Management of Lake Huron’s Beach and Dune Ecosystems: Building up from the Grassroots

Dune systems along the southeastern shores of Lake Huron have become severely impacted as the result of increases in recreational activities and shoreline development. Dune conservation activities at Lake Huron’s provincial parks have occurred only within the past 20 to 25 years. Activities on dunes outside of the parks, including municipal and private lands, have only occurred within the last ten years. Grassroots organizations have initiated efforts to conserve dune systems locally. The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation is a non-government organization that is supporting local groups with technical expertise to develop management plans and guidance manuals for implementing sound conservation practices. Its conservation model is focused on community education about dune ecosystems, controlled public access in dune areas, and dune restoration. This paper presents some recent examples of grassroots initiatives in the communities of Southampton and Sauble Beach, along the southeastern shores of Lake Huron. The future of Lake Huron’s dunes, and their conservation, will depend on community grassroots involvement, municipal cooperation and participation, and on sufficient government funding.