GLOBAL CHALLENGES, LOCAL CONCERNS

GLOBAL CHALLENGES,LOCAL CONCERNS

28th Annual River Symposium | October 27 & 28

www.riversymposium.riverinstitute.ca/2021

R I V E R S Y M P O S I U M

2

Ohen:ten KarihwatehkwenHaudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks for Mother Earth. She has given us everything we need to live in peace… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Food Plants. They help us when we’re hungry… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Fruits and especially strawberry, the head of the berry family… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Grasses. Some we use as food and some as medicine… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Water; the rivers, the lakes, the oceans, and that clean water keeps running all over the earth. It keeps our thirst quenched… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Fish. They give us strength so we don’t go hungry… now our minds are one. We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Medicines, that they still help us when we are sick…now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Wild Animals, that they still help us when we are cold and hungry… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Trees, especially the maple, the head of their family, that it still creates sap as the Creator made it to do… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Birds, that we still hear the nice singing that they bring, especially the head of the bird family – the eagle is its name… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to our grandfathers the Thunderers, that they make new waters… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Four Winds, that they still do what the Creator has asked them to do… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to our Brother, the Sun, that it is still bright and warms the earth… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thank to our Grandmother, the Moon, that she is still in charge of when children are born… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Stars, that they dress the sky for our grandmother, the moon… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to the Messengers; their job is to take care of the people… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks to Creator for everything that he has done for the people… now our minds are one.

We bring our minds together as one and give thanks for the people gathered here, that everyone is at peace here where we live on earth… now our minds are one.

Now we opened the day. Therefore let our minds be that way (appreciative).

These are all the words.

This version Of The Ohen:ten Karihwatehkwen is from the Iehontkahthos Tsi Naho:ten Ta:we (They can look into the Future). Akwesasne Comprehensive Community Plan March 2016


3

For the 2021 River Symposium, all talks will be available live online and will focus on the health of our freshwater ecosystems. We will have both a Community Day and Science Day

providing a platform for researchers, educators, policy-makers, community leaders and citizens to understand current ecological health as well as in-depth analysis of trends and

future needs/actions.

The Symposium will share knowledge about the status of the St. Lawrence River/Great Lakes and other freshwater ecosystems. The scientific presentations and community

sessions will address current topics important to all freshwater ecosystems and of immediate concern for the St. Lawrence River/Great Lakes.

This year the theme is ‘Global Challenges, Local Concerns’, and we look forward to learning about how our local freshwater ecosystems are being affected by climate change, land use

change, invasive species, pollution and exploitation.

For the past 27 years, the River Institute has hosted an annual Symposium to bring together researchers and stakeholders to explore issues and challenges facing large rivers and their watershed. This sharing

of knowledge is powerful as it leads to a better understanding of fresh water resources and ecosystems, as well as the development of strategies for renewal and protection.

Global Challenges, Local Concerns


4

Community Day

Engage with local scientists and community partners to learn about the challenges that face our freshwater ecosystems

and the ways in which we are working towards finding local solutions to these challenges.

Wednesday, October 27th

Science Day

For the 2021 River Symposium, we will be considering how global challenges are affecting local freshwater ecosystems. These challenges include climate change, land use change,

invasive species, pollution, and exploitation.

Thursday, October 28th

Click to watch Click to watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMVjbXUXtZs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIl1ehzrhyA

C O M M U N I T Y D A Y | O c t o b e r 2 7

5

Fish Tank Youth Competition

High schools are encouraged to form teams of 3 students to compete in the symposium fish tank competition. Teams will join us on community day to participate in three workshops to learn about

environmental sampling techniques. Topics will include aquatic invertebrates, bats, and the scientific method. Their new skills will be put to the test in the afternoon’s Fish Tank where teams will present their

solutions to our environmental case study. The winning team will take home a $300 cash prize!

Each team will be given keys that will help them identify the invertebrates they observed under the microscope. As part of the invertebrate identification workshop, the students will learn about biotic index and invertebrate sampling techniques.

Aquatic Invertebrates

Teams will learn about bat anatomy, diet and taxonomy – with a special focus on local bat species, the threats they face, and the research being done at the River Institute to help the recovery of endangered species. Students will also learn how to use the equipment we use to catch, observe and record data about bats.

Bats

Teams will do a deep dive into the scientific method, what the steps are and how it serves as the foundation of our research. Students will use the scientific method to break down an example case study and learn how to build their own research study to address environmental issues.

Scientific Method

Once the morning workshops are completed, the students will be tested on their understanding of the scientific method through the research conducted by Bailey Bedard (science day speaker). The challenge will be to generate a question and methods to find a solution to the problem. Their work will be judged by a panel of scientists including Bailey, Yanik Rozon and Emilie DeRochie.

Case Study


6

Canadian Commissioner, International Joint Commission

Henry Lickers

Henry Lickers, a Haudenosaunee citizen of the Seneca Nation, Turtle Clan. He has been both the Director of Mohawk Council and the Environmental Science Officer during his long career at the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. Throughout his career, Mr. Lickers has been instrumental in incorporating First Nation’s people and knowledge into environmental planning and decision making. Prior to his appointment as IJC Commissioner, Mr. Lickers was a member of the IJC’s current Great Lakes Science Advisory Board (SAB) since 2014. Mr. Lickers also served as a SAB member from 1987-91 and 1997-2000.   He has been principle investigator on the EAGLE (Effect on Aboriginal in the Great Lakes Environment) Project and the Naturalized Knowledge Systems Project and the First Nations’ Community Health Indicators Project. Henry has been Director Ontario Professional Foresters Association, Scientific Co-Chair of The Haudenosaunee Environmental Taskforce, Vice President of the Board of Directors, St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences and a member of the Board of Directors for the

Eastern Ontario Model Forest.

The recipient of a number of awards recognizing his lifelong service to the St. Lawrence River, and service to many environmental and government organizations over his career, Mr. Lickers was given an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from the State University of New York Syracuse. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Biology and Geography) and undertook graduate studies at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, and was a

Trent University Ph D. Elder Council member. He lives in Akwesasne, Ontario.

8:30 AM & 5:00 PM

Opening & Closing Address


7

Explorer, Adventurer, & Storm Chaser

George Kourounis

Explorer and storm chaser George Kourounis shares some of his most harrowing stories from his encounters with tornadoes, flooding, volcanoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. He brings his unique perspective to the relationship between weather, climate, and society in an ever-changing world and provides insight into how to stay safe should

you ever find yourself in the path of one of Mother Nature’s temper tantrums.

11:00AM — 12:00PM

Exploring Earth’s Extremes

George Kourounis is a renowned global adventurer, storm chaser, explorer and television presenter. Based in Toronto, his efforts to document nature’s worst weather conditions have taken him all over the globe, into places most normal people are fleeing from. Whether it’s a tornado outbreak in Kansas, a monster hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, forest fires in British Columbia, or even an erupting volcano, he’s usually in the middle of the action

with his camera rolling. His efforts have been seen around the world on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Explorer, BBC-TV, CNN and of course, his own adventure TV program Angry Planet which has been broadcast in over 100 countries. The program airs on OLN, City TV, The Travel Channel, The Weather Channel, Halogen TV & others.


8

Associate Professor, University of California Berkeley

Dr. Elizabeth Hoover

As a Native community downwind, downstream and down gradient from a number of contaminated sites, Akwesasne Mohawks have had their share of concerns about the impacts of environmental pollution on the health of their bodies, culture, and environment. Based on interviews with activists, mothers, and change-makers, this presentation discusses the benefits and challenges of community based participatory research (CBPR) as a necessary method for effective research in Native American communities; the collateral impacts of environmental contamination on Indigenous health, culture and food systems; and the inspiring ways in which this community is developing programs to ensure their own resiliency, and that environmental

reproductive justice is achieved. 

1:30PM — 2:30PM

The River is In Us: Fighting Toxics in a Mohawk Community

sovereignty and seed sovereignty; the role of Native chefs in the food movement; and the fight against the fossil fuel industry to protect heritage foods. She also recently co-edited a book Indigenous Food Sovereignty in the United States with Devon Mihesuah (University of Oklahoma Press, 2019). Elizabeth has published articles about Native American food sovereignty and seed

rematriation; environmental reproductive justice in Native American communities; and tribal citizen science and community based participatory research. Outside of academia, Elizabeth serves on the executive committee of the Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance (NAFSA) and the board of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) and the Freed Seed Federation.

Headshot by Adam Sings in the Timber

Elizabeth Hoover is an associate professor in the Environmental Science, Policy, and Management department at the University of California Berkeley whose work focuses on food sovereignty and environmental justice for Native communities. Her first book The River is In Us: Fighting Toxics in a Mohawk Community, (University of Minnesota Press, 2017) is an ethnographic

exploration of Akwesasne Mohawks’ response to Superfund contamination and environmental health research. Her second book project-in-progress, From Garden Warriors to Good Seeds; Indigenizing the Local Food Movement explores Native American community-based farming and gardening projects; the ways in which people are defining and enacting concepts like food

9


Q&A

Climate Action

8:50AM–9:50PM

A Consideration of Community Solutions

Lee Theodore

Youth Climate Action- Frontenac Arch

Noah Giles

Cities: a cause of and solution to climate change. How the City of

Cornwall is taking actionAngela Dawn Parker

Great Lakes Community Action

10:00AM–11:00AM

Water Quality and Shoreline Development

Darlene Coyle

Making a splash: how community-based water quality monitoring

can help tell your storyKat Kavanagh

Community mobilization for fish health in Great Lakes and Upper St Lawrence fisheries: The case of the

Blue Fish Canada fish health networkKristen Lowitt

Lawrence Gunther

St. Lawrence River

2:30PM–3:35PM

The St. Lawrence River Remedial Action Plan at Cornwall/Akwesasne

Georgia BockBritney Bourdages

Great River RapportDr. Leigh McGaugheyDr. Mary Ann Perron

St. Lawrence Strategy PlanAbraham FrancisLeigh McGaughey

Call to Action

4:00PM–5:00PM

Great River NetworkPatricia O’Hara

Advocacy, Education and Re-search on the St. Lawrence River

Lauren Eggleston

Engaging Families with Children in Caring for Ecological Systems

Rochelle JohnstonAnnie Cook Cree

Q&A Q&A Q&A


10

TIME KEEPERMary Ann Perron

ClimateAction

8:50AM–9:50AM

SESSION CHAIRLee Theodore


11

8:50AM — 9:05AM

Lee Theodore is a Cornwall resident and Project Coordinator with the River Institute, with a new project called, Future Climate Leaders. As an employee of the River Institute, Theodore is instrumental in facilitating a climate change solution program for the SDG region of Eastern Ontario. He was previously a Caribbean restaurant owner, a head hunter, a coffee shop Operations Standards Manager, as well as a manufacturing export territory manager for Western Canada.

While having a storied professional experience, he steeps himself in the progress of his rural local community in a variety of realms ranging from the art community, the volunteering community, grassroots initiatives, and local causes. His biggest aspiration is to raise his 4-year-old daughter in a world where he is participating for the greater good. Born in Edmonton Alberta. Raised in the Greater Toronto Area. Rooted in Eastern Ontario. A self-declared, “Solutions Alchemist”.

Future Climate Leaders, River InstituteLee Theodore

A fundamental aspect of the climate change solution is the relationship between scientists and community. This reciprocal relationship fosters the transfer of information from the scientific community to the community at large. The interaction of the two requires both respect and appreciation as one begets the other. It is said that science exists in the folds of the needs of society. What climate change will need more than anything, is motivation and commitment. Motivation to actively participate in shared information to an increasingly discerning and self-educated world. And commitment, to not give up. This is a conversation about the value of community in the pursuit of solutions to this great challenge of the human race. More importantly, the necessity of scientific work being saturated in the communities’ conscious thought and action. Calling all scientists! You are appreciated and needed. There

is no solution without science. There is no action without community.

A Consideration of Community Solutions to Climate Change

[email protected]


12

9:05AM—9:20AM

Noah is currently an intern at the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network (FABN) and a recent graduate from Carleton University with a B.A. Honours in Environmental Studies with a minor in Geography. During his education he developed an interest in ecosystems, earth processes and natural history. Prior to his studies and work with FABN, he was a Laboratory Technician at Advanced Engine

Technology (now CFR Engines Inc) testing fuel ignition quality. Growing up in Ottawa and living alongside the Ottawa River he has developed a passion for the outdoors and wildlife. Some of his interests include scuba diving, hunting/fishing, birdwatching, and foraging. In his spare time, he also likes to practice regenerative agriculture, mechanics, and sustainable living.

Frontenac Arch BiosphereNoah Giles

The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network is committed to raising the level of understanding for impacts and adaptation to climate change, globally and more specifically within our region, through promotion of youth-led initiatives. The Youth Climate Program works to convene, engage, connect, and empower young people around the biosphere for action on climate change. This program’s objective is to create a climate literate and empowered generation who know how to assess credible climate science, can communicate information about climate change in a meaningful way, make informed decisions for climate actions, and take these actions to their schools and communities. The outcome would be a program for and led by youth where they tackle the science, knowledge and actions required to adapt to our changing environment. Youth present the most effective demographic to deliver a climate action plan and the most affected demographic that will have to cope with climate change.

Youth Climate Action- Frontenac Arch

[email protected]


13

9:20AM—9:35AM

Angela holds a master’s degree in Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies from Concordia University, Montreal. Her research focused on human/animal interactions within particular spaces, including road ecology. She has since expanded from that research to contemplate how human-induced extreme weather events are impacting both domesticated and feral non-human species. She brings this knowledge and

passion, as well as a decade of communications and outreach experience, to the City of Cornwall as the new Sustainability Project Coordinator. Her role at the City involves outreach for the community as well as implementing initiatives for current and future projects to ensure that the City mitigates greenhouse gases and becomes resilient to climate change.

City of CornwallAngela Dawn Parker

They can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? Urban areas are vulnerable to extreme weather events, but they are also major contributors to climate change. According to the United Nations, cities consume 78 per cent of the world’s energy and produce more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gases. But cities can also be a powerful source of resilience and resourcefulness when it comes to taking action on climate change. Located in Eastern Ontario alongside the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the City of Cornwall has a population of 47,000 and is growing. Hear how Cornwall is taking steps to becoming a leader in sustainability and

climate resiliency and how it is learning from other Ontario municipalities.

Cities: a cause of and solution to climate change. How the City of

Cornwall is taking action

[email protected]


14

TIME KEEPERBailey Bedard

Great Lakes Community Actions

10:00AM–11:00AM

SESSION CHAIRYanik Rozon


15

10:00AM—10:15AM

Darlene is a passionate environmental enthusiast with a master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo. She is also the Environmental Policy and Planning Intern at Watersheds Canada, a Policy Project Coordinator with the Canadian Youth Biodiversity Network, and an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre

for International Sustainable Development Law. She is currently leading the Planning for Our Shorelands project with Watersheds Canada aimed at creating an online resource to help local decision-makers understand the science of natural shorelines while highlighting best management practices.

Watersheds CanadaDarlene Coyle

Globally, the quality of freshwater resources continues to degrade, with 1 in 9 people worldwide using water from non-treated or unsafe sources. Canada, although rich in freshwater resources, is no exception when it comes to water quality. In Ontario, algal blooms had increased dramatically between 1994 and 2009 and are expected to be exacerbated with the effects of climate change. Two significant factors contributing to the poor quality of our lakes are

the destruction of natural shorelines and development too close to the water.

Join us as we discuss the important services provided by natural shorelines and some of the development issues many Ontario townships face.

Water Quality and Shoreline Development

[email protected]


16

10:15AM—10:30AM

Kat Kavanagh is an award-winning web designer and environmentalist who co-founded the non-profit organization Water Rangers. Before that, she worked in tech startups for ten years, designing websites, apps, and games. Kat earned her master’s degree in Integrated Water Resource Management from McGill and now combines her passion for both design and water to create better ways for communities to test waterways.

She’s developed and tested Water Rangers’ water quality testkits and open data platform, designed to empower communities to collect data about local waterways. Together with her talented team, they’re supporting water testers in Canada, the USA, and worldwide. Along with partners like the Great River Rapport, they support locals who want to dip their toes into water monitoring.

Water RangersKat Kavanagh

Are you interested in water quality?  In this interactive talk, we’ll explore water quality monitoring and how the data you collect is integral to maintaining our watersheds. To make an impact, you must share your data and the stories of why you’re testing. Often, groups don’t have the people or the technology to do that well. That’s why Water Rangers has integrated their platform with DataStream’s, automatically allowing community-based water groups to share data. So now, community data can sit alongside government, scientific, and other community datasets to inform decision-making! We’ll share tips and techniques for making a difference, exploring how crowd-sourced water monitoring fills data gaps and how it can change the hearts and minds of community members. Join us on a journey to see how your community can ensure your efforts are meaningful through tips on sharing stories and impact. 

Making a splash: how community-based water quality monitoring

can help tell your story

[email protected]


17

10:30AM—10:45AM

Kristen Lowitt is an assistant professor in the School of Environmental Studies at Queen’s University. Her community-engaged research program is directed towards working with communities to build just and sustainable food systems in rural and coastal settings. One of her main interests is the role of small-scale fisheries in building resilient food systems.

Queen’s University & Blue Fish CanadaDr. Kristen Lowitt & Lawrence Gunther

The Great Lakes-St Lawrence basin contains commercial, recreational, and Indigenous fisheries that make vital contributions to cultures, economies, and livelihoods. However, fisheries policy and management often remain top-down and narrowly focused, with a need to better engage and connect a range of voices from local fishing communities and fishers to scientists and community organizers. In this presentation, we profile the efforts of the fish health network, a community-based network founded by the charity Blue Fish Canada with support from the Canadian Environmental Law Association, in mobilizing cross-sector actors to engage in conversations and action around fish health in Great Lakes-St Lawrence fisheries. We present fish health as a “boundary spanning” concept that may enable different groups to work together in support of more integrated knowledge and policy, while recognizing the close interconnections among the health of the fish, fisheries ecosystems, and human communities. Our presentation will also share photos and videos from Blue Fish Canada

pertaining to their community mobilization work.

Community mobilization for fish health in Great Lakes and Upper St Lawrence

fisheries: The case of the Blue Fish Canada fish health network

[email protected] ● [email protected]

In 2012, Lawrence Gunther founded “Blue fish Canada”, a charity dedicated to water quality, fish health, and informing and inspiring the next generation of conservation-minded outdoor enthusiasts. Having earned his master’s in Environmental Studies from York University, Lawrence is now North America’s only blind conservationist, outdoor writer, podcaster, blogger, film maker and TV host. He’s a frequent contributor to Outdoor Canada Magazine, where you can also find episodes of his weekly podcast “Blue Fish Radio”. His award-winning documentary “What Lies Below” currently airs on CBC’s Documentary Channel.


18

TIME KEEPERCourtney Holden

St. Lawrence River

2:30PM–3:35PM

SESSION CHAIRGeorgia Bock


19

2:30PM—2:50PM

Georgia is the Remedial Action Plan Coordinator based out of the River Institute here in Cornwall. Previous to this position, she was the Natural Resources Manager for the Xatśūll First Nation located in central British Columbia. Her passion is working collaboratively with local communities on environmental projects and issues. She is originally from North Glengarry, Ontario and has a BA in Geography from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.

River Institute & Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

Georgia BockBritney Bourdages

Did you know that the St. Lawrence River at Cornwall and Akwesasne was named as an Area of Concern back in the 1980s due to a long history of severe environmental impacts caused by human activity? A Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has been in place to help restore the area for over 30 years. In this presentation, Georgia and Britney will talk about this history of the

RAP, where it is now, and what we are hoping to achieve for the future.

The St. Lawrence River Remedial Action Plan at Cornwall/Akwesasne


Britney is the Environmental Projects and Remedial Action Plan Coordinator for the Northern portion of Akwesasne. Before joining the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, Britney worked for local conservation authorities and angling/hunting agencies. She has helped develop and deliver a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial environmental projects, and is looking forward to incorporating this knowledge into future initiatives in Akwesasne.


20

2:50PM—3:10PM

Leigh is an ecologist who currently leads the ‘Great River Rapport’ – an ecosystem health report on the Upper St. Lawrence River. Leigh’s career started as a biologist working on krill in Antarctica, invasive mussels in Africa, and shellfish in Australia. A PhD in ecological modelling in Canada was followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with the European Commission in Italy as a Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Analyst. Leigh’s global perspective through past work experience in research and government agencies is now rooted locally in eastern Ontario, and along with an exceptional team, is now focused on making scientific findings accessible to the public through the Great River Rapport project.

River Institute

Dr. Leigh McGaughey Dr. Mary Ann Perron

The Great River Rapport is a project initiated by the River Institute in partnership with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne which brings together scientific information to answer questions centered on the ecological health of the Upper St. Lawrence River. The project has three pillars: Indigenous Knowledge, Science, and Community and is framed in the Ohenton Karihwatehkwen (Words That Come Before All Else). A suite of 36 ecological indicators describing the health of the river were identified through consultation with community members, community groups, government agencies, academics and industry partners. The final set of indicators include metrics related to land cover, water, abundance of select species of plants and animals, diversity and contaminants. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the environmental status of the river to strengthen engagement in sustainable practices. An overview of the project will be shared, along with an update on the community action elements. An in depth look at the abundance indicator of yellow perch will be highlighted including considerations of predation of perch by cormorants and the

role of fisheries in perch population dynamics.

The Great River Rapport


Mary Ann is a freshwater biologist with specialized expertise in wetland and dragonfly science. She completed her B.Sc. Honours in Biology with a specialization in conservation and restoration ecology from Laurentian University in Sudbury (2010-2014). She then went on to complete her Ph.D. in Biology specializing in wetland ecosystems, Odonatology and urban ecology from the University of Ottawa (2014-2020). She is currently a Mitacs Postdoctoral Fellow at the River Institute leading the technical report for the Great River Rapport.


21

3:10PM — 3:20PM

Abraham Francis has a BSc in Microbiology, 2014, and MSc in Natural Resources, 2019, from Cornell University. His past experiences include community empowerment, engagement, and research with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and a variety of other community-based organizations. His Masters’ Thesis focused on applied research to develop a biocultural land stewardship strategy for existing and newly settled Native American Land Claims on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, Akwesasne. Currently, he works as the Environmental Science Officer for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne – Environment Program. The position allows him to develop and implement projects that are inspired and directed by community needs as well as influenced by his research interests. His research interests are at the intersection of environmental studies, Indigenous methodologies, community engagement, education, health, social services, law, and cultural foundations as a means for empowerment and healing within Indigenous Communities.

Mohawk Council of Akwesasne & River Institute

Abraham FrancisDr. Leigh McGaughey

The ‘St Lawrence River Strategy for a beautiful and healthy St Lawrence River - a framework for community action’ is a project in concept phase that has been put forward by the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the River Institute. During this session we will share the vision of this platform through which we hope to bring everyone who works on and enjoys the Upper St Lawrence River together for sharing all initiatives on the river, including research,

outreach, education, remediation and restoration.

St. Lawrence River Strategy


Leigh currently leads the ‘Great River Rapport’– an ecosystem health report on the Upper St. Lawrence River. Leigh’s career started as a biologist working on krill in Antarctica, invasive mussels in Africa, and shellfish in Australia. A PhD in ecological modelling in Canada was followed by a postdoctoral fellowship with the European Commission in Italy as a Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Analyst. Work with the Commission involved developing ecological indicators for conservation and fisheries initiatives combining satellite remote sensing with ecological models.Leigh is as an ecologist whose global perspective through past work experience in research and government agencies is now rooted locally in eastern Ontario, and along with an exceptional team, is focused on making scientific findings accessible to the public through the Great River Rapport project.


22


Call to Action

4:00PM–5:00PM

SESSION CHAIRMatt Windle


23

4:00PM — 4:15PM

Patricia is the Chair of the Great River Network (GRN). The GRN is comprised of over 50 river related organizations, agencies and individuals. Its mission is to value, improve and protect the Upper St. Lawrence River for future generations by linking communities and sharing knowledge. Patricia lived her life on (and in) the Upper St. Lawrence River. She grew up in Kingston, cottaged on Lake Ontario, raised her children on Wolfe Island and then relocated to Cornwall. She has interacted with the Great River in all aspects and in every season.

Patricia’s formal education as a Medical Laboratory Technologist allowed her to start her

career path in the laboratory of the Hotel Dieu Hospital (Kingston) and led her to a Sanitation Technologist position with Kraft Foods (Ingleside). Her education, knowledge, skills and experience has earned her the status of Citizen Scientist.

One of Patricia’s dreams was to achieve scuba diving certification. She has been successful and for the last eleven years has been diving the Great River. As a diver, Patricia is troubled by the overwhelming amount of garbage in the river so, along with other local divers, she has become fully committed to participating in GRN cleanup initiatives.

The Great River NetworkPatricia O’Hara

The Great River Network (GRN) was formed in 2015 in response to the St. Lawrence River Area of Concern Remedial Action Plan. Patricia will introduce you to the various GRN committees

and share with you their challenges and successes during the COVID crisis.

Great River Network: Maintaining our focus during the COVID-19 Crisis

[email protected]


24

4:15PM— 4:30PM

Lauren is a program manager at Save The River, a US-based grassroots advocacy organization working to protect the St. Lawrence River since 1978. She earned her M.Sc in Structural Geology from the University of Alberta in 2017. Lauren worked in industry after finishing her grad studies, but moved on to education and environmental

work in the National Park System and New York State Parks. Her work at Save The River focuses on teaching and collaborative research. Current projects include the Unionid Refuge Invasive Species Research Project in partnership with Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Environmental Division and New York State Museum.

Save the RiverLauren Eggleston

Save The River Upper St. Lawrence RIVERKEEPER® was formed in 1978 to protect and preserve the ecological integrity of the St. Lawrence River. We are a member-based organization representing more than 4,500 individuals. Our Trash Free River campaign put 250 volunteers out on the River this summer, hauling trash from the shoreline. In the Schools & On the Water continue their success as education programs, despite the pandemic (they’re virtual now!). The Unionid Refuge research project is in its third and final year, as we draw closer to understanding more about the importance of the Grasse River and the mussels found in it. We rely on volunteers to help us protect, preserve, and restore the Upper St. Lawrence

River now and for generations to come.

Advocacy, Education and Research on the St. Lawrence River

[email protected]


25

4:30PM — 4:50PM

Born and raised in Akwesasne, Annie is bear clan, married to Evan Cree and is a mother of 4. Annie has spent over 15 years working and mentoring youth in her community. Annie is the Director of Outdoor Programming at lakwa’shatste Youth Fitness. Recently, lakwa’shatste has added a new outdoor program and Annie’s main focus has changed to land-based programing. Through this new initiative, Annie encourages more families to get outdoors and enjoy nature and all it has to offer. 

Family Earth & lakwa’shatste Youth Fitness

Annie Cook CreeRochelle Johnston

Environmental education can work in complex but important ways to complement environmental research and positive environmental action (Ardoin, Bowersd & Gaillarde, 2019). Children who have the opportunity to spend time in and fall in love with the natural world grow into adults who fight to protect it. Meta-analyses of environmental education programs and the experience both presenters have with these programs, show that they rarely engage families as a unit. These programs either focus on individual children, youth or adults, or the community level. Two presentations – the first by Annie Cree on Iakwa’shatste Youth Fitness’s land-based programming and the second by Rochelle Johnston on Family Earth’s nature connection programming – explore the opportunities and challenges of centring families with children in environmental education, and explore local entry points for engaging Indigenous and non-Indigenous

families with children in caring for ecological systems.

Engaging Families with Children in Caring for Ecological Systems


Rochelle has spent her career running programming to promote the wellbeing and resiliency of children and families, across Canada, and in some of the most dangerous places in the world. Yet, it took being pregnant with her first child Kai for her to realize that the survival of her baby was inextricably linked to the health of the planet. This anxiety festered in the background as she juggled a PhD on genocide with impossibly high expectations about being a mother. The performance was manageable until her son Ewan arrived, then cracks began to show. Through it all Koen, her partner and the kids’ dad, jealously guarded the family’s downtime and persistently ensured they spent as much time in nature as possible. It was during one such weekend hike that Rochelle confided in Kai (then 7) her crazy idea of a better way forward: they would start a nature camp for families. This was the most excited Kai had ever been by something his mom suggested. And so Family Earth was born. Family Earth helps families heal their relationships with the natural world through building their capacities to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

S C I E N C E D A Y | O c t o b e r 2 8

26

Science Day

For the 2021 River Symposium, we will be considering how global challenges are affecting local freshwater ecosystems. These challenges include climate change, land use change,

invasive species, pollution, and exploitation.

Thursday, October 28th


27

Environmental Services Manager, Mohawk Council of AkwesasneAbraham Francis

As an Akwesasronon Ecologist, I find strength and inspiration in my work from across my community and experiences, specifically related to relationships between different aspects of creation. The practice of ecology, as a field of science, is amenable to the Indigenous Scientific thoughts and insights beyond the “imagined indian” created within mainstream narratives. To situate thought within my biocultural context, my perspective is immensely informed by the Ohenton Karihwatehkwen (Words that come before all else), which lays the foundation for my thoughts on the creation of a theory around roles and responsibilities as a means to caring for creation - caring utilized intentionally rather than management to create the intimacy of kin rather than externalizing/objectifying the relationship. The power in drawing on this speech/teachings is it outlines the holistic reciprocal relationality of the Haudensaunee, which are land-based and context-specific. The beautiful aspect of this theory is that it is dynamic and fluid and somewhat inspired by Gerald Vizenor’s survivance is that it is situationally informed and context-specific, so the definition can change over time and situations. The theory can call insight from various teachings, such as the two-row wampum or Great Law and many others. Hypothetically, the theory in praxis through stewardship can

produce improved community and ecological health endpoint.

Approaching a relationship with creation through roles and responsibilities has the potential to shift paradigms or igniting a remember for deep consideration for the impacts behind actions on all our relations. The MCA-Environment Program was established in 1976 and was born out of the concerns of Akwesasronon around environmental contamination and their impacts as well as grounded in Akwesasonon cultural values, teachings, and practices. The Environment Program is a space where the praxis of this theory is manifested and inspired. I am here to share my thoughts on this theory and praxis as I document a moment of a story

that continues to unfold beyond myself across time.

9:00AM — 10:00AM

Roles and Responsibilities: Caring for Creation in Akwesasne

Abraham Francis has a BSc in Microbiology, 2014, and MSc in Natural Resources, 2019, from Cornell University. His past experiences include community empowerment, engagement, and research with the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and a variety of other community-based organizations. His Masters’ Thesis focused on applied research to develop a biocultural land stewardship strategy for existing and newly settled Native American Land Claims on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, Akwesasne. Currently, he

works as the Environmental Services Manager for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne – Environment Program. The position allows him to develop and implement projects that are inspired and directed by community needs as well as influenced by his research interests. His research interests are at the intersection of environmental studies, Indigenous methodologies, community engagement, education, health, social services, law, and cultural foundations as a means for empowerment and healing within Indigenous Communities.

[email protected]


28

Full Professor, McGill UniversityDr. Anthony Ricciardi

No other freshwater ecosystem contains as many non-native species, or has been invaded as frequently, as the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. Nearly 190 non-native species have become established in the basin since the early 19th century, and as many as 90 of these species have colonized the St. Lawrence River. Collectively, these invasions have altered biodiversity, water quality, and fish habitat. They have caused substantial changes to St. Lawrence River communities of freshwater bottom-dwelling fishes and invertebrates over the past few decades. Most invasions have occurred since the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and are attributable to ballast water release from overseas shipping. Ballast water regulations implemented by Canada and the United States in 2008 seem to have dramatically reduced the rate of invasion over the past decade. However, non-native species can continue to be introduced through poorly-regulated vectors, especially those associated with ‘live trade’ (species imported alive as baitfish, ornamental garden species, aquarium pets, and fish for human consumption). Furthermore, the spread and impact of current and future invaders is expected to be altered by climate change. For these reasons, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River system will likely experience further ecological disruptions from invasive

non-native species in the near future.

10:00AM — 11:00AM

The Ecological Transformation of the St. Lawrence River by

Invasive Species

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Ricciardi is a Professor in the Redpath Museum and the School of Environment at McGill University. He is a recipient of the Frank Rigler Award—the highest honour given by the Canadian Society of Limnologists in recognition of major achievements in aquatic science. For nearly 30 years, Tony’s research has examined the impacts of invasive species in freshwater ecosystems. He spent his childhood exploring the St. Lawrence River, where he developed

a fascination for fish, crayfish, mudpuppies, caddisflies, and various strange invertebrates. His doctoral thesis examined how the zebra mussel invasion rapidly transformed animal communities in the river. Currently, he and his students are using experiments to test the influence of climate warming on populations of non-native fishes and invertebrates across the Great Lakes-St Lawrence basin.

[email protected]


29

Q&A

Living Waters: Environmental change

11:15AM–12:00PM

Junction CreekSydney Gilmour

Monitoring the Recovery of Bats in OntarioDr. Brian Hickey

A Toolbox for the Freshwater Biodiversity Crisis

Jessica Reid

Footprints: Freshwater Habitats

1:00PM–2:00PM

E. coli in the St. Lawrence RiverElizabeth Grater

Evaluation of Pollution Indicating Sensors

Maria Pelusi

Rethink Tomorrow: How questioning the status quo leads to big water savings and a more

sustainable manufacturing processDr. Helga Halvorsen

Analyzing Change in the Lower Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin

Dr. Kurt C. Kornelsen

All things small: Food web ecology

and resilience

2:10PM–3:10PM

Mosquitoes in the St. Lawrence Watershed

Dr. David Bruce Conn

Mercury Exposure in Eastern Ontario Bats

Bailey Bedard

Offshore nutrient levels and foodwebs

Lawrence Gunther

All things great: Fish biology and

biodiversity

3:20PM–4:20PM

Elevated Fish Mercury in Wetlands vs. non-Wetlands

Evie Brahmstedt

Evaluating a round goby invasion with telemetry

Jordanna Bergman

Status of recreational and commercial fish species in Lake St. Francis, towards a Québec-

Ontario analysisColin Lake & Yves Paradis

The FINS Project: Little Fish, Big River

Matt Windle

Q&A Q&A Q&A

Hydrodynamic Modelling for St. Lawrence River

Dr. Hamidreza Shirkhani

30


Identifying and assessing challenges related to water quality, water levels and flow, river runoff, productivity, emerging contaminants and eDNA.

TIME KEEPERSilvia Rodriguez

LIVING WATERS: Environmental Change

11:15AM–12:00PM

SESSION CHAIRDr. Courtney Holden


31

11:15AM —11:27AM

Junction CreekSidney Gilmour

Junction Creek is a central urban waterway in the City of Greater Sudbury and part of the Lake Huron watershed. The Creek has been historically impacted by extensive logging and mining practices and continues to face ongoing urban and industrial pressures, leading to sedimentation and thermal pollution, the introduction of excess nutrients and litter, and exposure of the waterway to sewage and mining effluent. This has resulted in severe habitat degradation and decreased biodiversity. In response to this impairment, the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee (JCSC), an environmental non-profit, was established in 1999 by a group of concerned citizens to aid in the recovery and protection of Junction Creek. The JCSC adheres to four operating principles to establish a healthy and revived ecosystem: 1) Research and Monitoring; 2) Restoration and Conservation; 3) Education and Awareness; and 4) Connecting the Community. One area that has been of particular value has been monitoring the changing composition of biological communities utilizing Junction Creek. Fish have been used as an indicator to monitor stream health and changing conditions, with community structures providing insight into water and habitat quality. The most recent assessment (2019) utilized a combination of electrofishing and minnow traps to assess fish communities, capturing and processing 18 fish species (n=9974 total individual fish) from 114 sites along Junction Creek. When comparing 2019 results to previous years’ (1993, 2004, 2008), we found a higher diversity of fish present as well as an increased distribution for many species. We also found an increase in the proportion of pollution intolerant species recorded. It is through these stream monitoring efforts that the JCSC is able to monitor creek conditions, inform watershed management and restoration projects, and move forward with the goals of encouraging the recovery and protection of the Junction Creek watershed.

From ‘Junk’ Creek to Junction Creek: The Conservation and Restoration of Sudbury’s

Largest Urban Waterway

[email protected]

Sydney completed her B.Sc. Honours in Biology at Bishop’s University and her M.Sc. in Biology under Dr. Kharouba at the University of Ottawa. She currently works for the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee, a non-profit organization that focuses

on the conservation and restoration of an urban stream in Sudbury, Ontario. She also volunteers at the River Institute as a scientific writer on the Great River Rapport.


32

11:27AM — 11:39AM

River InstituteBrian Hickey

Bats in North America face numerous threats including loss of habitat (especially roosts), reduced prey populations due to excessive use of insecticides, exposure to contaminants including mercury, mortality caused by wind turbines, and the devastating effects of the introduced fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. This fungus, which was first identified in New York state in 2006, is now found throughout Canada (and most of the US) and has resulted in population declines in bat hibernacula of more than 99%. These massive declines might represent the largest decline in a mammalian population since biologists began tracking these types of events and prompted some experts to predict the extinction of some

species of North American bats.

Between May and August 2021 we surveyed potential maternity roosts of endangered little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), one of the species most severely affected by white-nose syndrome in Ontario. The roosts we surveyed included bat houses deployed as part of habitat enhancement activities undertaken between 2014 and 2020 to encourage recovery of endangered bat populations, buildings or bat houses that were historically occupied by bats, and buildings owned by people who reported that they had bats living in their attics.

We identified 20 M. lucifugus roosts during our surveys, including 17 bat houses and 3 buildings. At 11 of these roosts we conducted emergence counts as bats left their roosts at dusk. Colony size varied from 1 to 200 bats (mean 96 bats) and 5 roosts had more than 120 bats. These results suggest bat populations in eastern Ontario may have developed resistance to the fungus and may be slowly recovering from the declines caused by white-nose syndrome.

Monitoring the recovery of bats in Ontario

[email protected]

Brian received both his M.Sc and Ph.D. from York University (Toronto) where he specialized in the foraging and thermoregulatory behaviour of red and hoary bats in southern Ontario. His bat research has brought him to Zimbabwe, the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico and Ontario, Canada. While Brian is well known for his bat research, he has studied a wide range of taxa including birds, fish, reptiles, and invertebrates, in both temperate and tropical ecosystems.

The unifying theme throughout his research is an interest in understanding the role environmental variation plays in determining responses of individual animals, and how the behavioural responses of individuals vary, ultimately contributing to the structure of animal populations and communities. The focus of Brian’s recent work

has been understanding contaminant burdens (especially mercury) in bats and implementing recovery actions for endangered bats impacted by white-nose syndrome.

Since 2014, Brian and his team have built and installed 175 bat roosting structures (bat houses) across eastern Ontario. They are currently documenting the apparent recovery of little brown bats and evaluating the efficacy of bat houses as a conservation tool.

In addition to his role as a research scientist, Brian oversees the River Institute’s education and outreach programs, which in 2019 received a national award of excellence from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).


33

11:39AM — 11:51AM

Carelton UniversityJessica Reid

It is well established that freshwater biodiversity is in a state of crisis. Although a global emergency recovery plan to “bend the curve” for freshwater biodiversity has been developed, it lacks details necessary for implementation in a regional context. Using Canada as an example, we describe a toolbox intended to equip decision-makers and practitioners with reliable, evidence-based tools for addressing persistent threats to freshwater biodiversity. To develop the toolbox, relevant evidence syntheses for various freshwater management actions were assembled and appraised for their reliability (i.e., critical appraisals, transparent data extraction) and relevance (i.e., habitat types, species) to Canadian freshwater systems. A suite of tools employed by decision-makers and practitioners were selected for their ability to inform users of the level of uncertainty in their application to Canada, but can be modified

to fit other regions.

This toolbox provides decision-makers and practitioners with access to the latest, most comprehensive, and reliable evidence syntheses. Yet, there remain a number of topics for which the evidence syntheses are not robust (i.e., subject to bias) and where the evidence base is either unreliable or not relevant to Canada specifically. As such, there is need for more rigorous evidence synthesis and more empirical tests of various freshwater conservation interventions. Given the global interest in addressing the freshwater biodiversity crisis and recognition that it will be necessary to engage and empower decision-makers and practitioners on a regional basis, we anticipate this novel approach will serve as a model

for other regions beyond Canada.

A Toolbox for the Freshwater Biodiversity Crisis

[email protected]

Jessica received her BSc in Honours Biology from Carleton University in 2021, where her undergraduate thesis work focused on the conservation status of endangered freshwater mussels and their symbiotic relationships with fish, in partnership with the Canadian Museum of Nature. She has gained a diverse background in fisheries science as a Research Assistant on projects related to fish diets and spatial ecology, behavioural effects of catch-and-release angling, and stream biodiversity surveys. Jessica currently

works for the Canadian Centre for Evidence Based Conservation, where she has conducted systematic maps and reviews related to various aspects of freshwater or animal conservation. This fall, she will be beginning her MSc at Carleton University, in the Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory lead by Dr. Steven Cooke, examining the spatial ecology and overwintering behaviour of muskellunge.

Twitter: @__jreid

34


Landscapes and land use ecological impacts on ecosystems including wetlands, restoration, sediments, habitats: mapping & change.


FOOTPRINTS: Freshwater Habitats

1:00PM–2:00PM

SESSION CHAIRBailey Bedard


35

1:00PM — 1:12PM

Elizabeth Grater recently obtained her Master’s degree in Environmental Science at the Université du Québec À Trois-Rivières. Since then, she has been working on a variety of projects along the St. Lawrence River (SLR), including a E. coli monitoring project in the lower SLR and multiple sampling campaigns aboard the R.V. Lampsilis. She is also part of the CentrEAU-COVID-19 project in Québec, working to track the spread of SARS-CoV2 through

the monitoring of wastewater. Outside of the lab, she is involved in an interdisciplinary project that brings together scientists and artists to develop effective outreach materials and art installations related to the SLR. The goal of this project is to spark inspiration and motivation to protect this beautiful and crucial ecosystem. She is excited to participate in her second River Symposium!

Université du Québec À Trois-RivièresElizabeth Grater

Throughout the St. Lawrence River (SLR), significant inputs of fecal coliforms (Escherichia coli, E. coli), associated with wastewater treatment plants and agricultural runoff, threaten the water quality of the river and pose problems for recreational activities and human health. While some municipalities currently monitor the concentrations of E. coli locally, few studies have looked at large scale dynamics of E. coli within the SLR. In this study, we assessed the distribution, origin, and spatial dynamics of E. coli from the start of the SLR to Quebec City, targeting inputs from tributaries and cities. Our results showed elevated concentrations of E. coli near small and large cities, with many sites exceeding the water quality threshold for direct contact with surface waters (200 CFU/100 mL). In some cases, the plumes of large urban effluents were tracked over 100 km downstream, demonstrating the large-scale impact of urban pollution downstream. While most of the E. coli found within the SLR originated from humans, we also detected the presence of ruminant E. coli at sites on the southern shore of Lake Saint Pierre, likely coming from agriculturally influenced tributaries. Together, these results highlight the importance of large-scale monitoring of E. coli within the SLR in order

to improve and preserve the water quality of the river.

E. coli in the St. Lawrence River

[email protected]


36

1:12PM — 1:24PM

Clarkson UniversityMaria Pelusi

The REASON (River Environment and Sensor Observation Network) project was established in 2014 to assess the water quality of the Saint Lawrence River. At the Moses-Saunders Power Dam, a Turner C6 Multi-Sensor Platform containing C-7 water quality sensors has been placed in the Unit 32 turbine of the dam to monitor temperature, phycocyanin, turbidity, chlorophyll-a, and colored dissolved organic matter. Recently, an optical brightener (OB) sensor and a tryptophan (TRY) fluorometric sensor were installed in the sensor platform and can provide an indication of nutrients and other pollutants in the St. Lawrence River. Optical brighteners are synthetic chemicals that are added to laundry detergents, while tryptophan is an amino acid that dissolves in water and is found in municipal wastewater and manure. These two sensors can indicate point (OB, TRY) and non-point (TRY) sources of nutrients and potential pathogens. Laboratory tests were conducted to characterize the sensors’ performance and sensitivity. Detection limits for the TRY and OB sensors in SLR (collected from U32) are 0.9 ppb and 0.3 ppb, respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of these sensors deteriorated at about 0.9 ppm of added TRY stock, and 0.9 ppm of added OB, most likely due to CDOM interference from saturation. These compounds may occur at about 0.1 ppm in affected river water therefore these sensors are capable of giving accurate data. In SLR water exposed to UV and PAR light from direct sunlight, OB and TRY had decay rates of 0.0009 and 0.0006 per minute-1, respectively. These sensors have proven their ability to detect data accurately and will assist in characterizing pollution events such as sewer overflow

and storm events that occasionally contaminate the St. Lawrence River.

Evaluation of Pollutant-Indicating Sensors

[email protected]

Maria Pelusi is a current senior at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. She is working on a degree in Environmental Science and Policy with a minor in Biology, and hoping to go on to get a Master’s degree to work in Environmental Consulting. She has been working under Dr. Michael Twiss, the head of the Biology Department at Clarkson, since the Spring of 2021, and has learned an immense amount of limnological

and water monitoring knowledge. She has an appreciation for the St. Lawrence River, our main research scope, as she grew up on this river in Ogdensburg, NY. Our freshwater resources are extremely valuable and the sustainable use and monitoring of these resources is imperative for surrounding communities and the ecosystems within them.


37

1:24PM — 1:36PM

Novozymes CanadaDr. Helga Halvorsen

There is a saying at Novozymes: “Rethink Tomorrow”. This saying invites all Novozymes employees to question the status quo. Questioning a process, at a minimum, leads to understanding, but often it leads to change. In 2020 one of our operators questioned our clean-in-place procedures, specifically they questioned why it needed to be repeated if the equipment sat idle for a specific amount of time. During this talk I will review what Novozymes does to encourage all employees to question the status quo, the process of developing and

implementing change, and in this case the environmental reward.

Rethink Tomorrow: How questioning the status quo leads to big water savings and a more sustainable

manufacturing process

[email protected]

Helga Halvorsen is an Environmental Specialist at Novozymes Canada with over a decade of successful experience beginning in research in development, process development, process engineering, and currently in sustainability. She loves collaborating to solve problems and implement positive change. Helga believes strongly in the importance of environmental stewardship for both individuals and businesses. She has led several regional sustainability

programs including developing Zero Waste Plans, which has inspired her to reevaluate her personal consumption and production of waste. Helga’s next adventure in sustainability will be to develop Contextual Water Management Plans for Novozymes manufacturing sites in Canada, the US, Brazil, and Argentina. When not leading sustainability initiatives, Helga spends her free time keeping the chickens off the lawn furniture and introducing her kids to nature.


38

1:36PM — 1:48PM

Ontario Power GenerationDr. Kurt Kornelsen

The region of surrounding Lakes Erie and Ontario, the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River basin has experienced unprecedented events over the last few years, particularly with respect to flooding. As an entity that utilizes and seeks to responsibly manage water resources, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has a vested interested in understanding the changes that are happening in and around the watersheds we help manage. In recent years, OPG has undertaken statistical analysis, modelling and developed internal products with our partners at the Ouranos Consortium to better understand the potential impacts of climate and other changes in our watersheds. We will briefly discuss the methods currently used in conducting climate change analysis at OPG, focusing on the purpose of the methods and what can be learned from each analysis. A change analysis tour of the region will be presented focusing on studies of the Niagara River, Madawaska River, Ottawa River as well as large scale findings of changes that are occurring in the province of Ontario. The internal analysis conducted at OPG aligns well with findings reported in Natural Resources Canada’s

Changing Climate Report.

Analyzing Change in the Lower Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin

[email protected]

Kurt C. Kornelsen is the Senior Manager of Water Resources at OPG. He leads the Water Resources group which focuses on water policy and planning, hydrology and climate science. He holds a Ph.D. from McMaster University focusing on hydrology and water resources. He recently co-authored the Ouranos Valuation of Hydropower Assets

and Climate Change Physical Impacts guide. With respect to climate change at OPG, Kurt has recently been focusing on the topic of resilience and developing the tools and framework for climate risk informed decision making and integrating considerations for climate change into day-to-day business and engineering practices.

39


Lower food web, including phytoplankton, zooplankton, community composition, food chain dynamics and key species.

TIME KEEPEREvan Rundle

ALL THINGS SMALL:Food web ecology and resilience

2:10PM–3:10PM

SESSION CHAIRLawrence Gunther


40

2:10PM — 2:22PM

Berry College One Health Center & Harvard University Museum of Comparative ZoologyDr. David Bruce Conn

The St. Lawrence River is one of the world’s most important corridors for movement of humans and animals, as well as the pathogens they carry. Yet little recent work has been done to understand populations of aquatic insect vectors of disease in the St. Lawrence River Valley and adjacent Adirondacks of New York State. This area is geographically important as part of our major Arctic-to-Equator Disease Vector Surveillance Project, as it straddles the 45th Parallel of latitude, which is equidistant between the Equator and the North Pole. Thus, in August 2021 we conducted an intensive survey of adult and larval mosquitoes in several locations throughout the St. Lawrence River watershed of northern New York State, including sites near riverine wetlands of several rivers, lacustrine and palustrine environments in the Adirondacks, wetlands of the St. Lawrence Valley, and one site in the Lake Ontario Coastal Plain. Woodlands, bogs, lakes, lowland pastures, and other habitats were sampled using a combination of Human Landing Catch and deployment of BioQuip Mosquito Traps fitted with white LED light, Octenol lure, and carbon dioxide. The most common species in upland wooded wetland areas of the Adirondacks was Aedes intrudens, while the most common in the St. Lawrence River Valley wetlands areas was Coquillettidia perturbans. Other species collected included Aedes canadensis, Aedes aurifer, Aedes excrucians, Aedes cinereus, Aedes triseriatus, Aedes trivittatus, Aedes sticticus, Anopheles punctipennis, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Psorophora ferox, and other still being examined. Many of these species are known to transmit human and animal pathogens of diverse forms. By comparing these results to our other surveillance activity from the Norwegian Arctic to the Caribbean Basin spanning from South America to the Southeastern United States along the Caribbean-Appalachian Corridor we are gaining more insight into the potential impact of climate

variability on disease distribution and emergence.

Mosquitoes in the St. Lawrence River Watershed

[email protected]

Prof. Dr. David Bruce Conn is Gund Professor of Biology at the Berry College One Health Center and Associate of Invertebrate Zoology at the Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology. He chaired the multisectoral international St. Lawrence River Zebra Mussel Taskforce during the initial invasion of dreissenid mussels from Europe into the St. Lawrence Great Lakes system. He has conducted research on the St. Lawrence River and surrounding areas since 1985. He is Senior Scientific Advisor in International Health and Biodefense for the U.S. Department of State and member of the White House OSTP subcommittee on Foreign Animal Disease Threats. He serves on editorial boards of several scientific

journals. He has been president of the American Microscopical Society and American Society of Parasitologists, and is currently Vice President of the global INVASIVESNET organization. Prof. Conn has been an active scientist for over 40 years, teaching and conducting research around the world with several international collaborating teams. He has been honored as a Jefferson Science Fellow and a Fulbright Senior Scholar among others. His research spans many areas of the life sciences from developmental ultrastructure of parasitic organisms to ecosystem dissemination of emerging pathogens to biology of invasive vectors and other invasive species.


41

2:22PM — 2:34PM

National Research Council CanadaDr. Hamidreza Shirkhani

The St. Lawrence River contributes to quality of life and stronger economies through providing communities with several benefits including source water, habitat and food for countless species of fish and animals, transportation, farming, and hydropower energy. The knowledge of river hydrodynamics including water depth and velocity is of essential importance for appropriate river management strategies. Numerical modelling is a useful tool for simulation and prediction of river hydrodynamics, which in turn can support a better understanding of the river behavior from different perspectives. For instance, river hydrodynamic modelling for the St. Lawrence River along the Cornwall Island can support the objectives identified in the long-term monitoring plan developed for the Cornwall Sediment Strategy (CSS) to determine the transport and fate of sediment inputs to the CSS zones. The hydrodynamic modelling along the river near Cornwall includes development of global and local scale

models to capture the required river hydrodynamics efficiently and accurately.

Hydrodynamic Modelling for St. Lawrence River

[email protected]

Dr. Hamidreza Shirkhani is a Research Officer in the NRC’s Sustainable & Resilient Infrastructure & Communities group in the Construction Research Centre. His expertise and research involves infrastructure resiliency, numerical modeling, climate change impact studies and

water resources engineering. Dr. Shirkhani serves as a CSA technical committee member for the development of Canadian standards. He is also an adjunct professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Ottawa and Queen’s University.


42

2:34PM — 2:46PM

University of OttawaBailey Bedard

The Cornwall area is a reported mercury hotspot, due to a history of industrial point source contamination which has led to the deposition of mercury in sediment in some areas of the St. Lawrence River. A previous nationwide survey identified elevated levels of mercury in fur and internal organs of local bat species, including the little (Myotis lucifugus) and big (Eptesicus fuscus) brown bat. However, the question of how this bioconcentration in these species occur in the Cornwall area remains to be fully elucidated. To investigate this knowledge gap, special gradients in local bat species mercury load were identified and the hypothesis that dietary habits and foraging ecology contribute to mercury concentrations was tested. Additionally, tissue level molecular changes were explored to establish whether measured mercury concentrations in bats are sufficient to explain these changes in markers of mercury exposure (DNA methylation and mitochondrial DNA expression). With fur clippings of bats collected in a regional gradient along designated hotspots of the St. Lawrence River, significant differences in bat fur mercury concentrations were identified, decreasing with distance from identified hotspots in the St. Lawrence. Using a combination of stable isotope analysis in insects as well as bat fur and radio tracking studies to monitor foraging ecology of bats in the Cornwall area, I test the hypothesis that dietary sources (aquatic vs. terrestrial insects) contribute to these observed differences in mercury bioconcentration. This study will allow for a new understanding of the bioconcentration pathway of mercury in bats and identify internal organismal consequences by assessing

molecular response biomarkers in the two species.

Mercury Exposure in Eastern Ontario Bats

[email protected]

Bailey studied biology at the undergraduate level at the University of Ottawa while working for the St. Lawrence River Institute during the summers with Brian Hickey. Working with Brian for the first few years helped her apply what she was learning in her university courses, to real world field work and research and showed herhow much she loves studying the environment. Bailey then decided to pursue an Honours thesis on plant populations at

Cooper Marsh, and afterward pursue her Master’s thesis on bats, after Brian helped her realize how much she loved researching the species. Her M.Sc. focuses on mercury levels of big brown bats and little brown bats and how these species are affected on a molecular level. She is now back at the River Institute working as a research assistant under Leigh McGaughey, where she will be helping work on the Great River Rapport.


43

2:46PM — 2:58PM

In 2012 Lawrence Gunther founded “Blue fish Canada”, a charity dedicated to water quality, fish health, and informing and inspiring the next generation of conservation-minded outdoor enthusiasts. Having earned his Master’s in Environmental Studies from York University, Lawrence is now North America’s only blind

conservationist, outdoor writer, podcaster, blogger, film maker and TV host. He’s a frequent contributor to Outdoor Canada Magazine, where you can also find episodes of his weekly podcast “Blue Fish Radio”. His award-winning documentary “What Lies Below” currently airs on CBC’s Documentary Channel.

Blue Fish CanadaLawrence Gunther

The food web ecology throughout the Great Lakes is transitioning and many offshore fish species from prey to predator are starving. Causes behind these declines have been traced to a breakdown in the lower food web including phytoplankton and zooplankton. The source of the offshore food web breakdown has been traced to changes in the composition of nearshore food web communities. Nearshore food chain dynamics is resulting in insufficient nutrients reaching deeper off-shore areas of the Great Lakes where fish species are key to the $8-billion annual recreational Great Lakes fisheries reside. To prevent the collapse of key fish species in offshore regions of Lake Ontario, new modelling needs to be developed

before further reductions in nutrient loading in Lake Erie are implemented.

Offshore nutrient levels and foodwebs

[email protected]

44


Upper food web including fish and fisheries management, biodiversity, species at risk.

TIME KEEPERKate Schwartz

ALL THINGS GREAT:Fish biology and biodiversity

3:20PM–4:20PM

SESSION CHAIREvie Brahmstedt


45

3:20PM — 3:32PM

Clarkson UniversityEvie Brahmstedt

Mercury is a ubiquitous legacy contaminant in the St. Lawrence River valley due to atmospheric deposition resulting from historic and continued coal combustion. In St. Lawrence River riparian wetlands, this mercury is at higher risk of mobilizing into food chains due to conditions that stimulate mercury methylation by microbes (namely, high organic content and fluctuating water levels from Plan 2014 and extreme flooding events). In the summer of 2019, 174 young yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and 145 round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) were collected from eight wetland habitats and seven non-wetland shoreline habitats to compare potential differences in mercury mobilization. Both perch and goby collected from wetlands had significantly higher mercury concentrations than those collected from non-wetland habitats (p < 0.05), suggesting that wetlands are a source of mercury to aquatic food chains in the Upper St. Lawrence River. Perch had mercury concentrations of 74.5 ± 35.4 ng/g dry wt in wetlands compared to 59.9 ± 23.0 ng/g dry wt in non-wetlands. Similarly, goby had mercury concentrations of 55.7± 13.6 ng/g dry wt in wetlands and non-wetland concentrations of 42.1 ± 14.5 ng/g dry wt. Wetlands and water level fluctuations are known to increase mercury bioavailability and this study identifies a negative impact to wildlife (namely, increased Hg burden in small fish), as well as a potential threat to public health through fish consumption. Fish monitoring programs should consider these results in context of their sampling locations and implications for predatory fish higher in the food chain that

inform fish consumption advisories.

Elevated fish mercury in wetlands vs. non-wetlands

[email protected]

Evie is a current Environmental Science & Engineering PhD candidate at Clarkson University’s Institute for a Sustainable Environment. In Dr. Michael Twiss’ limnology lab, she studies mercury cycling in freshwater riparian wetlands, with a focus on the Upper St. Lawrence River. With her PhD, she hopes to obtain a position where she can

further her research on pollution and freshwater systems, teach and inspire future scientists, and also participate in environmental management by involving herself in organizations that function at the interface between science and policy.

Twitter: @ESBrahmstedt


46

3:32PM — 3:44PM

Carleton UniversityJordanna Bergman

The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), native to the Black and Caspian seas, is one of the most globally widespread invasive fish, with introduced populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes, the Baltic Sea, and several European rivers. Although numerous studies have reported the ecological and economic impacts of round goby invasions, few evidence-based eradication or control attempts have been made. In January 2019, round goby were discovered to have invaded and colonized a distinct, central portion of the Rideau Canal near Smiths Falls, Ontario. Passage through locks is the most likely means by which round goby can naturally disperse throughout the system, so modifying lock operations and infrastructure to minimize passage could reduce their spread. We combined acoustic telemetry with hydraulic data to (1) characterize sex- and size-specific movements, (2) identify entry and exit pathways through a lock, and (3) assess dispersal rates and probability. We tracked 45 adult round goby downstream of Edmonds Lock during the Rideau Canals 2019 navigation season and found that although the lock acted mostly as a barrier, if round goby did enter the lock chamber, certain lock operations could enable upstream dispersal. With invasive species being a driving cause of global freshwater biodiversity reductions, and more than 60,000-km of canals with anthropogenic barriers existing worldwide, our work may serve as a model for future use of telemetry to rapidly assess invasive species movement in other

canal systems in North America and beyond.

Evaluating a round goby invasion with telemetry

[email protected]

Jordanna is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Biology at Carleton University investigating fish connectivity in the Rideau Canal under the supervision of Dr. Steven Cooke and Dr. Joseph Bennett.

For more information about Jordanna and her thesis research please visit:www.jordannabergman.wixsite.com/jordannabergman


47

3:44PM — 3:56PM

Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and ForestryColin Lake & Yves Paradis

The Lake St. Francis fish community supports a diverse recreational fishery as well as commercial and indigenous fisheries. It is home to several species in including yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, as well as largemouth and smallmouth bass, which have undergone significant population shifts through time. The Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (NDMNRF) and the Québec Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP) independently monitor and assess the status of Lake St. Francis fish populations within their jurisdictional waters. Traditionally, each agency uses their respective assessment data to inform fisheries management decisions, promoting sustainable recreational and commercial regulations and harvest. More recently, both ministries have engaged in a collaborative effort to combine their data series, which should facilitate comparisons between provincial fisheries assessments and provide a more holistic, lake wide approach in evaluating the status of the Lake St. Francis fish community. Preliminary results have shown consistent results for some species (e.g., declines in northern pike), but have also highlighted contrasting trends with other species (e.g., smallmouth bass and yellow perch). While in the preliminary stages of the data merger, the focus of this presentation is to highlight key components of a successful collaboration, outline some of the challenges, compare assessment methodologies used by each agency and highlight

some preliminary results and future questions and directions.

Status of recreational and commercial fish species in Lake St. Francis: towards a

Québec-Ontario joint analysis

[email protected]

Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs

La communauté de poissons du lac Saint-François soutient une pêche récréative diversifiée en plus de pêches commerciales et autochtones. Le lac abrite plusieurs espèces incluant la perchaude, le doré jaune, le grand brochet ainsi que l’achigan à grande bouche et l’achigan à petite bouche, dont les populations ont subi d’importants changements au fil du temps. Le ministère du Développement du Nord, des Mines, des Richesses naturelles et des Forêts de l’Ontario (DNMRNF) et le ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec (MFFP) suivent et évaluent l’état des populations de poissons du lac Saint-François de manière indépendante au sein des eaux sous leur juridiction. Traditionnellement, chaque institution utilise ses données respectives afin d’orienter ses décisions de gestion des pêcheries, de manière à établir une réglementation pour la pêche récréative et commerciale dans une perspective de récolte soutenable. Récemment, les deux ministères se sont engagés dans un effort de collaboration afin de combiner leurs bases de données. Cette approche vise à faciliter le suivi de l’évolution des espèces exploitées et de permettre d’établir une vision plus globale, à l’échelle du lac en entier, afin d’évaluer l’état de la communauté de poisson du lac Saint-François. Les résultats préliminaires ont montrés des constats cohérents chez certaines espèces (e.g. un déclin chez le grand brochet), mais ont aussi mis en évidence des tendances très contrastées chez d’autres espèces (e.g. achigan à petite bouche et perchaude). Étant donné l’aspect préliminaire de la mise en commun des données, l’objectif de cette présentation est de souligner les éléments clés d’une collaboration fructueuse, de présenter certains enjeux, de comparer les méthodologies utilisées par chaque institution et de présenter

quelques résultats préliminaires ainsi que des questionnements et des orientations à venir.

État des espèces de poissons exploitées à la pêche récréative et commerciale au lac Saint-François :

vers une analyse commune Québec-Ontario


48

3:56PM — 4:08PM

River InstituteMatt Windle

In 2015 the River Institute and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne’s (MCA) Environment Program staff began a project with a simple goal: to describe the nearshore fish populations of the Akwesasne and Cornwall section of the St. Lawrence River. Under the moniker FINS (Fish Identification Nearshore Survey), the project was initially designed to fill in knowledge gaps and address community concerns regarding the state of small fish populations in the area, which were perceived to be declining. Since 2015 the FINS Project has grown considerably in terms of geographic scope, research focus, technological tools, and collaborative relationships. It has developed into a platform that has provided numerous local and regional benefits: high quality training opportunities for young professionals and volunteers; continuity of research and strengthening working partnerships between the River Institute and the MCA; filling in critical knowledge gaps for species at risk; monitoring the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS); developing the use of new technologies such as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and environmental DNA (eDNA); providing public outreach and education on fish species and their habitats; providing opportunities for university graduate students and collaborations; and identifying areas for restoration and conservation activities. To date the project has surveyed over 200 sites from Kingston to Montreal and documented over 155,000 fish from 67 species, and has built one of the largest and most unique baseline datasets of the Upper St. Lawrence River nearshore habitats. This presentation will focus on the highlights, successes and challenges of the FINS Project, with insights into plans for

future directions and goals.

The FINS Project: Little Fish, Big River

[email protected]

Matt is a biologist at the River Institute with experience in environmental science, freshwater ecosystem ecology, spatial analyses, contaminant analyses, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). He completed a BSc in environmental science from Queen’s University, and a M.Sc. in Biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. In addition to his work as a Research Scientist at the River Institute, he is also a professor in

the Environmental Technician Program at St. Lawrence College. He has certifications for open water SCUBA, the Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol (OSAP), Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) fish identification workshops, advanced operations and flight reviewer status for RPAS from Transport Canada, and the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (OWES).


49

Virtual presentations are challenging but also exciting, as they have potential to reach a wide audience. This year we were fortunate to include scientists and professionals from across Canada. On behalf of the Symposium Committee, we would like to thank all the speakers for their patience through tech tests and preparation meetings, but we are most grateful for their eager participation to share their research.

This dedication is testimony to your commitment for a healthier environment – thank you.

Thank you to all our presenters

Bailey Bedard • Jordanna Bergman • Georgia Bock • Britney Bourdages • Evie Brahmstedt • Dave Bruce Conn • Annie Cook Cree • Darlene Coyle • Lauren Eggleston • Abraham Francis • Noah Giles • Sidney Gilmour • Elizabeth Grater • Lawrence Gunther • Helga Halvorson • Brian Hickey • Elizabeth Hoover • Rochelle Johnston • Kat Kavanagh • Kurt Kornelsen • George Kourounis • Colin Lake • Henry Lickers Kristen Lowitt • Leigh McGaughey • Patricia O’Hara • Yves Paradis • Angela Dawn Parker • Maria Pelusi • Mary Ann Perron • Jessica Reid • Anthony Ricciardi • Hamidreza

Shirkhani • Lee Theodore • Matt Windle


50

Thank you to the Symposium Committee Members

A very big thank you to the Symposium Committee and members of the River Institute staff who contributed their great ideas, time, and hard work to make Symposium 2021 a success. It was a pleasure to participate in this great collective effort, and we appreciate

the extra dedication it took to transition from an in-person event to an online one. Looking forward to 2022!

Bailey Bedard • Georgia Bock • Cristina Charette • Christina Collard • Emilie DeRochie • Josh Filion • Stephanie Guernon • Lexy Harquail • Brian Hickey • Stephany Hildebrand Courtney Holden Jennifer Lauzon • Leigh McGaughey • Mary Ann Perron • Jeff Ridal • Yanik Rozon • Lee Theodore • Matt Windle • Zach Zwanenburg


51

Event Sponsors & Partners

Design & Branding by Stephany Hildebrand


52

Ohen:ten KarihwatehkwenHaudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

Now then, that is how far we have gone with our words. If there is anything that we have forgotten to

mention, now, then, you could fix it or add to it.

Now we close the day – therefore let our minds be that way (appreciative).

Those are all the words.

Source: www.kanienkeha.net/blogs/ohenton-karihwatehkwen

Documents

GLOBAL CHALLENGES, LOCAL CONCERNS