CORNWALL — The St. Lawrence River Institute has a new boat.
Christened Macromia, a staff contest settled the name after a genus of large dragonflies commonly known as ‘river cruisers’.
Purchased with a $41,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), the sonar GPS-equipped vessel will assist with the non-profit, charitable organization’s research, monitoring and education programs.
“Thrilled” with the new asset, Dr. Jeff Ridal, River Institute Executive Director, described the boat as “essential for our projects that contribute to research and conservation, habitat protection, species at risk, and ecosystem health.”
The Institute’s work encompasses an area from Kingston to the Ontario-Quebec border.
Macromia will also … “incorporate field training and experience for students and volunteers,” said Ridal.
The OTF Capital grant was acknowledged Oct. 7 prior to the River Institute’s Science and Nature Untapped virtual speaker series.
“I am pleased to see that this funding helps enable the River Institute to continue its important work in monitoring, protecting, conservation and ecosystem health of the St. Lawrence River,” said Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell.
An agency of the province, the OTF doles out millions annually — more than $114 million to 644 projects last year alone.
The River Institute was established in 1994 as a unique community partnership involving the City of Cornwall, government, education, business and industry, and the Mohawks of Akwesasne. Its mandate is environmental research and education with a focus on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River ecosystem.
