Here are some new pilot projects recently initiated under the Framework for Community Action that are considered to be good examples of activities that could occur in your community. Check this page for updates and downloads as the pilot projects evolve.  Also check Sharing Projects and Ideas to link to current projects.

Lower Nottawasaga River Stewardship Program                  http://www2.nvca.on.ca/index.htm

The Nottawasaga River is the largest Georgian Bay tributary stream south of the Canadian Shield and includes areas where agricultural landuse predominates and some of the most rapidly developing urban areas in southern Ontario.

This pilot project, cordinated by the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA), will work with both government agency and local community partners to plan and conduct specific stewardship acitivties in the Lower Nottawasaga basin, such as:

• - Buffer strip development/land retirement
• - Livestock exclusion fencing/water crossing/alternate water source
• - Erosion control/habitat improvement (e.g. fish habitat friendly retaining walls)
• - In-channel habitat improvement
• - Riparian reforestation
• - Clean water diversion
• - Restoration of natural channel features in municipal drains
• - Implementation of municipal drain management environmental BMPs

North Gullies Subwatershed Pilot Study                        http://www.abca.on.ca/ 

The North Gullies subwatershed is located just north of Bayfield and is about 40 km2 in size and consists of a number of small streams flowing directly into Lake Huron. The watershed extends about 8 km inland from the shore of Lake Huron and about 30% of the area is woodlot and the remainder is mainly intensive agriculture. A strip of recreational development borders the shore of Lake Huron.

This pilot study is coordinated by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority and will bring interested partners and groups together to develop a long term subwatershed plan for the North Gullies subwatershed. The plan will provide a process for groups to work together to take action to enhance and protect this area. The plan will take about 3 years to complete and one of the key compoonents is to ensure the partners are motivated and engaged to follow through with the implementation strategies. 

Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve Stewardship Strategy and Guideline         http://www.gbbr.ca/ 

The Georgian Bay Littoral World Biosphere Reserve is the 13th Biosphere Reserve in Canada and the 4th Biosphere Reserve in Ontario.  Covering an area of 347,000 hectares, the reserve includes extensive shoreline, open water and adjacent mainland that make up the eastern coast of Georgian Bay,  The Biosphere Reserve is an instrument to assist in promoting environmental education and encouraging research and monitoring of the environment and human activities.

This pilot project, coordinated by the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve Inc (GBBR) is a three year program to prepare a shoreline stewardship strategy and guideline, and to initiate new or highlight existing demonstration projects to use as good examples of stewardship, rehabilitation and best management practices and policies.

Lake Huron-Georgian Bay Watershed - A Canadian Framework fo Community Action

This website is one of the pilot projects under the umbrella of the Framework.  We hope that people will use this site as a link to information and people in the watershed.