Ontario Dune Coalition

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

Protecting Lake Ontario's Dunes for 20 years

Location: Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic Region: New York

Project Summary: TODC provides technical, educational, and clearinghouse services to its member organizations, property owners and public officials in matters addressing the Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes.

Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards work to restore sand dunes by installing snow fencing and signs. Photo credit: Molly Thompson, NY Sea Grant

Resource Challenge

The eastern shore of Lake Ontario is a Biodiversity Investment Area that features a 17-mile long barrier beach of Great Lakes dunes and a globally significant complex of pond, marshes, and fens that harbors numerous rare and endangered plant and animal species. Of the 17 miles of beach that constitute the shore, more than eight miles are in protected ownership of New York State , The Nature Conservancy, and Oswego County . This area has always posed a management challenge because the sandy beaches are a natural magnet for thousands of summer visitors who help sustain a lively tourism economy in the area.

Because the dune system is fragile and highly vulnerable to overuse by recreational visitors, The Ontario Dune Coalition, a forum of private organizations, landowners, and public agencies, has actively sought ways to ensure that recreational use of the system is compatible with its natural resource values. The purpose of TODC is to promote and support the protection, stabilization, restoration and optimum public use in keeping with private property rights of the Eastern Lake Ontario dunes. This coalition provides technical, educational, and clearinghouse services to its member organizations, property owners and public officials in matters addressing its purpose.

Examples of Key Partners

Black River RC&D, Eastman Place Association, Friends of Sandy Pond Beach, Jefferson County Cooperative Extension, Jefferson County Planning Department, Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, Jefferson-Sunset Bluff Landowners Association, North Jefferson Park Landowners Association, North Rainbow Shores Landowners Association, North-South Sandy Pond Association, New York Sea Grant Extension, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, NYS Department of State, Onondaga Audubon Society, Oswego County Cooperative Extension, Oswego County Environmental Management Council, Oswego County Planning Department, Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District, Renshaw Beach Association, Sandy Island Beach Property Owners Association, Seaway Trail, Inc., Selkirk Beach Association, The Nature Conservancy, Town of Ellisburg, Town of Richland, Town of Sandy Creek, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Results and Accomplishments

Over the last 20 years, The Ontario Dune Coalition has made tremendous strides in conserving the dunes and wetlands of the Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes and Wetlands Area. Past accomplishments include acquistion of over 6000 acres of freshwater dunes and wetlands, restoration of eroded dunes, and completion of a collaborative research project to determine sand transport dynamics in Lake Ontario .

During 2003-2005, TODC received funding from New York State for a variety of projects including: a study of recreational use trends for the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland Area; production and distribution of a Landowner's packet targeted at landowners along the 17 mile stretch of dunes; an update and reanalysis of the management plan for the areas; and a review of external funding support opportunities.

Innovation/Highlight

TODC has been an active supporter of the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Steward Program, established in 1995 to abate the continued threat of overuse or misuse of this fragile and highly vulnerable system. Dune Stewards have been hired to interact with and engage beachgoers, encouraging them to enjoy their visit to the beach without walking or camping on the dunes, driving vehicles on the beach, or disturbing birds and other widlife. The stewards also assist in site management, introducing string fence and interpretive signage and brochures to visitors to reinforce no-access zones and use guidelines. Dune Stewards are also actively involved in collecting visitor use patterns and illegal activity or violations data for each of the areas with the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland Area.

Project Contact

John DeHollander
District Manager
Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District
3105 NY State Route 3
Fulton, NY 13069
315.592.9663
john.dehollander@oswegosoilandwater.com

Mary Penney
Coastal Community Development Specialist
New York Sea Grant
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY 13126
315.312.3042
mp357@cornell.edu

Website: http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/glhabitat/dune/dune.html

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