The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Biodiversity in Greater Sudbury lakes is making a strong comeback as air pollution has seen a steady decline since the ’60s.
The 2012 Vital Signs report from the Sudbury Community Foundation was launched Tuesday from the Vale Living with Lakes Centre. This year’s report, titled City of Lakes Edition, focused on environmental recovery and the flourishing biodiversity seen over the years as air pollution is reduced.
Dr. John Gunn, the director of the Living with Lakes Centre, outlined some of the key findings for the crowd of about 40 gathered at the centre. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions in Greater Sudbury are at one of their lowest levels ever, down from a record high in the 1960s when more SO2 was released in Sudbury than in Japan.
The SO2 killed off wildlife, made some lakes unusable and gave Sudbury a reputation it’s still trying to shake. Gunn said at some point, major polluters realized they could reduce emissions and save on their bottom line at the same time. That has led to a steady and sharp decline in SO2 emissions, and improved biodiversity in the region.