Climate Change

This collage of four photos shows four ways you can combat climate change.

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Board of Directors approved a position paper on climate change.

Action Items

Action items inclue:

1. Enhancing climate change messaging in conservation education to educate the public about the important role of afforestation and other positive environmental actions to build watershed resiliency in response to future extremes in weather and climate.
2. Communicate to landowners about the important role they can play in building more watershed resiliency for the future.
3. Reduce our environmental footprint through self-assessment of internal practices and investigating ways to reduce energy consumption in ABCA buildings and vehicles and reducing the waste that enters and leaves the building.
4. Continue to support staff training on issues of climate change and effective stakeholder engagement in building watershed resiliency.
5. Consult with different levels of governments, agencies and organizations to help define the positive role Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) can play in their climate change and watershed resiliency initiatives.
6. Conduct staff training to learn more about climate change and consider its impacts in the context of established job descriptions.
7. Host a public event educating landowners about their role in adaptation and mitigation.
8. Produce,a fact sheet for landowners letting them know about the projects they can initiate or the changes they can make in order to prepare for climate change.
9. Continue watershed monitoring programs such as Watershed Report Cards, Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Program, surface water monitoring and temperature and precipitation in order to be able to track changes which may occur within our watershed area.
10. Incorporate climate change and climate variability projected impacts, where possible, as considerations in future watershed planning documents. 

There are several other pages on the Ausable Bayfield Conservation website related to extreme weather, watershed resiliency, climate, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. 

How to make meaningful changes locally and globally 

You can reduce your carbon footprint 

Smaller ideas: 

• Use Light-emitting diode (LED) lights in your home. 
• Make one trip for all errands. 
• Car-pool. 
• Others (Share with us!) 

Bigger ideas: 

• Switch to a smaller vehicle or an electric or hybrid vehicle. 
• Invest in more energy-efficient windows.
• Add insulation. 
• Upgrade your Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. 
• Make decisions that reduce use of resources. 
• Others  (Share with us!) 

Calculate. Donate. Plant. It's that easy!

Find out about your carbon footprint by using the easy-to-use calculator at Carbon Footprints to Forests.

(After you find out how much carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases you produce, and how many trees need to be planted to compensate, you may decide to donate all or some of the cost of planting those trees).

Your carbon footprint is greenhouse gases from vehicle fuel, air travel, and home energy. 

Trees capture carbon, add biodiversity, improve water quality, connect forests, and provide habitat. 

Trees add resilience to pests, diseases, and other climate change impacts. 

Tree planting alone is not enough to fight climate change but it is one strategy, combined with others, to sequester carbon. 

For more actions visit Ausable Bayfield Conservation and County of Huron.

Read about changes to the Carbon Footprints to Forests program:

• Footprints to Forests Update (August 2022) PDF file

Other Climate Change Actions You Can Take

Visit the County of Huron Climate Change page:

• County of Huron

Take a look at the Municipality of South Huron Climate Change Adaptation Plan:

• South Huron

Visit your local county and municipality web pages for information on sustainability and climate change.

More about climate change mitigation and adaptation in Ausable Bayfield Watersheds

Climate change work reported upon in Annual Reports.

Other information that may interest you:

• Flood messages.
• Low-water advisories.
• Community's Conservation Strategy.
• Monitoring and surveys.
• Links.

Stewardship projects are located on our forestry and land stewardship page.

The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) Climate Change Position Paper is available for download at:

• Climate Change Position Paper (2007) - Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) - 'Preparing for Change in Ausable Bayfield Watersheds' (PDF file)

Find out about tree monitoring:

• Tree monitoring at Bannockburn Conservation Area

Learn about climate change education through the Green Classroom with lesson plans and resources for teachers and students.