Watershed Conservancy working to complete Lake Superior Water Trail

Members of the St. Marys River Bi-national Public Advisory Council heard a presentation at their meeting on Thursday night. Ruth O’Gawa is a member of the Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy. She spoke to the council about the ‘Lake Superior Water Trail’ and other projects her group is working on, including efforts to clean up creeks on the Ontario side…

Another project O’Gawa mentioned was the conservancy’s land acquisitions that they are working to preserve. They have resulted in having 20 islands off the Lake Superior Provincial Park at Gargantua and the eight acre Francis Hilb Reserve. It’s a donated piece of land that is home to a rare coastal cranberry bog located on the northeast side of Goulais Bay. O’Gawa talked about what the trail will offer from Sault Ste. Marie along the north shore to Thunder Bay and down to Duluth and along the south shore when it is done…

There will be Q-R markers at certain points, where users can take their smartphones and learn more about the spot they are at. Other features include lockers for kayaks and gear, so trail users can spend the night in nearby communities along the trail. There are also plans for ‘easy docks’, where people with physical challenges can experience an easier effort getting in and out of their kayaks. The trail has been a long time coming with a finishing date of July 1st, 2017. O’Gawa says people have worked hard for more than 25 years on the Canadian side to make the trail happen — the same reason it’s almost done now…

The conservancy is always looking for more members. Learn more at: www.lakesuperiorconservancy.org