As you may have heard , the research programs undertaken at Experimental Lakes Area are scheduled to be cut by our government on March 31. The Experimental Lakes Area, or ELA, is a world renowned research station that directly benefits everyone everyday. The importance of the ELA is well expressed in a recent message we received from Dr. Mariah Mailman, a former researcher at ELA:
“Research from ELA has been responsible for policies that took phosphorus out of detergent which was leading to eutrophication of lakes, or death by algae, and and the "acid" out of rain which was causing fish to become emaciated, or waste away. More recent research has shown that removing mercury from coal emissions lowers mercury in fish, and that when synthetic estrogen from the pill is removed from waterways, fish populations rebound, but otherwise fish were becoming hermaphrodites! Current research underway at ELA is already finding effects from tiny nano-particles of silver being woven into underwear and sportswear that then flush into our water systems when laundered. Studies done at ELA help keep our water clean. Everyone depends on clean water, and so everyone benefits from the ELA.”
To show your support for the ELA, I encourage you to visit the site: saveela.org. Under the section “What you can do to help”, is provided instructions on how to send your message to Ottawa. If you chose to send your message via mail/email, Dr. Mailman has provided a form letter (click here) that can sent the fisheries ministers, the Prime Minister, and your local MP, with the addresses provided on the saveela.org site.
As one of the objectives of Nature Manitoba is to work for preservation of our natural environment, I ask that you join in this action to save the ELA.
Donald Himbeault
President, Nature Manitoba