2025-Aug-27
Protecting Georgian Bay's Coastal Wetlands From Climate Change
Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) is working with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on a project to protect the globally unique and important coastal wetlands of Georgian Bay. These wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining water quality, providing habitat for migratory birds, fish, turtles, and numerous threatened or endangered species.
GBF is collecting high-resolution bathymetry and side scan sonar imagery at four selected wetlands around the Bay. The imagery will be used to create digital elevation models allowing researchers to examine how climate and water level changes will impact the wetlands and improve their understanding of wetland dynamics. The data will help ECCC understand where wetland plant communities can evolve, transition, and establish themselves, which is essential for modeling wetland response to climate change conditions.