The Lake of the Woods Sustainability Foundation, which was formed last year, is seeking support from local communities and stakeholders near the basin in order to protect the water quality of the lake.
“We need to keep it as a gem,” Todd Sellers, the Foundation’s executive director, stressed during the annual spring meeting of the North Western Ontario Tourism Association last Thursday in Nestor Falls.
“It continues to be a solid engine for various economies in the area,” he added.
About a year ago, area residents noticed an excessive amount of algae blooms in the lake, which brought about the question: Is the lake changing?
A small group decided to do something about it.
On the advice of Herb Grey, Canadian co-chair of the International Joint Commission (IJC), the citizens formed a steering committee—a more broad-based group—to take the issue forward.
Grey even took a tour of the area, noting its size and beauty.
The Foundation became incorporated last March and achieved charitable registration in Canada in the fall.
Since the lake sits on the border, it’s essential to gain interest from communities, stakeholders, and the governments in Canada and the United States.
“We want to raise the issue on the agendas of the governments,” Sellers remarked, stressing the Foundation needs all the support it can get in order to receive the attention.
While the Foundation will work with the scientific community to raise interest, it also co-hosted the water quality forum held in International Falls back in March.
“We have a real opportunity to do something—it’s a national treasure and we shouldn’t let it deteriorate,” Sellers warned.
He explained a “State of the Basin” report will be conducted jointly by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to get a baseline idea of the lake.
The Foundation hopes to have this completed by 2007 so it can continue its work with a “Nutrient Model,” which ultimately will give rise to the “Sustainability Plan.”
Sellers said the Foundation hopes to receive assistance from the IJC, although governments on both sides of the border must refer the issue to the commission, which will prevent a transboundary problem.
“They are ready, willing, and able to step in once they are invited to do so by the governments,” Sellers explained. “They are the most logical to provide an international co-ordinating mechanism.
“We want to make sure the government pays attention to the issue and devotes their efforts to it.”
Sellers noted many people are aware of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
“We’d like the same focus and attention,” he argued, admitting there is the potential of having a negative spin associated with the cause but they want attention in a positive manner.
“One of our key objectives is the support tourism and fisheries, and invest in the lake for the future,” he stressed.
While the algae blooms in Lake of the Woods spawned the Foundation, Sellers explained algae is not necessarily a bad thing, though an excessive amount is.
“Too much could lead to taste, odour, and recreation problems,” he said. “Also the lowering of oxygen, which can be a problem for fish.
“It’s worthy of protecting,” he stressed, noting Lake of the Woods is the second largest inland lake in Ontario.
It also sports the largest non-resident sport fishery in Ontario, with 1 out of 7 non-residents fishing on the lake. It also is the second-largest walleye fishery in the province.
“If this isn’t a reason to preserve it, I don’t know what is,” Sellers remarked. “It is a significant lake which needs to be sustained.”
He added Kenora recently passed a resolution to support the Foundation and he hopes other communities will, too.
“Local support will enable us to develop a unified strategy,” Sellers said. “We’re working hard and we’ve come a long way in just a short time.”
Anyone wanting to make a donation to the Lake of the Woods Sustainability Foundation can contact Sellers at tsellers@lowwsf.com
(Fort Frances Times)
Fort Frances Times
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