Beach Stewardship

Piping Plover Recovery Program

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is looking for community members to volunteer the Piping Plover Recovery Program.  This is a unique opportunity to help monitor and protect one of North America’s most endangered bird species.  Volunteers are provided with on-site training, and spend their time on the beach monitoring nest habitat, breeding pairs and hatchlings, as well as educating the public about these rare birds and the efforts underway to protect them.

For more information on how to get involved or to sign up as a volunteer please visit https://pipingplovervolunteers.blogspot.com

Dune and Habitat Restoration

© Wasaga Beach Provincial Park

Park staff, with the help of various volunteer groups, have been actively engaged in planting marram grass to encourage the stabilization of dunes along the waterfront.  Once planted, marram grass will continue to grow as more sand gathers around it, making it well suited for the ever-changing dunes system to which it is adapted.  Marram grass planting occurs in late autumn when plants are dormant.

Volunteers also assist park staff with invasive species removal, such as white sweet clover and phragmites.  Invasive species removals occur throughout the late summer in August and September.

If you are interested in more information, or if your group would like to volunteer with a planting or invasive species removal, please contact the park office at (705) 429-2516.

Garbage Clean-ups

In 2016, over 181,520kg of garbage was collected by park staff on the beach and transported to the local landfill.  Garbage left on the beach is both unsightly and can attract large numbers of unwanted wildlife.  If your group or organization would be interested in organizing a beach clean-up day please contact the park office at (705) 429-2516.  Park staff would be happy to provide you with garbage bags, as well as pick up and disposal of the refuse collected.