The Lake Winnipeg Foundation is a grassroots organization made up of individuals who have a passion for restoring and maintaining the health of Lake Winnipeg and its Watershed.
It was with a sense of our local and global responsibility that 11 people gathered in the fall of 2004 to explore the possibility of establishing an organization. As a result, the Lake Winnipeg Foundation was incorporated in August 2005 with a mandate to actively promote the health of Lake Winnipeg. In 2006, the Foundation was recognized as a charitable, non-profit organization under Canadian tax laws. The Foundation has no affiliation with any government, corporation or academic institution.
Founding members included Jef Burnard, Arthur Chipman, Anne Doherty, Rick Gamble, Lyle Lockhart, Joy MacLean, Robin Mather, Barbara Oberding, Bill Percy, Bruce Smith and Don Winstone.
The foundation has five essential goals:
1) Research To provide financial support to scientific research
We firmly believe that there are solutions and that research is one of the key components. It is research that will create an understanding of the complex relationships that make up this ecosystem. Research will show the impact of nutrient loading, erosion, habitat disruption and pollution on Lake Winnipeg’s health. While much has been learned, Lake Winnipeg has received relatively little scientific study and much remains to be learned.
This knowledge can be used to educate anyone interested in the Lake as well as to influence decision makers and consumers. Without this knowledge, well-informed decisions and appropriate environmental management plans cannot be made.
2) Education
To educate the public through the sharing of research results and the sharing of information on the nature of problems facing Lake Winnipeg and its watershed with the goal of changing individual and corporate behaviours.
3) Advocacy
To encourage individual citizens and their governments to promote ecological health through individual behaviour, legislation, policy and programs
4) Management
To assist in implementing appropriate watershed management plans
5) Coordination
To act as an umbrella organization for people working on issues that affect the lake