The Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) is a unique Canadian facility for ground breaking freshwater research and the only one of its kind in the world. An outdoor laboratory where whole-ecosystem research on environmental problems are carried out, the ELA provides the world with vital information about fresh water.
Founded in 1968, ELA offers scientists the unique opportunity to do applied research on entire freshwater ecosystems. The ELA is located on the Canadian Shield in northwestern Ontario, about 250 km east of Winnipeg and 50 km east of Kenora.
Fifty-eight small lakes and their catchments are managed through a joint agreement between the Governments of Canada and Ontario. The lakes range in size from 1 ha to 84 ha in surface area and are typical of small Canadian Shield lakes that many Canadians use for recreation. The ELA laboratory and lodging began in trailers and over 44 years these trailers have slowly been replaced with permanent yet modest buildings.
Studies conducted at the ELA have provided sound scientific knowledge for the development of environmental policies both nationally and internationally. Some key areas of influence have been in understanding and managing algal blooms, acid rain, climate change, mercury pollution, greenhouse gas fluxes from hydroelectric reservoirs, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
In addition to whole-ecosystem manipulations intended to address specific questions, ELA researchers have conducted consistent long-term monitoring of physical lake characteristics, watershed hydrology, water chemistry, and food web composition and abundance over a 44 year period. This monitoring has yielded what is probably the richest dataset for freshwater research in the world. ELA Researchers receive numerous data requests each year from scientists around the world wishing to compare their data to those collected at the ELA.
The scientific output of ELA is impressive. It has produced 735 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 126 graduate theses, 102 book chapters and synthesis papers, 185 data reports, and several books. ELA scientists have been the recipients of numerous prestigious international water awards, including the Stockholm Water Prize, the International Tyler Prize for Environmental Science and the Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal for Science and Engineering.
The ELA is Canada’s flagship environmental research centre. For more than 40 years, ELA researchers have studied environmental problems of the greatest importance to Canadians and provided the world with vital information to manage and protect fresh waters. Current and future problems facing the health of fresh waters, such as harmful algal blooms, acid rain, nanosilver pollution, climate change, mercury pollution, fish farming, greenhouse gases, hydro power development and much more need to be studied at the depth and scale that only ELA can provide. Canada needs the ELA, and Canadian policy makers will greatly benefit from allowing research at the ELA to continue.
For more information about the Experimental Lakes Area, please see the ELA website and Fisheries & Oceans information about protecting the health of Canada’s lakes.
Hi Everyone, I hope you reach your goal of protecting the ELA… I’m not currently living in Canada though, and I can’t seem to find out why the ELA is under threat – can you address that issue in this website? I think it will go a long way in helping people to understand why they need to offer their support. Thanks!
Government is cutting their funding.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/03/25/closure_of_experimental_lakes_area_part_of_assault_on_science_scharper.html
I will most certainly be contacting my MP and others about this. Thank you.
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Just one more example of the Conservative assault on our environment!
Hi ,I live in San Diego CA, but some time I come to Hamilton to see my relative. I love Canada.I posted “Save ELA” in my ,and also in my relative face book. fb.fb.wholiHamelton,hopfuly it will help.
We should respond with a petition to not just let up on cuts to ELA, but to INCREASE FUNDING. That would send a message to those who are trying to shut down environmental research (Harper this means you).
I’m going to start a donations website. $2m isn’t that much if we all pitch in..lets keep this place open ourselves.
@Patrick Donations to the Coalition to Save ELA can be made here. Thanks.
While SaveELA does have a donations link on its website, there is no mention of where the money goes, nor is Save ELA a registered charity. This makes me apprehensive.
Fair enough. I’ll ask for clarification and get back to you.
More details here now. Registered charities are governed by specific rules of the Canada Revenue Agency. However, advocating for the importance of the Experimental Lakes Area is unlikely to qualify as “charitable purposes.”
Advocating to save the ELA may not qualify for registered charity status but supporting the research that the ELA does would qualify. E.g.: Natureserve Canada and Raincoast Conservation Foundation.
Canada needs ELA and others like it
Lets not turn our backs on environmental protection from pollution to introduction of foreign species –clean water is a priority now and for future generations
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Is there an on-line petition? Also a legit charitable trust for collecting donations? RSVP!
No online petition right now. We are not a registered charity under CRA’s rules: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charities/ .
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Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular article!
It is the little changes that make the most significant changes.
Thanks for sharing!