Germany, August 2012: 14 years after its launch, the network „Living Lakes" has grown to 102 members. Each lake is represented in the network through a local or national nature conservation organization. The network was brought to life in 1998 by four founding members, Lake Constance in Central Europe, Lake Biwa in Japan, Lake St. Lucia in South Africa and Mono Lake in California, USA. Since then the worldwide partnership has grown continuously with new lakes and members that joined the network on all continents.
 
Our 100th new member, Lake Huron, represented by the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, is one of the five Great Lakes in North America, situated between Canada and USA. Huron is the most important source of drinking water for USA and Canada. The lake demonstrates that only international agreements can ensure a proper protection of water bodies. Unfortunately, Canada declared it’s withdrawal from the Kyoto-Protocol in December 2011. Since then, a number of grassroots initiatives started by citizens and NGOs evolved striving for the protection of Canada’s precious water ecosystem.
 
Environmentalists unified
Against the background of the obvious threats to lakes in Canada, Canadian based environmental organizations Wildsight and Lake Winnipeg Foundation - both of them have been members of the Living Lakes network for many years now - have launched the Living Lakes Canada Network. The aim of the network is to facilitate education, monitoring, protection, rehabilitation and policy development for the long-term protection of Canada’s water bodies.  The partnership will support activities through the exchange of experiences, expertise and global cooperation. The network has grown to eight active members working for the protection of the fresh water resources in Canada. Lakes such as Huron, and Winnipeg, as well as important rivers and their catchments such as Skeena, Athabasca and Columbia are members in the network.
 
Worldwide support for lakes is needed. One example are the dramatic environmental problems in the catchment of the Athabasca in the province Alberta, a region well known for the massive extraction of oil sands with a high demand of water and energy. Environmental standards are in jeopardy here. The destruction caused by the oil sand industry threatens natural ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, peatlands and estuaries as well as the boreal forests at an alarming scale.
 
Climate change effects and nutrient enrichment are the main reasons for the ecological problems at lake Winnipeg. Against the backdrop of the dramatic algae growth on the world’s 10th largest lake, Canadian environmental organizations are asking for effective action.
 
"It is of utmost importance that Canadians be engaged in the protection of lakes and wetlands, especially in light of recent changes made by our federal government to the environmental legislation that once protected freshwater ecosystems in Canada", says Heather Leschied, Wildsight staff and spokesperson of Living Lakes Canada. A good example for effective international collaboration is a campaign that Living Lakes Canada has shared with our global partners of Living Lakes. The Canadian government announced to shut down the research institute ELA (Experimental Lakes Area). This would result in a significant loss of internationally recognized research on freshwater issues. Within a few weeks, hundreds of emails and letters have been sent to Prime Minister Harper underlining that Canada’s good environmental reputation is at risk not to mention the important work the ELA produces and upon which scientists from around the world use.
 
Lake Huron joining the network Living Lakes as the hundredth member makes us proud. It demonstrates that the protection of lakes and wetlands has achieved a global awareness reflecting the importance that these valuable water ecosystems play for the survival of millions of people as well as for the protection of endangered species", Jörg Dürr-Pucher, member of the GNF Board of Directors, summarizes the achievements of the network.
 
Since its inception Living Lakes International has been supported by various private sector companies, amongst them Daimler, Karcher and Osram as well as Ministries and the European Union. Further information on the member lakes and the various national Living lakes networks can be found at: www.globalnature.org/e/
 

Contacts:

Global Nature Fund (GNF)
Fritz-Reichle-Ring 4
78315 Radolfzell, Germany
Phone: +49 - (0) 77 32 - 99 95 - 0
Telefax: +49 - (0) 77 32 - 99 95 - 88
E-mail: info@globalnature.org
Website: www.globalnature.org
 
Living Lakes Network Canada
Box 2741
Invermere, BC V0A 1K0
CANADA
Phone: 1-250-341-6898
E-mail: hleschied@gmail.com
Website: http://www.livinglakes.ca