The Lake Huron Forever initiative was developed in 2019 by shoreline community foundation and conservation partners from the United States and Canada to advance water quality protection and healthy sustainable communities on both sides of the lake. Facilitated by Northeast Michigan conservation nonprofit Huron Pines, the Lake Huron partners — Bay Area Community Foundation, Community Foundation Grey Bruce, Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network are excited to announce the recipients of the first $50,000 of coastal project funding.

Friends of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy in Bay City and the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation in Goderich, Ontario have been awarded funding to support projects that will improve Great Lakes health.

Friends of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary received $25,000 to expand their existing “living roof” project to maximize the overall green roof footprint and cover as much available roof surface space as possible with vegetation to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff on the Thunder Bay River and Lake Huron.

Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy received $15,000 to work with local communities to develop a set of recommendations for amending local ordinances that support green infrastructure to reduce runoff contamination and slow the fast flush of rainwater into Bay County rivers and lakes. The funding will also aid in site selection and engineering design for a pilot project to model green infrastructure improvements for bay area communities.

The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation in Ontario received $10,000 to support their Green Ribbon Champion program, a restoration and stewardship program providing advice, support, and resources to shoreline residents. Through a series of workshops, site visits, and restoration events, residents of three shoreline municipalities will learn to prepare stewardship plans for their property and work together with the community to restore the beach-dune environment that supports long-term lake health.

Lake Huron Forever started with partners from Canada and the U.S. looking at water quality challenges faced by communities on both sides of the lake. The Lake Huron Forever initiative aims to support community conversation and action to design and complete on-the-ground work to strengthen the health and well-being of residents, as well as natural resources.

“The spirit of this initiative is for communities throughout the Lake Huron watershed to come together in support of healthy water, so we were pleased to see project proposals come through from both sides of Lake Huron, covering many of the counties served by our Community Foundation partners,” said Abigail Ertel, Community Program Lead with Huron Pines. “This is just the first round of project funding and already we’re seeing and supporting a variety of approaches to addressing stormwater issues along the coast.”

Stuart Reid, Executive Director of Community Foundation Grey Bruce said, “We are so pleased that our bi-national efforts with the Lake Huron Forever project will have a granting impact in our region. The Green Ribbon Campaign run by the LHCCC builds public awareness and good stewardship of shoreline resiliency through a nature-based approach.” Ontario’s program lead on the project is the Grey Bruce Sustainability Network.

Erinn Lawrie, Executive Director of the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation said, “We are thrilled to be a part of the Lake Huron Forever initiative. With this funding support we will not only be able to protect and restore the Lake Huron shoreline environment; we will be able to create a network of community leaders who inspire others to make positive changes to protect our Great Lake over the long term.”

This funding opportunity is made possible through a partnership with the Council of Michigan Foundations and the Great Lakes Protection Fund.

source: media release, Community Foundation Grey Bruce