The institute was selected as a recipient of a $5,000 RBC Blue Water Community Action Grant. MRTI will monitor watershed conditions to maintain, restore and protect local streams, rivers and lakes.
MRTI says the initiative will involve community members and volunteers in various projects across the region. Volunteers will be involved in water quality monitoring, and landowners that live with Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora (ACPF) species at risk will take ownership over the project and become local advocates. Through engaging community volunteers, the idea is to give people an increased awareness about species at risk in their community, and to make positive changes in land use by making them aware of the impact they have on lake health.
The RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year, $50 million global commitment to protect freshwater. Community Action Grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 each are available to support local and community projects in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean that are dedicated to watershed protection.
The Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) is a non-profit, charitable co-operative, incorporated in 2004. Since its inception, MTRI has built up a reputation as a top-notch research and education co-operative. MTRI grew out of the partnership that makes up the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve, which received UNESCO designation in 2001. Their objectives are to educate and increase public understanding of biodiversity, conservation and sustainable resource management, and to promote research and monitoring that helps better manage natural resources.
