prepare stewardship plans for their property and also restore the beach-dune environment.
Stuart Reid, Executive Director of Community Foundation Grey Bruce says,”We are so pleased that our
bi-national efforts with the Lake Huron Forever project will have a granting impact in our region. The
Green Ribbon Campaign run by the LHCCC builds public awareness and good stewardship of shoreline
resiliency through a nature-based approach.”
Ontario’s program lead on the project is the Grey Bruce Sustainability Network.
Erinn Lawrie, Executive Director of the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation says, “We are thrilled
to be a part of the Lake Huron Forever initiative. With this funding support we will not only be able to
protect and restore the Lake Huron shoreline environment; we will be able to create a network of
community leaders who inspire others to make positive changes to protect our Great Lake over the long
term.”
Friends of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary received $25,000 to expand their existing ‘living roof’ project to maximize the overall green roof footprint and cover as much available roof surface space as possible with vegetation to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff on the Thunder Bay River and Lake Huron.
Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy received $15,000 to work with local communities to develop a set of recommendations for amending local ordinances that support green infrastructure to reduce runoff contamination and slow the fast flush of rainwater into Bay County rivers and lakes. The funding will also aid in site selection and engineering design for a pilot project to model green infrastructure improvements for bay area communities.
Lake Huron Forever started with partners from Canada and the U.S. looking at water quality challenges faced by communities on both sides of the lake.
This funding is made available through a partnership with the Council of Michigan Foundations and the Great Lakes Protection Fund.