Environment Committee Chair: Katherine Denune

CHAMPION OF THE BAY AWARD

The Georgian Bay Association’s new annual Champion of the Bay Award recognizes and honors outstanding community members who actively steward the Georgian Bay in a manner that promotes environmental wellbeing.

Through this award we are excited to:

1. collectively appreciate the contributions of committed community members,
2. share the local efforts occurring in different associations and
3. inspire more people to participate in stewardship activities

Criteria for Qualification

We value highlighting local and small-scale efforts that demonstrate the difference that one person or one community can make on the environment. Nominees may be of any age and may participate in or lead a variety of projects. The overarching purpose of the award is to feature environmental stewardship. This is a volunteer award and all nominations should reflect efforts done in a volunteer capacity. 

For More information on how to nominate a Champion of the Bay, Please click this link to the GBA website

https://georgianbay.ca/champion-of-the-bay-award/

American Camp Island and the Alexanders

is one of the Georgian Bay Land Trust’s best known Nature Reserves. It was received through the generosity of conservation-minded donors Doug Alexander and Lyn Gillespie. American Camp Island and its immediate neighbour, Andrew’s, are the only public-access part of a larger GBLT-protected Alexander archipelago. The non-public areas of this larger island group contribute significantly to the maintenance of ecosystem health and biodiversity in the Wah Wah Taysee area. Several of the islands in the Alexander archipelago have been painted with conspicuous red dots; the red dots are there to reinforce that they are non-public access and are off limits to visitors.

• Your land trust’s conservation work on public Nature Reserves allows interaction with the natural environment while preserving ecological integrity.
• GBLT’s conservation on non-public-access Nature Reserves allows biodiversity to thrive free from human stressors.

This balance preserves the ecological health of the Georgian Bay coast, and benefits all.

In accordance with conservation goals, we have to limit the number of visitors to American Camp and Andrew’s.

• A red flag or flags flying from American Camp Island signifies the property is at its visitor capacity. At these times we ask that visitors cooperate with the GBLT Students and Stewards and not land.

We now have real time technology for visitors to check if American Camp is at capacity. To determine the property’s visitor status, American Camp Island – Georgian Bay Land Trust (gblt.org). The property’s current Status (OPEN or CLOSED) will show at the top of the page.

The busiest times at American Camp are fairweather summer weekends, particularly before, during and after the August long weekend. The wisdom on these days is to arrive early, or to choose another destination.

The GBLT asks all guests to accept responsibility for preserving this island’s ecological values.

When the red flag is hoisted, please respect it and do not land anywhere in the Alexander Islands

• Please leave no human trace
• Please leave no trace of any pet
• Please limit the length of your stay to 4 hours on busy days so that others can visit
• To allow fair access to all, please do not arrive with a group of more than 10 people**
• Please read the general VISITOR’S GUIDE available on our website: https://www.gblt.org/enjoying-land/property-visiting-guidelines/

These rules protect the integrity of American Camp and all other GBLT properties.

• Please honour the wildlife and vegetation on this island, and appreciate its unspoiled beauty
• Our “no loud music policy” respects that this is a place for tranquility, for the sound of the birds, the wind
• and waves
• Please come, enjoy, and help preserve this place.

Brooks Greer     www.gblt.org