Managing environmental stress: An evaluation of environmental management of the Long Point sandy barrier, Lake Erie, Canada

This paper assesses the extent to which key geomorphic components, processe s, and stresses have been reflected in the management of a coastal sandy ba rrier environment. The management policies and practices of selected agenci es responsible for Long Point, a World Biosphere Reserve along Lake Erie, C anada, were evaluated for consistency with these principles of environmenta l management for sandy barriers: maintaining natural stresses essential to sandy barrier development and maintenance; protecting sediment sources, tra nsfers, and storage; recognizing spatial variability and cyclicity of natur al stresses, such as barrier overwash events; and accepting and planning fo r long-term evolutionary changes in the sandy barrier environment. Generall y, management policies and practices have not respected the dynamic and sen sitive environment of Long Point because of limited mandates of the agencie s involved, inconsistent policies, and failure to apply or enforce existing policies. This is particularly evident with local municipalities and less so for the Canadian Wildlife Service, the federal agency responsible for ma naging National Wildlife Areas at the point. In the developed areas of Long Point, landward sediment transfers and sediment storage in dunes Rave been impacted by cottage development, shore protection, and maintenance of road s and parking lots. Additionally, agencies responsible for managing Long Po int have no jurisdiction over sediment sources as far as 95 km away. Evolut ionary change of sandy barriers poses the greatest challenge to environment al managers.