Research
Georgian Bay Forever is the only science-based pan-Georgian Bay charity organization. As such, we are uniquely driven to survey and track the health and state of Georgian Bay waters, and determine the best and most effective courses of action based on objective data. Our research spans targeted, multi-year programming, ongoing environmental monitoring, and collaboration with external institutional research projects.
We believe in being students of nature—the opportunity to learn and discover is endless. So, follow along as we endeavour to deepen our shared knowledge of this vital ecosystem.
Georgian Bay Forever
Research Programs
These research programs are designed to explore, with great focus, pertinent issues now facing the Georgian Bay aquatic ecosystem and all the living things and communities affected.
Turning Data into Action - An Autonomous Water Quality Intelligence Network for Georgian Bay
Tracking Movements of Lake Sturgeon Across
Georgian Bay
Phragmites Hybridization Research
Building a water-quality monitoring network across Georgian Bay for publicly accessible data and integral knowledge-sharing
Tracking lake sturgeon to inform population-recovery planning for this endangered species
Investigating the possible environmental effects and management needs of hybrid Phragmites in Georgian Bay
Our US-Based Associate Research Projects
In 2025, an anonymous foundation presented GBF with a unique opportunity: to select five projects for funding by U.S.-affiliated institutions that would address critical knowledge gaps in Georgian Bay and advance GBF's mission. Due to distribution requirements, GBF did not receive any of these gifts—they went directly to the US research institutions who are responsible for the work. We are honoured to have been asked to recommend projects that are in line with our goals to protect Georgian Bay waters through scientific research, and we will continue to track these projects through to completion.
We are thrilled to share that, following a rigorous and comprehensive review process, five groundbreaking research projects have been selected. Read all about these exciting projects by clicking the button below.
Our Ongoing Research and
Technological Monitoring
We use the AUV to model the impacts of climate change, water levels, increasing urban development, industrial and municipal spills, sewage overflows, septic failures, bacterial contamination, and the success of conservation measures.
visually survey the deep waters of Georgian Bay. We have directly observed and helped to ground-truth satellite models of the impacts of climate change, sediment, raw sewage discharges, urban development, nuisance algae, and submerged aquatic vegetation growth.
We scan sites of invasive Phragmites to identify and map those areas for reference in our eradication efforts. Locations are recorded in decimal degrees (latitude and longitude), invasive lineage is confirmed, and the area of the patch is recorded using ESRI FieldMaps.