Healthy Shorelines

The shoreline is where water meets land. It is a narrow, fragile habitat that is home for many forms of wildlife. Healthy shorelines usually have a strip of moisture loving trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants - this is called the buffer zone.  The buffer zone:

• enhances the beauty of the shoreline;
• shades and prevents the heating of water, which can kill aquatic creatures;
• protects water quality by filtering the run-off of pollutants like fertilizers and pesticides from land;
• controls soil erosion, which muddies streams and ruins fish spawning habitat; and
• provides food, cover, and nesting sites for a rich variety of life forms on land and in water.

The wider the buffer zone and the more lush, diverse, and deeply rooted its vegetation, the greater its ability to work as a 'buffer' and life-support system. The health of the buffer zone has a direct effect on the health of rivers, lakes, and wildlife.

Adapted from Restore a Ribbon of Life - Canadian Widlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Federation.

Shoreline ErosionShoreline Erosion

Erosion is a natural process where water, ice and wind gradually remove, transport and deposit soil and rock particles. Rate of erosion is a function of riverbank height, the depth and density of plant roots, the area of bank protected by natural or human-made means, the angle of the bank, and the soil composition.

What Causes Shoreline Erosion?

The rate of erosion is sometimes accelerated as a result of flooding, or increased lake levels associated with changing land uses in the watershed, land drainage, and climate change.

Why is Shoreline Erosion a Problem?

Shoreline erosion has many consequences on the aquatic environment, including habitat destruction, an increase in sedimentation and in turbidity of the water, and the release of nutrients (phosphorous and nitrogen) that promote algal blooms. As well, shoreline erosion can result in the loss of land and affect shoreline property values.

Who is Responsible for Shoreline Protection and Erosion Control

Shorelands are protected by law. In Ontario, Conservation Authorities, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and Parks Canada have laws and regulations governing docks, boathouses, and other shoreline structures. In Québec,the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs administers the Environment Quality Act, and its related regulations. The Protection Policy for Lakeshores, Riverbanks, Littoral Zones and Floodplains allows for the development of management plans for lakeshores, riverbanks, littoral zones and floodplains; and the adoption of special protection measures for the ecological and biological components of watercourses and bodies of water.

Many municipalities are also taking steps to protect shorelines through their official plans and zoning bylaws, which limit the type and location of shoreline structures.

Failure to comply with their laws can be expensive for landowners and developers, who may face fines and be required to return areas to their natural states if they make changes to shorelines without permits.

Under the Canadian Fisheries Act, it is illegal to alter or destroy fish habitat. Violations could lead to fines of up to $1 million or three years’ imprisonment, as well as court orders to return areas to their natural states.

What can be done to Minimise Erosion and Restore Shorelines?

Fortunately, erosion can be minimised and the degradation of shorelines can be reversed. More landowners are learning about the value of natural shorelines. They are leaving the lawnmower at home, planting native plants and restoring shorelines. How you protect or restore a shoreline depends on the conditions of the site and the energy and resources of the owner. There are four main strategies to choose from:

• PRESERVATION: When purchasing a lakefront property, a natural shoreline is retained and access to the lake is designed to avoid shoreline damage.
• NATURALIZATION: Degraded shorelines are left alone to return to their natural state.
• ENHANCEMENT: Native species are planted and non-native species are removed.
• RESTORATION: Cleared areas are planted with native species.
  

Adapted from the LandOwner Resource Centre's Preserving and Restoring Natural Shorelines Extension Notes and the Le ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs, Water: Acts and Regulations.