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Description]
Mission "Working towards healthier human and wildlife habitat along the shorelines of Canada"Introduction
Shorelines and wetlands in many settled and seasonally occupied areas across Canada have been significantly altered and compromised. The waterfront resident can have a substantial amount of influence on the wildlife habitat, water quality, and air quality along the shore. Through daily activities, and through major changes such as construction, waterfront residents can have a significant cumulative impact on the natural environment.Through simple changes in our actions, within our houses and around our properties, we can help create and preserve healthy waterfront habitat for both humans and wildlife. Beyond restoring and preserving the natural environment, such changes can also result in direct personal benefits to waterfront residents by generating time and cost savings, increased property values, and safer and healthier surroundings for their families.
The Living by Water Project concentrates on the role the waterfront resident can play in stewarding their lands and adjoining waters, to protect waterfront habitat in the riparian, littoral and intertidal zones, and ensure a healthy future for wildlife and humans.
Need for the Project
A comprehensive review was carried out to examine existing literature and some programs relating to waterfront stewardship. This review found that most of the materials and programs available did not focus on benefits to the waterfront resident, and/or provide the necessary tools to help overcome barriers to positive change.The Living by Water Project complements and supports other stewardship initiatives by providing a variety of products and services.
Purpose
The project's goals are as follows:A target audience of waterfront residents along the settled and seasonally-occupied marine and freshwater shorelines of Canada will be encouraged to improve the health of their waterfront environments in accordance with a common vision.
The Living by Water Project will be carried out as a cost efficient, cost shared and focused effort by pulling together interested organizations, agencies and individuals.
Existing information will be consolidated and packaged in a variety of ways, sensitive to the needs of the target audience -- the waterfront resident.
On-the-ground results will be assessed and reported to interested parties through a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation program.
The Living by Water Project addresses critical environmental issues such as the continuing net loss of fisheries and aquatic habitat, the loss of wetlands, the loss of biodiversity, reduction in quality and quantity of riparian habitat, and damage to intertidal zones in marine areas.
We follow a set of Guiding Principles for the project.
Objectives 1. To utilize a strategic approach to The Living by Water Project in such areas as partner development, scheduling, fundraising, and volunteer planning.
2. To produce and deliver, a variety of products and services, and public service announcements for waterfront residents.
3. To include tips and ideas concerning the design, construction, and day-to-day operation of environment-friendly and healthy waterfront homes.
4. To support complementary initiatives in distributing their information where appropriate.
5. To coordinate the launching of services, products, public service announcements and related initiatives with the start of the next millennium.
6. To assess on-the-ground results.
7. To promote audience participation in broader stewardship activities.
Regional Project Activities
Project Description
The Living by Water Project is a results-oriented campaign to assist all of us who are waterfront residents to take action -- in the interests of our own health, and that of wildlife.The project will produce home site assessment programs; public service announcements on local radio and television stations, in print and electronic media; and, a wide variety of specialty products ranging from a video and guidebook package to placemats and posters. These products will give "how to" assistance for:
• naturalizing and restoring shorelines
• improving water and wastewater management
• and adopting more environment-friendly lifestyles within and around our homes and yards.
Communities can become involved through initiatives like the Shoreline Celebration and Restoration Month and youth involvement will be encouraged through programs like our Theatre-in-a-Box project.
