Translation: Alexandre Hackett
During the summer, Conservation Lac Brome’s new Blue Patrol (Patrouille Bleue) raised awareness among a total of 134 people about the water and access points to the lake. We visited 414 others in door-to-door operations on rainwater management and education sessions for young people. It was a productive summer for CLB and for citizens, as well as a revealing one for the three patrollers. Camille, 20 years old, Élora, 19 and Mathilde, also 19, are three students in Bioecology and Ecology. None of them live in the Town of Brome Lake but this summer they joined Conservation Lac Brome (CLB) to help assess the state of the lake’s health. Their tasks? Taking samples, analyses and filling out reports, as well as the sustained work of informing, raising awareness and listening to residents, boaters and visitors. They found that the health of the lake is more fragile than they believed and unfortunately residents still seem relatively uninformed about the concrete actions needed to further prevent the accelerated deterioration of their lake.
Explaining the situation better
According to Élora Michaud: “Citizens, residents or tourists are not aware of why, for example, an accumulation of sediment, an excess of phosphorus, or the presence of Eurasian milfoil constitute real threats to the lake. They find it hard to imagine that a magnificent body of water like Brome Lake can silt up, age and die. All this made me realize that environ- mental stakeholders like us should simplify and popularize our messages more.”
Yes to more vegetation on the shoreline strip – but at what price?
“Local residents generally received us well, with a certain indifference sometimes but rarely aggressively. As for vegetated shoreline or riparian strips, they remain problematic for many. I didn’t meet a single local owner who had planted their 15 regulatory meters with vegetation. We can make compromises, eight, ten meters sometimes, as long as it’s not too costly.”
Construction sites are still problematic
“While individual owners are generally compliant when it comes to the installation of gutters, the regulations relating to sediment management were generally poorly applied by the 33 construction sites visited. The workers don’t seem to be aware of the regulations. City inspectors should be more present. We also reported seven very problematic projects to them.”
“The public authorities should do more”
Many residents told the patrollers that they wanted the municipalities to intervene more in environmental matters. Some comments included.
“More municipal subsidies for riparian areas,” “More advisory services for our developments,” “Not strict enough on compliance with regulations,” and “We should ban wave-wake boats”
The necessity of patrolling the water
Finally, patrolling the lake by boat – a first for CLB – proved to be a particularly effective awareness-raising method. Mathilde Richard-Pitre says: “On a boat people are more relaxed. They listen to what we have to say and converse with us. At the launching or washing stations they are generally in too much of a hurry. In short, the Blue Patrol should absolutely be more present on the water next summer.”
Will the weather allow it?
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