Media Releases
A New Icon For Georgian Bay - The Georgian
Bay Eco Museum
Georgian Bay Ontario.........March 2, 2007.
The new virtual museum "The
Georgian Bay Eco Museum" will help position Georgian
Bay in the international tourism markets and build awareness
for one of Canada's largest fresh water lakes. Georgian
Bay is often referred to as Canada's Sixth Great Lake.
The Eco Museum icon will represent a functioning and thriving
ecosystem, an ecosystem that is diverse, essential, accessible,
vital to the future of Ontario and the Great Lakes. This is
the only Great Lake that has two internationally recognized
United Nations designated Biosphere Reserves. Georgian Bay
is 100% Canadian and it needs to be recognized internationally
as unique and standing on its own. The icon will help position
Ontario and Canada to defend the Georgian Bay water resource
and capture the emerging eco tourism market. (See editors'
note)
The Georgian Bay Eco Museum team continues to assemble a
virtual website representing Georgian Bay and the watersheds
that feed into the Bay. It brings together a collection of
resources that present a cohesive image of an ecological region
around the Georgian Bay area.
"This is an icon that can be embraced by the many stakeholders
in the Georgian Bay region as well as those in the watersheds
that feed into the Bay. The Tourism Industry is the bread
and butter of Georgian Bay, and we need to be aware of the
threats to the water resource while at the same time tell
the Georgian Bay story to the world." said Ron Taylor,
publisher of the website.
In addition to the two Biosphere Reserves there are several
national parks, numerous provincial parks, municipal parks
and protected wetland areas. "I don't know of another
freshwater body of water with as many designated protected
areas," Taylor added.
Georgian Bay and the watersheds are well positioned to capture
the emerging eco tour market. Despite the existing protected
areas the Bay is fragile as are the watersheds feeding into
the Bay. Georgian Bay needs to be recognized as the most important
lake in Ontario. The Bay needs to gain the necessary support
to maintain a healthy ecosystem and build back the water levels
before wetlands begin to disappear and aquatic life is affected.
The concept for a Georgian Bay Eco Museum, was first identified
by Taylor's, son, Jason, now Director of Education at
the Ecological Society of America in Washington D.C. He grew
up in Barrie and worked along the Bay as a volunteer at the
Wye Marsh, and as an on-site naturalist at Delawana Inn Resort.
He also provided nature interpretation at several of the provincial
and national parks along Georgian Bay.
Robin Tapley, one of Ontario's foremost naturalists and
Georgian Bay enthusiasts will be instrumental in developing
ecotours and guiding trips around Georgian Bay.
Tapley operates Tapley's Nature Trails and provides guided
tours, nature talks, and consulting services throughout Canada,
South America and Antarctica. He has conducted numerous guided
trips along Georgian Bay, and is planning a spring guided
Zodiac trip through the north side of the 30,000 Islands.
In addition to running Tapley's Nature Trails from his
location in Dwight near Huntsville and his sail boat in Penetanguishene
on Georgian Bay, Tapley is working on a book that will review
many of the watersheds throughout the world.
"I keep my sailboat in Penetanguishene and feel that
this new icon will create a long term vision of what we want
Georgian Bay to be like 100 years from now---a recognizable
icon for "freshest" and "cleanest" water
in a vibrant and healthy ecosystem," Tapley said.
Visitors to the web site www.georgianbayecomuseum.com
can find information on conservation, recreation, area accommodation,
eco tours, boating, Georgian Bay history and much more.
Opinions and comments are welcome by contacting:
Jason Taylor at 202-557-8069.
Robin Tapley at 705 635-9696
Ron Taylor 705-734-0895
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Editors' Notes:
Peter Annin has identified the upcoming battle for water resources
in his book
The Great Lakes Water Wars. He holds the
position of associate director for the Institutes for Journalism
and Natural Resources based in Madison Wisconsin.
Eco Tourism invites tourists to your region and asks them
to respect the integrity of the environment.
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