During a busy U-Links year, students examined thousands of aquatic bugs in an effort to monitor lake health for numerous local lake associations, toured farmers’ markets and provincial parks, took part in the Haliburton-Muskoka-Kawartha Children’s Water Festival and will survey local residents on topics such as plastics reduction and youth attraction and retention.
“None of this research and hands-on learning experience would be possible without local host organizations and volunteers,” said program coordinator Amanda Duncombe-Lee in an end-of-year press release.
She mentioned those who drove to Peterborough to meet students and took students around lakes in their boats as well as providing other support.
“This has been a semester of unique opportunities, with our new Benthos Biomonitoring Program and an expansion of our partnership with Fleming College launching some exciting new initiatives for the community and our organization,” Duncombe-Lee said.
The Benthos Biomonitoring Program was made possible through a Seed Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to the Trent Centre for Community Based Education in partnership with U-Links. The program leverages the resources of lake associations, Trent University’s School of the Environment and Fleming College’s Environmental Technology Program, citizen scientists and other organizations to pilot and co-ordinate a system for benthic biomonitoring in the region.
The Seed Grant along with support from Trent University, Haliburton County Development Corporation and the CICan Career-Launcher Internship program has enabled U-Links to hire a project coordinator who has the expertise to supervise biomonitoring research projects for local lake associations.
Community host organizations, volunteers, and community members are encouraged to attend the Annual Celebration of Research March 28, 2020 at the Minden Hills Community Centre.
If you have a project idea and are interested in hosting a project for the winter 2020 semester or the 2020-2021 academic year, please contact aduncombe-lee@ulinks.ca.
