Here you will find useful links to information websites about shoreline cleanup in Canada and elsewhere. You can also find information on the various organizations and programs dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the St. Lawrence River and its natural resources.
Beach cleanup
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
Each September, hundreds of volunteers around the world get together for the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), coordinated by Ocean Conservancy. For the past 18 years, more than 4.5 million volunteers from over 120 countries, including Canada, have participated in the annual ICC event. In Canada, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is the ICC's main event, and one of the main environmental intervention programs. The Vancouver Aquarium launched the program 11 years ago with the help of the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. What was then a simple local shoreline-cleanup initiative has become a national program that includes volunteers from every province and territory.
Beach Sweep
Created by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, this website contains a list of resources for anyone who, like you, wants to do their part for the environment by participating in or organizing a beach-cleanup activity. It provides tools to help make your cleanup a success.
Adopt-a-Beach and Beachwatch
Adopt-a-Beach and Beachwatch are beach-cleanup campaigns in Great Britain, organized by the Marine Conservation Society.
Surfrider Foundation Europe
Surfrider Foundation Europe is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and highlighting our oceans, waves and coastlines. Each year, hundreds of people throughout Europe are mobilized for beach-cleanup campaigns. The organization also broadcasts short videos to raise public awareness about ocean pollution.
St. Lawrence River
St. Lawrence Plan
The St. Lawrence Plan website is entirely dedicated to the St. Lawrence River, and the interventions led jointly by the governments of Canada and Quebec.
St. Lawrence Centre
The St. Lawrence Centre (SLC) is the only federal research and development centre devoted entirely to the river ecosystem. Our specialists are involved in a multitude of studies and research programs aimed at better understanding how the ecosystems of the St. Lawrence River function, and at keeping this knowledge up to date.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The mission of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is to ensure safe, healthy, productive waters and aquatic ecosystems, for the benefit of present and future generations, by maintaining the highest possible standards of service to Canadians, conservation and sustainable-resource use, marine-safety and environmental protection, as well as scientific excellence.
Quebec’s ministry of the environment
The areas of intervention of the ministère du Développement durable, Environnement et Parcs are: the observation and understanding of the environment; the prevention, abatement or elimination of water, air and soil contamination; the conservation of land and species diversity, mainly through conservation of threatened or vulnerable wildflowers and the development of the network of ecological reserves; the management of the public hydrological system and dam safety; the promotion of sustainable development in the province of Quebec; as well as the intergovernmental and international relationships for environmental protection.
Environment Canada – The Green Lane
The Green Lane helps Canadians communicate, exchange information, and share knowledge in order to make environmental decisions. Environment Canada contributes to a multitude of programs and services.
St. Lawrence Valley Wetlands
This new tool now makes it possible to delineate different wetland types according to the desired spatial or temporal coverage, or to request information to complement the map. Photographs and data on wetland types and classes of plants observed in the field are also available for certain periods, using the mapping interface.
Hinterland’s Who’s Who
Here, you’ll find in-depth descriptions of wildlife, discussions on issues and actions that you can take to help wildlife, and educational materials that teachers and group leaders can use.
Monitoring Wetland Vegetation
This project uses remote sensing and field observations to contribute to monitoring the wetland vegetation of the St. Lawrence River. It will allow Environment Canada scientists to examine how wetland vegetation has changed since the end of the 1970s and identify the causes for these changes.
Environmental organizations
Stratégies Saint-Laurent
Stratégies Saint-Laurent is the national coalition of ZIP (priority intervention zone) committees.
Réseau d'observation des mammifères marins
The Réseau d’observation des mammifères marins (ROMM) is a non-profit organization focused on the protection and conservation of cetaceans and pinnipeds.
Whales On-Line
Whales On-Line is a reference and news site dedicated to education promoting the conservation of whales in the St. Lawrence and their natural habitat.
Quebec Society for Wetland Conservation
The Quebec Society for Wetland Conservation is a non-profit land trust whose mission is to protect and enhance the biodiversity of Quebec’s wetlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
Ducks Unlimited Canada
All Ducks Unlimited organizations conserve, restore and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.