In 2025, the municipality's Environment and Climate Change team, in partnership with TransCoastal Adaptations (TCA) at Saint Mary’s University and the Ecology Action Centre, launched Living Lakeshores. This project aims to increase the resilience of freshwater shorelines in the Halifax region and build community understanding of natural restoration approaches in sensitive ecosystems.
To encourage care for the natural environment and share the skills of shoreline naturalization, the Environment and Climate Change team is offering free Green Shores training to residents. Delivered by TCA, three Green Shores level one training sessions and one Green Shores lewel two training were offered in 2025. One more of each level training will be offered in summer 2026. Participants that complete Level 1 training are invited to take part in free Level 2 training.
Green Shores training will give residents the skills and knowledge they need to help with climate adaptation and contribute to the municipality's green infrastructure projects.
Anyone can participate, but people near lakeshores are especially encouraged to enrol. Training sessions are free for all participants, but we have a maximum capacity of 20 people. Registration is required to enrol in each of the training sessions.
Green Shores Level 1 Training
Location: Fairbanks Centre, 54 Locks Road, Dartmouth
Date: July 11, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Link to register.
Green Shores Level 2 Training
Location: Lake Echo Community Recreation Centre | 3168 Nova Scotia Trunk 7, Lake Echo
Date: August 15 and 16, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. -4 p.m. each day
Link to register.
In addition to Green Shores training, the Living Lakeshores project will mobilize Green Shores restoration principles to improve the climate resilience and enhance biodiversity of select shorelines bordering municipal parks. In 2026, this will include projects at Kinsmen First Lake Beach in Sackville and Lake Echo Beach in Lake Echo.
Upcoming public information meetings
Public information meetings have been planned to share information on each of the upcoming shoreline restoration projects.
Sackawa Canoe Club
159 First Lake Drive, Lower Sackville
Date: March 7, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lake Echo Community Recreation Centre
3168 Nova Scotia Trunk 7, Lake Echo
Date: June 11, 2026
Time: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Along the Water's Edge
Kinsmen First Lake Beach, Sackville
Date: June 27, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Register: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/environment-climate-change/nature-biodiversity/along-waters-edge-event-registration
Restoration events
The public information and training sessions will culminate in restoration events designed to improve water quality and enhance biodiversity.
First Lake Beach restoration
Location: 71 First Lake Drive, Lower Sackville
Dates: September 14 – 18
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day
Lake Echo Beach restoration
Location: 3168 Nova Scotia Trunk 7, Lake Echo
Dates: October 5-9
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day
The value of naturalization
Projects like Living Lakeshores promote resilient shoreline management through nature-based solutions. As the impacts of climate change become more frequent and intense, the municipality is committed to combatting flooding along our shorelines.
By aligning with ecologically-sound practices, installation projects like Living Lakeshores allow us to adapt and address climate change, while also sharing educational resources that empower residents to contribute to climate action.
The value of naturalization for maintaining healthy shorelines lies in the way that it:
- preserves and restores physical processes, like the natural flow of water and the movement of sediment
- maintains or enhances natural habitats and biodiversity along the shoreline
- prevents or reduces pollutants entering aquatic environments
