Youth Corps volunteers help to clean up Lake Huron
Lake Huron Coastal Centre tenacious youth volunteers combat shoreline threats in Goderich
Submitted by Lake Huron Coastal Centre
After a successful week of experiential learning through restoration, invasive plant removal, and plastic waste collection, nine volunteer Coastal Conservation Youth Corps (CCYC) participants say they are proud to have created positive change with the Lake Huron Coastal Centre.
The CCYC volunteer crew spent time identifying and carefully removing young invasive Buckthorn from areas in the beloved Maitland trail. Later, focus shifted to Sunset Park, a beautiful bluff-top lookout location onto Goderich Main Beach. There, the task was removal of invasive Garlic Mustard and Himalayan Balsam before their seed development occurred.
With the invasive plants cleared, the volunteers seized the opportunity to plant deep-rooted native grasses which will provide stability without interfering with the view, as will newly planted Ninebark, an exceptional native shrub with high wildlife value.
Their environmental stewardship efforts extended to the Black’s Point shoreline where the youth embarked on a shoreline cleanup, removing plastic waste and many tires.
The cleanup also resulted in early detection of one of Canada’s " ... worst invasive plants," Phragmites australis (European Common Reed).
Technical support from the Lake Huron Coastal Centre made it possible for the team to remove this fast-spreading invasive before it could take over the shoreline.
Cleanups like this help conserve habitats for native species and prevent plastic consumption from impacting wildlife.
Youth Education Coordinator Kerry Kennedy said "... the future becomes so much brighter when we care for our coastal environments, and these young volunteers showed that to us with their passion and determination this week.”
Executive Director of the LHCC, Alyssa Bourassa, said " ... showing up, learning, and applying new skills gained from programs like ours is how we can support the health of Lake Huron and bring together young environmental stewards.”
If you feel inspired by the efforts of these youth, there’s an opportunity for you to create change along the shoreline. The Lake Huron Coastal Centre will be assisting the Love Your Greats (LYG) team with a beach cleanup in Bayfield, Ontario from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. noon on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
The cleanup meeting spot will be at the Bayfield Main Beach parking lot. For registration and more info about other clean-up events check out the Coastal Centre's beach cleanup web page.
The Lake Huron Coastal Centre thanks John Hindmarsh Environmental Trust Fund; McCall MacBain Foundation; and the Goderich Lions for sponsorship and support of the CCYC session in Goderich.
"You make these experiences possible," the Coastal Centre says.
The Lake Huron Coastal Centre is a non-government charity dedicated to supporting a healthy Lake Huron ecosystem through education, restoration, and research. They are seeking financial support from the community to see this initiative succeed into the future. To support this program, you can donate at the Coastal Centre's donation web page.
Youth interested in taking part can learn more on the Coastal Conservation Youth Corps web page.
To keep in touch follow @coastalcentre on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.