Celebrate Earth Week in the Georgian Bay Biosphere! Several free events are planned during the week of April 18th for all ages.
Come to an Earth Day Beach Party on Friday, April 22 from 4:00 to 7:00pm at Waubuno Beach. There are activities at this free public event including a shoreline and trail clean up, and a showcase of electric vehicles, climate action tips, a busy bee race, and Domino’s Pizza. People are invited to learn more about the wiigwaas jiimaan (birch bark canoe) made by Indigenous youth and are encouraged to walk, bike or carpool to the event.
“Earth Day is the one day that many people ask themselves what they can do for the planet,” says Becky Pollock, executive director of the Georgian Bay Biosphere. “There are hundreds of things we can do and this event will showcase them in a fun way.” She says there will be resources on building bat boxes and turtle nest protectors as well as composting and vegetables seeds to start growing at home.
“We are grateful to the Town of Parry Sound, the Rotary Club, Climate Action Parry Sound, and Parry Sound Bikes for helping us launch our first ever Earth Day beach party,” says Pollock.
Bike safety checks will be offered to encourage active transportation and Biosphere staff have agreed to a polar bear dip if $1,000 is raised in donations during the day.
Sunday, April 24 from 1:00 to 2:30pm is Biosphere Walks with Isabelle Moy. The topic is “Let’s Talk Climate” for ages 10 and up, beginning at the Stockey Centre for a leisurely stroll along the shoreline to hear about local climate trends, some of the risks, and what you can do to help. Registration is required at gbbr.ca/events.
Local businesses have come together to show their support of the environment by matching donations made to the GBB from April 13 to April 30, doubling the impact of charitable gifts.
Desmasdon’s Boat Works and Beacon Marine, in Pointe au Baril, are generously matching the first $10,000 donated. Both marinas are members of Ontario’s Clean Marine program and want to inspire others to give and support environmental practices to reduce and prevent water, air and land pollution.
“The Bay is an amazing resource we must appreciate and share among seasonal cottagers, tourists and year rounders, alongside First Nations who are the original caretakers,” says Tonia Blenkarn, co-owner of Desmasdon’s Boat Works.
Additional donations will be matched by local businesses: Crofter’s Organic, Hall Construction, Nicole Boyd of Royal LePage, Cole-Munro Fisheries, and the Lakeland Association of Realtors.
“We are grateful for the support of these local businesses and our community of donors,” says Greg Mason, the Biosphere’s Director of Operations. “As a charity, we rely on donations to do work like our State of the Bay ecosystem health report, make habitat protection for species at risk more effective, and get communities involved. Earth Week is our largest fundraiser of the year and makes a big difference in what we can achieve together for the environment.”