In 2020, the Georgian Bay-Mindoo Gamii Biosphere (GBMGB) was allotted $140,877.33 of Eastern Georgian Bay Initiative (EGBI) funding to undertake outreach and education activities, and to carry-out road mitigation activities to support at-risk turtle species in eastern Georgian Bay. The funding was allotted to be used in combination with Community Nominated Priority Places (CNPP) funding awarded to GBMGB by Environment and Climate Change Canada for 2019-2023. In combination with the CNPP funds, the EGBI funds were awarded to collectively support and build on the variety of Species at Risk (SAR) activities already underway by many groups and First Nation communities, with the goal of enabling them to build their capacity to undertake SAR work. Ultimately, this work entails defining supporting frameworks to effect improved decision-making through:

1. Establishing priority mapping and ranking mechanisms to highlight key biodiversity features and threats on the landscape;
2. Creating common-base data gathering methodologies and data sharing approaches to continually assess the threats and effectiveness of mitigation measures;
3. Reviewing and recommending changes to policy and procedural approaches for local and regional governments, and
4. Designing, implementing, and assessing Best Management Practices for roads and land use.

In 2020, the EGBI funds helped GBMGB and partner organizations to achieve the following conservation highlights:

• Strategic mitigation of future harms to nesting adult turtles and newborn turtles along Skerryvore road in Township of the Archipelago,
• Integration of two-eyed seeing approaches in collaborative operations, knowledge sharing and gatherings, and
• Engagement of university researchers to undertake efficacy monitoring and turtle population assessments in the Skerryvore road area.

Additional work completed through CNPP that supported relevant EGBI priorities in 2020 included:

• Development of habitat prioritization mapping work led by Georgian Bay Land Trust,
• Significant expansion of the MOTUS Bird Monitoring network on eastern Georgian Bay,
• Discussions with land managers and planners on developing a policy and land use management systems review with respect to accounting for SAR through land development activities, and
• Development of SAR Best Management Practices for Road Maintenance and redevelopment activities.

Altogether these actions help to achieve a more resilient, diverse eastern Georgian Bay ecosystem capable of sustaining both human and wildlife populations well into the future, as well as a more interconnected community with the skills and knowledge necessary to be stewards and supporters of the unique eastern Georgian Bay landscape and wildlife.