Coast Watchers volunteers are the “eyes and ears” of Lake Huron’s coast. Volunteers collect information systematically and consistently to track long-term trends in shoreline conditions as well as act towards resiliency and sustainability in the short-term. The Coast Watchers program has a grassroots approach to data collection where community champions monitor changes to shoreline conditions. The Coast Watchers program is designed to engage members of our community to take an active part in observing and improving the quality of nearshore waters and beaches. Community volunteers record data on atmospheric conditions, wildlife, plastic pollution, algae blooms, erosion, storm damage, and human activity.
In 2024 the Lake Huron Georgian Bay Community Action Initiative supported LHCC staff to manage volunteers, collect, process, and analyze reports, create one final report that highlights data from the Coast Watchers season, and work with additional data sharing partners.
Nearest city or town: Coast Watchers monitoring sites are located along the Ontario and Michigan side of Lake Huron as well as Georgian Bay.
Project start date: July 1, 2024
Project focus: Monitoring / Research
Project contact: Alyssa Bourassa