Project Coordinator Presents Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy Implementation Programs to Ausable Bayfield Board Members

by Bob Montgomery

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority's Project Coordinator outlined the Authority's Watershed-Based Resource Management Strategy Implementation Programs to the Board last week.

Kate Monk says the strategy will guide the Authority over the next five years as far as operations and the programs they offer. She says the strategy won't change a lot from what they've done previously but they are building on what they've done before, including they way to do business and the projects that have to be done. She adds, they're also incorporating climate change into several of their programs, recognizing that climate change is going to impact their water shed.

Monk says they're in the business of protecting life and property from flooding, so if we're getting more dramatic storms, more intense rain fall events, that has a significant impact on how they protect people. Monk says climate change is also going to impact our trees and our plants with invasive species and pests coming in and that has influenced the species of trees they're planting.

The warmer temperatures that are part of climate change are also a factor because if the winters are warmer that means there won't be as much ice protection along the Lake Huron shoreline and that means the waves will continue to beat along the shoreline.

Earlier in December the Board approved the focus areas and the program areas so, Monk is now working on the information that will go on their website so that people can comment on it and the consultation period goes until the end of January. She says they want to know what people think of the program areas but they also want to know if they’re missing anything that people think they should be involved in.

The survey can be found on the consultation section of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority website by clicking here.