Lakeshore Advance, 2012-07-18, Page 1027 2011 Lalu;shoreAdve
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Community
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Going, going ....gone
The Lake Huron Centre tor Coastal
Conservation
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; the Lakeshore Advance
A favourite pastime for many who
enjoy Lake Huron's beaches is to
enjoy the awesome sunsets amidst
a unique natural environment.
There is often a spiritual connection
with our Lakeshore, and some
appreciation for its natural beauty,
at least at a general level. But dig-
ging a bit deeper and gaining a bet-
ter understanding of the coastal
environtnent, you soon realize just
how special it is.
Coastal Lake Huron can be a
pretty demanding place for plants
and animals, and that's why there
are so many species unique to the
Lakeshore environment. lhey have
made the adaptations necessary to
survive the harsh shore
environment.
The lakeshore is a place that
attracts a lot of people who want to
•
build, play or otherwise enjoy this
special place. However, there's a
dilemma: we're loving our Lake-
shore to death. We probably don't
mean to. It's just that some of the
activities we do and where we do
thein can do lasting damage to the
very place we enjoy.
One of the indications that we
need to turn things around is the
sizeable list of species at risk along
Lake Huron. Species at risk are like
the 'canary in the coal mine: 'Their
dwindling numbers tell us that there
may be an ecological problem.
The Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada
(COSEWIC) is a group of scientists
who determine which species in
Canada are considered to be at risk.
Currently, there are over 500 plant
and animal species at risk in Can-
ada. This number constantly
changes as species are added to this
list, go extinct or are no longer
deemed at risk and removed from
the list.
A staggering 80 per cent of spe-
cies now listed by COSEWIC are at
risk because of habitat Toss. The
cause? Expanding human popula-
tions and the wide range of activi-
ties that accompany them. Equally
damaging than outright habitat loss
is habitat fragmentation. 'Ihese are
isolated remnant 'islands' of habitat
that are often too small and dis-
jointed to support viable wildlife
populations.
We need to bring some balance
back to our shores and begin to live
in harmony with the native species
that make up our coastal environ-
ment. Lake Huron's rich biodiver-
sity is what makes our coast unique.
Learning about the ecological make
up of our coast is a fascinating jour-
ney of discovery, and a reconnec-
tion with nature. Learning about
what we can do to heal damaged
areas can start with a visit to www.
lakehuron.ca.
Social services to survey residents
QMI Agency
Huron County Social Services
wants to know what you know
about their services. A short survey
on the County's website asks resi-
dents a number of questions about
how familiar you are with their pro-
grams and services.
"We are making an effort to inte-
grate our services and make them
letters to the editor
Thanks to OPP for
intercepting bus
Bravo to the OPP who recently
intercepted a busload of students
who were preparing to descend
onto our Beach while coaling to
the Village in a yellow school
bus.
The many young people being
carted into our town were drunk
and drugged up on pot and act-
ing like hoodlums even before
arriving on site. A few arrests and
many questions remain on who
was allowing this bus transaction
and hooliganism to prevail
throughout the travel on our
highways.
Perhaps there should be a pol-
icy implemented that when these
more user-friendly, says Dave
Overboe, Director of Social Serv-
ices. "Our staff decided this survey
will asst in future planning."
The survey isn't just for people
who have used their programs and
services, but for all residents of the
County.
The survey will be available on
the Huron County website, www.
huroncounty.ca, from August 1st to
school buses and stretch limos
arrive carrying these darlings to
the beach and proms and par-
ties, that the first stop the vehi-
cles must make is the OPP sta-
tion on Main Street for search
and seizure and a quick free tour
for all the paying passengers of
the Station and the Cells.
In London, the Fanshawe Col-
lege area has a well enforced NO
TOLERANCE POLICY as history
has shown for years that the stu-
dent population around the col-
lege has ruined homes, cars and
property values, similarly the
summer influx of drunken stu-
dents, wandering around with
open beer and liquor, letting off
fireworks from 11 and to 4 am
should not he tolerated. Like-
wise, the Garden District and tra-
ditional core of Grand Bend risks
August 21st. All answers are anon-
ymous and confidential,
Paper copies of the survey are
also available at Huron County
Social Services located in the Jacob
Memorial Building, 777221) Lon-
don Road, South of Clinton.
the survey takes about 5 minutes
to complete and you can enter your
name separately in a draw to win
one of two 525 fuel gift certificates.
further decay as this reckless
behavior becomes entrenched in
the summer day-to-day life of
(rand Bend.
There isn't a business, bar or
restaurant, tattoo shop or tee
shirt shop that really would miss
the young drunks that come in
here and wreck the new street-
scape and enhanced beach envi-
ronment, considering that on
most sunlnier days this village is
over populated with well mean-
ing, considerate visitors.
One last issue that persists in
(rand Bend;
Would the driver who did the
!lit and Run last summer
on Highway vary 111 outside of the
Motor Plex, please conte for-
ward, do the right thing and turn
yourself in.
Jason Pearson is dead, who
The judges are coming
to the Municipality of
Lambton Shores
QMI AQency
The Municipality of Lambton
Shores ON is participating in the
Communities in Bloom 2011
National Edition, in the 10,001-
20,000 population category along
with Beaumont AB, Brooks AB,
Dorval QC, Truro NS and Sum-
merside PE.
The Communities in Bloom
judges Odette Sabourin-Dumais
from Sailnt-Bruno-de-Montar-
ville, Quebec and Sandy Cairns
from Gravenhurst, Ontario will
evaluate Lambton Shores on July
25th.
Communities In Bloom is a
Canadian non-profit organization
committed to fostering civic
pride, environmental responsibil-
ity, beautification and to improv-
ing quality of life through com-
munity participation and a
national challenge.
The results will be announced
at the 17th National Awards Cer-
emonies, hosted this year by the
National Battlefields Commission
in Quebec City, QC on October
29th 2011.
The ceremonies are held in
conjunction with the National
Symposium on Parks & Grounds,
from October 26th to October
29th, 2011. The conference series
explores Healthy Living through
Parks and Green Spaces.
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was it that in the dark hours left
this young man to die on the
asphalt?
R. Webb
Grand Bend
Lung Association
says thanks
'the Lung Association, ! luron-
Perth would like to extend its
appreciation to Bayfield Berry
farm, (:ravings in Goderich and
the Dairy Queen in Exeter for
their participation in the second
annual "Cones for Kids" fundrais-
ing event which took place over
the Canada Day long weekend.
Asthma rates have quadrupled
over the !last 20 years anti today
as ninny as 20% of children in
Ontario suffer live with this con-
dition. Asthma is a leading cause
of hospitalization and school
absence for children in this prov-
ince. By donating a portion of ice
cream sales as part of the Cones
for Kids campaign, these busi-
nesses are helping The Lung
Association to provide education
and support to children with
asthma and their families as well
fund vital medical research.
Sincere thanks to all ten ice
cream parlours across i iuron and
Perth Counties who joined us in
taking a lick at childhood asthma.
Sincerely,
Jennifer McCaw
Volunteer and Fund Devel-
opment Co-ordinator
Tho Lung Association, Huron -Perth