Article content
Holiday Beach Conservation Area visitors can become “citizen scientists” to help keep an eye on erosion of its Lake Erie shoreline.
Two stands allow those strolling along the sand to place their mobile phones into the cradle, snap a photo of the shoreline and upload it to the CoastReach website (georeach.ca/coastreach).
“These stands allow beach-goers to contribute to coastal research,” says Kevin Money, director of conservation services at the Essex Region Conservation Authority.
Article content
“The cradle makes it so every photo is taken in the same spot and researchers can monitor shoreline erosion and changes over time and in response to storm events.”
Regular, standardized images of coastlines can help to track changes over time and discover new insights, the conservation area said in a release. The data can be used to aid conservation efforts, help in natural disaster response, and inform coastal management decisions, the authority said.
Participants can also access and view the collected photos on the website. The stand has a QR code to make the website quickly accessible for participants to upload and view photos.
Recommended from Editorial
“By participating in uploading photographs, you will be making a tangible contribution to coastal conservation and management, and we hope many beach guests will participate,” Money said.
In 2019, all beaches managed by ERCA, including Hillman Marsh, were closed due to severe erosion. Holiday Beach lost six metres of frontage in six months due to what was described as unprecedented erosion.
Tree roots and rocks became exposed along the shoreline, creating a hazard for swimmers.
The beach at the conservation area in Essex County’s southwest corner remained closed until the summer of 2021.
Share this article in your social network
This post was originally published on here
