The goal of our project was to educate lake users about how their actions affect loon breeding and foraging habitat, through existing programs (Bird Studies Canada's Canadian Lakes Loon Survey and Loon Friendly Lakes campaign, and Eastern Habitat Joint Venture's Loon Stewards), and through a new Loon Ambassadors program in NS.

1. Promote loon and lake conservation through the development and implementation of a 4-year Loon Ambassadors Program in NS;

2. Gather additional data on loons, loon habitat, and the threats they fact by promoting and reinvigorating the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey (CLLS) in NS; and

3. Show volunteers how their data contribute to our knowledge of loons and loon habitat by publishing a 10-year synopsis of the results of the CLLS in NS.

Objective 1: Initiate a Loon Ambassadors Program

In January 2002, we sent out letters to all loon survey participants in NS advertising the Loon Ambassadors program. Five people volunteered to be Ambassadors (Etta Parker & Sara Jane Snook in Halifax; Judy Beaton in Stillwater Lake; Stephen Hawboldt in Granville Ferry; and Faye Singleton in Hantsport). On 23 March 2002 BSC Atlantic hosted a workshop for Ambassadors at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Ambassadors were given educational materials to help them to promote the loon survey and the Loon Friendly Lakes campaign in their region, including 500 brochures, a slide presentation, a "Loon Resources Handbook" and several loon posters. They were also given a CLLS hat and a free membership for the year.

To date, Loon Ambassadors have accomplished the following:

- Etta Parker, who has created an elaborate display consisting of posters, video and an aquarium, attended the Nova Scotia RV Show to promote loon and lake conservation on 14-16 March.

- Etta, along with BSC staff person Beth Flanigan, also attended the NS Federation of Naturalists Annual General Meeting on May 31-June 2 to promote the Loon Friendly Lakes program and distribute brochures and copies of The State of Nova Scotia's Loons.

- Etta has also been promoting the Loon Friendly Lakes program in Kejimkujik and elsewhere. She has distributed her 500 brochures and has been sent an additional 500.

- Sara Jane Snook and her daughter Elizabeth made a presentation to Elizabeth's Girl Guide unit (14 guides and 3 leaders) in April 2002. The presentation went very well.

- Judy Beaton gave a presentation at her local library on April 13 2002. She also plans to complete two children's workshops this summer (one in Tantallon and one in Hubbards). She also plans to undertake two adult workshops in April next year (2003) when loons are arriving on lakes.

- Both Judy and Sara Jane have contacted their local newspapers regarding publishing a short article on the Loon Friendly Lakes program.

- Faye Singleton has distributed 100 brochures to her local cottagers' association in Hantsport.

- Steve Hawboldt has distributed brochures.

Objective 2: Canadian Lakes Loon Survey Recruitment Drive

CLLS participation in Nova Scotia increased from 37 participants in 2000, to 50 participants in 2001 & 2002. With the support of the NS Habitat Conservation Fund, we were able to publish 9000 updated CLLS brochures that included the NS logo. These brochures are distributed across Nova Scotia (by Ambassadors and others) and across the country. A press release distributed in July 2001 was published in a number of papers and elicited several new memberships.

Objective 3: Publish The State of Nova Scotia's Loons

BSC staff wrote and published The State of Nova Scotia's Loons: A Decade-Long View from the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey (Appendix C). Each ambassador received 200 copies, and every CLLS participant (past and present) received a copy. Copies have also been sent to the Loon Stewards (Eastern Habitat Joint Venture) and to the Department of Natural Resources Regional Biologists. The report is also available as a PDF file by clicking here (provide link). Other interesting facts and photos, along with online data entry for the loon survey, are available through the CLLS web site: www.bsc-eoc.org/cllsmain.html

To download information (pdf) on how to make your lake more loon friendly, click here

To download information (pdf) on how fishing tackle can affect loons, and what you can do to help, click here

To download the 2002 press release (pdf) regarding the "State of Nova Scotia's Loons", click here

Photos © Gregory M. Nelson, www.gmnphotography.com)