EAC Initiatives

---

Environmental Advisory Committee Initiatives Through the Years (Not in chronological order)

1. Ongoing stewardship of the lake
2. Attended workshop for invasive aquatic weeds
3. Attended workshop on Lakeshore Management
4. Attended workshop on invasive land weeds
5. Lakes of Parkland County member
6. Continual partnership with Alberta Conservation  Association re: installation/removal of aerators
7. Continual partnership with Alberta Environment  and Parks re: lake levels
8. Annual newsletter
9. Participation in the Canada Day festivities and brought in specialists such as a Master Composter and Nature Alberta
10. Brought in guest speakers from Nature Alberta , North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance and Alberta Conservation Association to present to EAC and council
11. Initiated dog dropping bag stations
12. Continual tracking of loon data
13. Building, installation and maintenance of two loon nesting platforms
14. Sponsor and participate in rain barrel sales in partnership with the Tri Region (2015 - present)
15. Sponsor lake shore clean ups
16. Started a calendar, along with a photo contest
17. Photo bulletin boards have replaced the photo contest
18. Currently have two photo boards within the Village
19. Initiated proper garbage bins by mail boxes
20. Initiated proper garbage bins by lake in the winter
21. Initiated a Welcome to Spring Lake EAC letter (updated in 2020)
22. Continual tracking of lake freeze/thaw dates
23. Investigated Parkland County waste water rate increase
24. Printed Noxious Weed Book for reference (village office and members)
25. Offered to meet with Parkland EAC twice, (declined twice)
26. Began meeting summary to be sent to Council after each meeting to keep them updated (2011- present)
27. Initiated with Village an annual Large Item Round-up
28. Continual tracking of water level data
29. Developed an updated Mission Statement (2015)
30. Development of bird house kit program (2015)
31. Began participating in Pitch In Canada (2016)
32. Initiated increased signage for:  loon information, dogs on leash and dog droppings
33. Developed and sent out three Environmental Surveys to help determine direction and provide a working base for the EAC (2006, 2009, 2019)
34. Speed limit signs for lake speed control produced an additional six signs being added around the lake and in turn has reduced the environmental impact of boaters
35. Tree planting – there had been active tree planting activities over the years by several residents, small businesses and the Village.
36. Waste water initiatives
37. Presented a Composting workshop
38. Recycling – initiated getting a recycling program within the Village and continue to give advice to council in this area
39. Advocated for ongoing responsibility of ATV usage and banning of ATVs within the village
40. Ongoing file data base/reference library development
41. Participated in Living by the Lakeshore home consultations
42. Participated in Green Acreages workshop
43. Developed an Environmental Action Plan (2018), update it annually and get it approved by council
44. Responsible for the posting of loon information signs around the lake
45. Participated in an Isotopes Study with the University of Alberta
46. Participated in a Winter Ice Balance study
47. Members acted as liaisons with the Edmonton Trout Club
48. Hosted a Septic System Information workshop (2018)
49. Developed a 2018 loon photo journal for the gosling hatched by a pair of loons
50. Developed a noxious weed display with take away photos on all bulletin boards
51. Members attended a County of Parkland weed identification workshop
52. Educational materials regarding prohibited and noxious weeds displayed on community bulletin boards for three months for a total of 36 different types of weeds
53. Track the fish stocking dates and amounts
54. Carried out two radon tests at the Village office, (summer and winter); results are in a very safe category (2019)
55. Brought out a guest speaker re: how we can better carry out our mission statement
56. Sponsored a children’s photo contest the summer of 2019 (only 1 entered)
57. In partnership with the County of Parkland, sponsored a Working Well workshop (2019 and 2020)
58. Developed a 2014 loon book
59. Purchased and displayed new loon awareness signs
60. Participated in community garage sale
61. Sponsored a White Spruce Seedling kit handouts for kids (2019)
62. Commenced receiving oxygen level data from ACA three times per year (2020)
63. Donated $350 towards trees for two naturalization area within the Village (2020)
64. Sponsored bird house kits, bird feeder kits and Bluebird Books give away at Fall Festival (2021)
65. Promoted the purchasing and use of two rain barrels at the Village compound
66. Promoted and Village established, an anti-idling by-law for village-owned vehicles and contractors
67. Participated in information sharing for an updated shoreline assessment as a part of the new land use bylaw and municipal development plan (2020)
68. Participated in the Mayatan Lake Association Healthy Water Research (2021)
69. Guest speaker from the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance out to present

---

EAC Initiatives - 2005-2011
To date, there have been a number of initiatives that we as the EAC, have undertaken. Some of them are:

 

1. Attended workshop for invasive aquatic weeds

2. Attended workshop on Lakeshore Management

3. County of Parkland- Lakes of the County meeting(s)

4. Workshop on Invasive Land Weed

5. Continue partnership with Alberta Conservation re: installation/removal of aerators

6. Continue partnership with Alberta Environment re: Lake levels

7. Annual newsletter

8. Participation in the Canada Day Festivities

• Brought in presenters: Master Composter
• Nature Alberta

9. Brought in guest speakers from Nature Alberta, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance and Alberta Conservation Association to present to EAC and Council

10. Initiated increasing signage for

• Loon information
• Dogs on leash
• Dog droppings

11. Initiated dog dropping bag stations

12. Continual tracking of loon data

13. Building, installation and maintenance of two loon nesting platforms

14. Had sponsored rain catcher sales

15. Had sponsored lake shore clean ups

16. Started a calendar, along with photo contest

17. Photo bulletin board to replace the photo contest

18. Initiated with Village Large Item Round-up

19. Initiated proper garbage bins by mail boxes

20. Initiated proper garbage bins by the lake in the winter

21. Initiated a Welcome to Spring Lake EAC letter

22. Continual tracking of the lake freeze/thaw dates

23. Investigation of Parkland County waste water rate increase

24. Printed Noxious Weed Book for reference (Village office and members)

25. Offered to meet with Parkalnd EAC (declined)

26. Began a meeting summary to be sent to Council after each meeting to keep them updated

27. Continue to collect reference materials for the EAC members, as well as for the residents (available at the Village Office)

28. Developed a Mission Statement to replace outdated Terms of Reference

• On going stewardship of the lake – this was started at our first meeting with discussion generating ideas as to how this can be carried out by the EAC.

• Annual shoreline clean-up – this has taken place for the past two years with great success

• By-annual newsletter – this comes out every Spring and Winter along with the Village’s Newsletter

• Creation of our first Environmental Survey – this was devised and sent out to all residents the winter of 2006. The information from this survey gave not only the EAC a working base for some of the activities we have undertaken, but has also been feedback to Village Council to undertake some activities along with the EAC.

• Speed limit signs for lake speed control – an example of an activity that came out of the survey from 2006. This summer there have been six 12 KM speed limit signs installed at various points along the lakeshore to remind all boaters that there is a posted speed limit on the lake that everyone is responsible for obeying.

• Reduced environmental impact of boaters – this is still in the works in trying to have the lake’s motorized lake status changed to being designated electric motors only. Posting more of the speed limit signs was the first step in achieving this initiative.

• Tree planting – there has been active tree planting activities over the last three years by several residents and the Village. Some free trees have been passed out from the Spring Lake Store to encourage other residents to help replenish what Mother Nature brings down.

• On-going recommendations to Council – as concerns arise from discussion at the EAC meetings or from feedback from the residents, the EAC takes these to the monthly Council meetings either through the Council Representative on the EAC, or else the co-chair will present them to Council.

• Waterfowl survey – as mentioned in the previous article with respect to the loons, there are also other observations being discussed at the EAC meetings such as the shortage of songbirds some years, and the increase in the beaver population.

• Waste water initiatives – the EAC is working with Council in getting more information on this topic, as well as the monitoring of the waste water in our community

• Composting – offering tips in various newsletters and currently working on presenting a workshop in early 2009

• Recycling – helped with getting a recycling program within the Village with the new garbage collection company

• Advocating for ongoing responsibility of ATV usage near the shorelines and on the meadows. The Village has now passed a by-law prohibiting ATVs within the Village limits

• Ongoing file data base – which is at the Village office. There are extra copies of some pamphlets available for residents to get by contacting the Village office or a member of the EAC There are copies of pertinent newspaper articles regarding issues that pertain to Spring Lake as well.