EXETER – A local conservation agency is updating to three-dimensional mapping to help it understand water flow paths and identify areas where water quality projects are needed, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Shell FuellingChange program.
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority’s water quality base mapping project has received a Shell Canada grant at the $25,000 level, after receiving among the highest votes from the public in the FuellingChange program.
“We would like to thank all the people who voted online to make this possible,” said Tracey McPherson, who is a geographic information systems specialist with the ABCA.
“We appreciate Shell Canada’s program in support of environmental projects in Canada and the public participation and support that made this local project one of the top projects in its category,” she said.
The grant will help ABCA set up a three-dimensional mapping system for improved collection of features such as watercourses, wetlands, and elevation information. This advanced mapping will assist with modeling of water flow, land use planning, and design and location of land and water stewardship projects.
Shell Canada announced $1 million in grants to 54 Canadian environmental projects through its second round of voting by Shell customers through Shell FuellingChange.
Environmental projects pre-selected to participate in the FuellingChange program are eligible to receive funding at three different grant levels of $25,000, $50,000, or $100,000. There were 14 organizations that received funding at one of these levels. The remaining 40 organizations receive $10,000 for their project.
The FuellingChange program was launched in May 2011. The program invites customers who make any purchases at Shell service stations to vote for pre-selected environmental projects using a code from Shell purchase receipts. Customers have cast almost 3 million votes since the program began. There were more than 1.9 million votes cast during the most recent period, Cycle 2.
