PaBIA's eBlast March 31, 2021

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Volume 13 No. 5

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Greetings!

Happy Easter/Passover week to everyone!

There is some news on the issue of the border reopening in the future...so read the news from the GBA below. As well there is good news from GBF on the dock foam pollution Bill 288 that should be of great interest as well as the findings from the GBA/GBF Water Level symposium from last fall. Finally don't miss the Online programs put on by both GBLT and GBB as they have been very well received.

And, the news from PaB is that the ice is beginning to thin out and is open from the station to at least Poplar Island! Looks like an early ice-out!

In this eBlast:

GBA's Communication re: US/Canadian Border Opening
GBF's Dock Foam Pollution Bill 228 Update
Correction Photo Contest Category WINNER - Libby Hunter
GBA/GBF Update: Driving Consensus on Water Levels
GBLT - Landmark Speaker Series April 17th
Georgian Bay Biosphere Webinar Series April 8th
Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels - March 29, 2021

Of Interest

PaBIA has been following up on our promise to work through GBA who represents all associations to our government in the matter of opening the US/Canada border. This letter is the work of the GBA executive and in large measure to our own PaBIA Director, Mark Gwozdecky, and his input on how best to petition our leaders. To that end, John Carson, President of GBA, released this letter below

GBA Letter to government re opening the border....

Photo Contest Winner - Natural Wonder Category

This is the correct photo that won this category!

Sunset Heaven

by Libby Hunter

In this photo is reflected all of my gratitude for having the good fortune to have had ancestors who, more than one hundred years ago, found themselves here and fell in love, not only with the land but with each other.

Dock Foam Pollution

Bill 228 Update

Shoreline cleanups have shown that unencapsulated polystyrene (PS) from docks is a litter menace on Georgian Bay shorelines. MPP Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka) introduced Private Member's Bill 228 to ban future unencapsulated PS foam used in docks.

The Bill is advancing quickly, passing second reading on February 23rd with widespread support. On March 22nd, hearings were held by the Ontario Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills (Committee). The Township of The Archipelago, The Township of Georgian Bay, the Georgian Bay Association (GBA), the Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations, Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) and several others presented to the committee as they consider amendments to the original Bill.

Click here for GBF's 7 minute presentation summary on environmental effects.

Next steps:

Once the Committee has finished deliberating, the Bill is then submitted back to the Assembly as a “Report to the House” at which point it could proceed to the Third Reading. Should it pass, it will become law ( an Act) that would likely coming into force 2 years from passage. GBF and the Dock Foam committee will certainly be watching its progress.

LANDMARK Speaker Series

Our virtual LANDMARK Speaker Series returns for 2021 with monthly presentations from 10:00 - 11:00 AM on conservation and Georgian Bay topics. Mark your calendars with the dates below, and register to attend each session here.

April 17th: Fish of Blackstone Lake with Andy Metelka
May 8th: Shipwreck Tales of Georgian Bay with Cris Kohl & Joan Forsberg

P.S. Did you miss any of last year's LANDMARK talks, or would you like to share them with others? Recordings of all past presentations are available to watch anytime on our website or YouTube channel.

Life in the Biosphere Webinar Series

The Georgian Bay Biosphere is pleased to launch the Life in the Biosphere Webinar Series! Along with our partners, we'll explore many different aspects of living in a UNESCO biosphere, from cultural teachings to gardening to invasive species and more!

Take part in the annual Native Plant Sale...: Native Plant FundRaiser

Webinars will continue to be scheduled throughout the year. Mark your calendars and bookmark these events here for the following events.

Getting Your Garden Started

Thursday April 8, 2021 10:00 AM EST (Webinar)

Learning About Miiskiikenh – Turtles

Tuesday April 27, 2021 10:00 AM EST (Webinar)

Best for the Biosphere: Gardening with Native Plants

Thursday May 6th, 2021 10:00 AM EST (Webinar)

Update: Driving Consensus on

What to about Water Levels

In October 2020, GBF and the GBA jointly hosted an online symposium about water levels featuring scientists and policymakers. The purpose was to drive towards consensus on what could be done, and what data is missing.

It's a lot more complex than this - but a key takeaway is that climate change is driving uncertainty into precipitation and evaporation, and resulting impacts to water levels are not within government control.

Future extreme highs and lows may exceed past extreme levels and occur more often, so past trends may no longer be a guide to future water levels.

Government's abilities to manage extremes are limited given the unprecedented conditions, responsibilities to balance impacts to multiple stakeholders, and few levers. Future abilities might improve with possibly adding new technologies and/or creating new policy regimes, but these are decades away, may impact some communities negatively, and may not make a significant difference.

GBF and GBA will still continue to pursue avenues with governments that can help, but will also focus over the next year on providing information to municipalities and property owners on building resiliency for extreme highs and lows.

Check out these links for more information:

Your 259 Water Levels Questions answered (as above)
A synopsis of the "Diving Consensus on Water Levels" event
If you want to see what the event was about, and the slides that were presented: Go Here
Key Points - and excellent summary by the GBA
GBF's Executive Director Talks to MidlandToday about a GBF/GBA Deputation on Water Levels

Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels March 29, 2021 To better read the charts, please click on the chart for the

Daily or Six Month Forecast Water level chart and the corresponding websites

Yearbook Update

With each eBlast, we will provide you a list of names for those who provided updated information. The details of all the changes since the Yearbook's came out in April is provided in a printable format for you to print out and insert into your own Yearbook copy!

The next Update will be compiled once the new Yearbook is out in May!