What We Do
The project is a long-term initiative that will create improved ecosystems in and around these streams located on Manitoulin Island. Recent scientific studies have shown that these streams have been damaged by a variety of land use practices over the past century.
Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association is grass roots, a not-for -profit organization that is focused on large-scale, community based efforts to rehabilitate aquatic ecosystems on Manitoulin Island, in central Ontario. We bring the entire community together to do this via joint private and public driven initiatives. Our efforts rehabilitate and enhance water quality and the fisheries resource on Manitoulin Island and Lake Huron which is fed by the streams.
Manitoulin Island is the largest freshwater island in the world and is widely referred to as “the heart” of the Great Lakes. It contains 108 freshwater inland lakes, many of which in conjunction with its cold water springs, feed into Lake Huron, making it an extremely important spawning and rearing area for many species of salmon and trout. Manitoulin Streams has become an important model of rehabilitation in Canada and beyond. Manitoulin Streams won the bi-national State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference or SOLEC “2008 Success Story of the Year” award. This prestigious award was presented by the Canadian and American Consul Generals for our rehabilitation efforts. We were also awarded the most prestigious accolade given by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH): the Mary Pickford Trophy. Manitoulin Streams placed as the top conservation club (out of 650 other member clubs) for work performed in 2009. The trophy was named after the late Canadian actress and avid angler, Mary Pickford, in order to commemorate `the spirit, determination, and the deep, caring nature of OFAH conservationists in Ontario”.
Manitoulin Streams has leveraged over $5 million in funding and completed 69 major projects on the Manitou River, Blue Jay Creek, Norton’s Creek, Grimesthorpe Creek Mindemoya River, Mill Creek and Bass Lake Creek. We have conducted a Class Environmental Assessment covering 184 waterways on Manitoulin Island. This means that we have provincial and federal approval to rehabilitate these waterways. We have also created enhancement strategy documents for 5 of the top 10 streams in need of rehabilitation as outlined in our Island Wide Class Environmental Assessment of 184 streams. Enhancement strategies identify areas of concern with a high, medium or low priority and delineate the problems, size, solutions and estimated costs for rehabilitation.
Mission Statement and Objectives
To create, through the rehabilitation and enhancement of important cold water streams, healthy and self-sustaining river ecosystems that contribute to the ecological, economic and social health of Manitoulin Island and the Great Lakes that surround it.
Manitoulin Streams expects to achieve this vision by addressing the following objectives:
Four Goals Of The Association:
Manitoulin Streams Improvement Association is grass roots, a not-for -profit organization that is focused on large-scale, community based efforts to rehabilitate aquatic ecosystems on Manitoulin Island, in central Ontario. We bring the entire community together to do this via joint private and public driven initiatives. Our efforts rehabilitate and enhance water quality and the fisheries resource on Manitoulin Island and Lake Huron which is fed by the streams.
Manitoulin Island is the largest freshwater island in the world and is widely referred to as “the heart” of the Great Lakes. It contains 108 freshwater inland lakes, many of which in conjunction with its cold water springs, feed into Lake Huron, making it an extremely important spawning and rearing area for many species of salmon and trout. Manitoulin Streams has become an important model of rehabilitation in Canada and beyond. Manitoulin Streams won the bi-national State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference or SOLEC “2008 Success Story of the Year” award. This prestigious award was presented by the Canadian and American Consul Generals for our rehabilitation efforts. We were also awarded the most prestigious accolade given by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH): the Mary Pickford Trophy. Manitoulin Streams placed as the top conservation club (out of 650 other member clubs) for work performed in 2009. The trophy was named after the late Canadian actress and avid angler, Mary Pickford, in order to commemorate `the spirit, determination, and the deep, caring nature of OFAH conservationists in Ontario”.
Manitoulin Streams has leveraged over $5 million in funding and completed 69 major projects on the Manitou River, Blue Jay Creek, Norton’s Creek, Grimesthorpe Creek Mindemoya River, Mill Creek and Bass Lake Creek. We have conducted a Class Environmental Assessment covering 184 waterways on Manitoulin Island. This means that we have provincial and federal approval to rehabilitate these waterways. We have also created enhancement strategy documents for 5 of the top 10 streams in need of rehabilitation as outlined in our Island Wide Class Environmental Assessment of 184 streams. Enhancement strategies identify areas of concern with a high, medium or low priority and delineate the problems, size, solutions and estimated costs for rehabilitation.
Mission Statement and Objectives
To create, through the rehabilitation and enhancement of important cold water streams, healthy and self-sustaining river ecosystems that contribute to the ecological, economic and social health of Manitoulin Island and the Great Lakes that surround it.
Manitoulin Streams expects to achieve this vision by addressing the following objectives:
- Protect, improve, enhance, create, promote and maintain high quality water resources, vital to all facets of life on Manitoulin Island and surrounding communities.
- Create community ownership for the health of the river ecosystems on Manitoulin Island and surrounding areas.
- Develop capacity within the Island population to assist in resource management programs.
- Access available resources that can support the proposed projects.
- Develop community awareness of the value of the cold water fishery on Manitoulin Island and surrounding Great Lakes.
- Develop community awareness of the benefit of water bodies and streams to other components of the ecosystem.
- Working in concert with the agricultural sector where/when necessary to promote and protect aquatic resources.
- Through proper ecosystem management, provide additional resource based opportunities such as improved sport fishing experiences, improved water quality, reduced threat of flooding and others on Manitoulin Island and surrounding communities.
Four Goals Of The Association:
- To Promote the improvement of fish and riparian habitat in the streams of Manitoulin Island.
- To Promote the improvement of water quality and watershed management in the streams of Manitoulin Island.
- To promote the enhancement of aquatic ecosystems in the streams of Manitoulin Island.
- To educate and promote public awareness of the aquatic ecosystems on Manitoulin Island.