Tag: Wetlands

Categories
Environment

It's a shitty problem…

There seems to be a problem in the water…fecal bacteria above acceptable limits are showing up in water tests in some areas of the New Brunswick coastline.

I had a great discussion with my neighbour, Natasha Bell, this week about issues that increase the risk of pollution on our beaches. Initially concerned about the impact of a large proposed campground nearby, she quickly realized that the greater issue is damage to the delicate ecology of the shoreline along the entire coast of our province – and the potential for it to worsen with further development of the coastline. This lead her to become involved in a growing movement to protect our New Brunswick coastline. She established a local group, along with another concerned neighbour, Pierre Gagnon, to create awareness in members of our village council about our concerns.

They subsequently joined forces with 3 other similar groups, creating a large group that has been named SWWAT (Save our Waters, Wetlands and Tourism) to have a stronger voice with our provincial government. I attended a meeting last evening with Natasha and Pierre to discuss future actions concerned citizens can take to identify and correct existing problems and to prevent development of future problems along the NB coastline. It was attended by people from Shediac to Murray Beach, ready to exchange ideas and take action.

The issues are similar along the entire Atlantic coastline and, in fact, in many watershed areas of both fresh and salt waterways. Wetlands have been seen as “wasteland” and simply filled in to create developments for human use. Even my home was built into the wetland before existing regulations were in place. We have returned a swath of land along our property to natural vegetation along an area of water drainage from higher ground, both to try to restore some of the filtration function that was lost and because we love the appearance of the natural vegetation.

But as I thought about what we had discussed after talking to my neighbours and attending a SWWAT meeting, I wondered what I could do to help. I realized that in many ways this is an issue of education and awareness:

  • We need to educate people who use the coastline for recreation or industry that every small action is cumulative – everyone needs to be aware that actions that cause a small amount of damage can add together to cause significant problems for humans, birds, sea life and the overall ecosystem of the coastline.

  • We need to create awareness in municipal and provincial government employees and elected politicians who make decisions that affect our shores:

    • about the facts around issues that are causing damage now;

    • about the importance of finding and correcting the sources of existing problems that are potential health hazards;

    • and about the importance of considering both the current and future impact of decisions and legislation that are passed.

      • It isn’t simply about testing water quality so Public Health can predict when beaches should be closed, it’s about finding and correcting the causes of bacteria in coastal waters and taking action through legislation and policy that will correct existing problems and prevent future deterioration of the ecological systems along our shores.

  • We also need to educate our youth – the next generation – to ensure this wonderful resource is available in the future. Just on our small stretch of beach, we have had late night fires that consumed snow fencing used to prevent erosion of dunes and burned Christmas trees placed against damaged dune areas to trap sand. We’ve also had to pick up broken glass and garbage from impromptu midnight beach parties! But youth can also be a passionate force for positive change, educating their parents at the same time. We realized that the way to reach young people is through engaging their schools and increasing our reach through social media and our website. Youth communicate through electronic media!

  • We need to continue to research solid facts surrounding this issue and communicate these to government and the public to create knowledge and an awareness of the severity of the problem.

  • We want to continue to engage the attention of news media to enable wider awareness of our concerns.

Because I am a blogger and have already created a website and marketing materials when I had my business, I volunteered to work on similar approaches to spread the word about these environmental issues. It’s not only the health of people like me who use the beaches for recreation that is at stake, but also the tourism, fisheries and ultimately the economic health of coastal areas.

The SWWAT group has two requests of government:

  1. Moratorium – We are asking the Provincial Government to impose a temporary moratorium on significant development within 500 meters of wetlands draining into Northumberland Strait until the sources of fecal contamination have been identified and mitigated.

  2. Legislation – We are asking the Government to legislate a long-term wetlands protection plan supported by strict enforcement of protective regulations.

These actions will protect the health and safety of families and visitors to the beaches, as well as the future of the tourism and fisheries industries in the area.

Will you join our cause? Whether you are a resident of the area, enjoy vacationing there, or just want to help a worthy cause, please sign our petition. Help us to direct government attention to saving our shores for all to enjoy in the future!

Categories
Environment

How clean is the water you swim in?

Would you boil your lobster in ocean water these days? Might want to think twice about that…

Water quality at beaches in our area is being questioned, with beach closures more than once already this summer due to excessive fecal bacterial counts. Some types of pollution can be less obvious than the photo above. How clean is the water your kids are swimming in? Is it even being tested so you know?

The factors that contribute to increased bacteria in our coastal waters, rivers and lakes are not all known. However, it seems likely that the more crowded and popular an area is, the greater the likelihood of a problem developing. Population density, surface water run-off, and aging septic systems are all suspected contributors to high fecal bacteria counts. These bacteria put swimmers at risk of illness and infections…

Adding to the problem, is that government water testing requires 48 hours – water samples are being taken on the weekend and results are only announced on Monday, after many have spent the weekend swimming in potentially polluted water. Government officials insist that results cannot be provided in a more timely manner.

A quick internet search found a do-it-yourself test, Aquavial, developed and manufactured at University of Waterloo in Ontario that detects several bacteria (including E.coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, and Staphylococci), biofilm and fungi, even when levels are very low. It can be used for testing drinking water as well as any fresh water you plan to swim in, and gives results in 15-30 minutes. Check it out at https://aquabsafe.com if you want to check the river or lake you swim in – a single kit costs $20 and they sell a 6-pack for $100…enough to do weekly testing for the rest of the summer!

Unfortunately, it is the presence of enterococci that confirm fecal matter in salt water as E. coli grown only in fresh water so, to my knowledge, this test could not be used in ocean waters to detect fecal contamination. Currently the only fast test is for E. coli DNA, requiring only 4 hours, but this test is very costly and not widely available.

Much of the economy in coastal areas – especially tourism and fisheries – is tied to the environment. Our shores and coastal waters need to be kept clean to ensure these industries remain healthy. Those who use coastal areas for recreation or commerce need to be educated in how to preserve important wetlands and prevent damage to sensitive coastal areas. It is much easier (and less expensive!) to prevent damage than it is to try to repair the damage later.

Coastal areas, with their dunes and wetlands, are an ecosystem that serves many functions:

  • Filtration

    • Run-off water flows slowly through a marsh, allowing sediments to settle.

    • Wetland plants consume excess nutrients (including heavy metals) preventing accumulation in lakes, rivers and oceans.

    • Wetlands filter out and absorb bacteria from surface run-off water. Marshes can filter out up to 90% of bacteria.

  • Storage of water

    • Slowed water flow allows ground water to be replenished

  • Biological productivity

    • Because they absorb nutrients, wetlands are highly biologically productive. Freshwater wetlands compare to tropical rainforest in plant productivity.

  • Wildlife habitat

    • 95% of commercially and recreationally harvested fish are wetland dependant. Many bird, animal and insect species also rely on wetlands.

  • Erosion protection

    • Dunes and wetlands protect the coastline against storms, erosion and rising sea levels.

What can we do to help protect our dunes and wetlands?

  • Stay out of the dunes

    • Use only designated walkways when crossing dunes and wetlands.

    • Beach grass and dune vegetation protect against loss of dune sand and dunes provide habitat for animals and birds, and protect wetlands during storms. Simply stepping on beach grass can kill the plant.

  • Leash your dog

    • Leashing keeps dogs out of dunes where they can damage plants and disturb wildlife, and away from other people who may not love dogs as you do.

  • “Carry in, carry out”

    • Be sure to take everything you brought with you when you leave (including doggie do-do!)

    • Litter can take years to decompose (even when it’s out of sight in the ocean) and it can be a health hazard to birds, wild life and sea creatures.

  • No open fires

    • Using driftwood for fires removes a valuable natural resource that can trap sand and stabilize dunes.

Pollution of coastal waters is tied to destruction of wetlands along the coast. We all need to do what we can to preserve these natural filtering structures so everyone can enjoy our beaches and oceans for generations to come.

In eastern Canada, several environmental groups have sprung up demanding a governmental moratorium on further commercial development within 500 meters of wetlands until the sources of current problems are identified and corrected. Meanwhile, simple testing with confirmation of the more complex government testing later may be an effective way to protect your family from unnecessary exposure to bacteria and fungi while enjoying your favourite summer water activities in an area that is at risk.

Educate yourself and others who use coastal areas about how to prevent damage to natural structures that protect the health of our coastal areas and the people and wildlife who use them!