Category Archives: Stewardship

Signs of spring, or the health of your lake. What are you watching?

pussy willows

Many years ago my Grandmother won a contest with Toronto radio station CKEY (now long gone). I think you had to write in, and the best story about signs of spring won. The prize was a ride in the radio station’s traffic helicopter during a weekday rush hour.  Grannie’s story was something about the pussy willows growing up right out of the snow in front of the Sundial restaurant on the way up to Muskoka (also long gone). Anyway, she gave me the helicopter ride – that was cool!!!

Whether: “is the ice-out”, other signs of spring, habits of wildlife or indicators of a healthy lake, we are often asked about key things cottagers need to know – or go by, and we are happy to help!
But here’s an opportunity to get all the scoops on what to look for: plan to attend the Muskoka Stewardship Conference, put on by the Muskoka Watershed Council. This conference is titled What Are You Watching?

Planned, are talks on algae (identification and monitoring), loon surveying, water quality, landscaping for wildlife, NatureWatch programs and more. There’s even the opportunity to join naturalist Al Sinclair on an outdoor birdwatching session before the talks begin.

Taking place at Nipissing University in Bracebridge, the whole day is only $30 and includes lunch. Register, and get more info here.

Our Lakes: How they have changed over the last 25 years.

I recorded this lecture by Dr. Michelle Palmer in July. One of the Muskoka Watershed Council lecture series.

Our Lakes: How they have changed over the last 25 years.

Dr. Michelle Palmer discusses how recent climatic warming, changes in acidic deposition, and human-related activities such as road salting and the accidental spread of invasive species have altered the water quality of our lakes in Muskoka, with a focus on changes in lake temperatures and water chemistry since the 1980s.

At the end there is an extensive Question & Answer session.

Calcium decline may hold answers to lake changes.

It’s not too late to catch the MWC lecture tonight.

Admission is by donation to the Muskoka Watershed Council. Just head for the Port Carling Community Centre at 7:00pm.

Our Lakes: How they have changed over the last 25 years.

Dr. Michelle Palmer will discuss how recent climatic warming, changes in acidic deposition, and human-related activities such as road salting and the accidental spread of invasive species have altered the water quality of our lakes in south-central Ontario, with a focus on changes in lake temperatures and water chemistry since the 1980s.

Loss of biodiversity, is it important if we don’t see it?

As a volunteer, as well as being on the executive of the Muskoka Watershed Council, I am the videographer. This gives me a great opportunity to ensure that truly wonderful ideas and presentations are not lost after the words are spoken and the video projector is turned off. I record, edit and post to YouTube, lectures and presentations at Muskoka Watershed Council events.

A most important event is the biennial Muskoka Summit on the Environment. On June 6th and 7th I recorded the presentations over the two day summit. Broadcast, in part, by CBC Radio’s Ideas with Paul Kennedy, (search for Buying Into Biodiversity), these were world-class lectures, presented here in Muskoka. I am delighted to be able to ensure these are available to the world.

The first is now available at the following link on Muskoka Watershed Council’s YouTube channel: Loss of biodiversity, is it important if we don’t see it?

It was presented by Justina C. Ray Ph.D. of the Wildlife Conservation Society, Canada. Justina raises some of the most important questions and current thinking on biodiversity and explores how our thinking has shifted over time, making biodiversity loss less apparent to us.

Mice at your cottage – snakes may be your best friends.

Don’t love snakes? They are harmless, all except the Massasauga rattler, which is virtually harmless; and 5 are in trouble in Ontario. Learning to live with them near your cottage, even going so far as to create some habitat for them may be the most effective and natural way to get rid of those rodents – that you really hate.

I just finished editing, and posted a video on YouTube. Rob Willson of Riverstone Environmental presented at the Muskoka Watershed Council‘s Muskoka Stewardship Conference.

In about 40 minutes you’ll learn a lot about squamites, including what that term means to impress your scientist buddies. You will also be introduced to the actor of the snake family…

Hognose snake playing dead; all the while watching to see if you are appropriately convinced.

Habitat Types in Muskoka

Think of Muskoka, not as a single habitat, but a mosaic of different inter-dependent habitats.

I just finished editing, and posted a video on YouTube. Dirk Janas of Beacon Environmental presented at the Muskoka Watershed Council‘s Muskoka Stewardship Conference.

In about 40 minutes you’ll be able to tell all your friends how a bog is like a fen, but is different from a marsh, which is different from a swamp.

Skeleton Lake Fish Hatchery

We had a number of meetings of the Muskoka Watershed Council today. Lots of great projects underway intended to benefit our environment, and all of us who reside here or visit. Included in the full council meeting was a presentation of the Skeleton Lake, Lake Plan in development by the Skeleton Lake Cottagers Organization; wonderful to see the inclusive plan to preserve this, still quite pristine and unique Muskoka lake. Information specific to Skeleton Lake, or any other of the lakes in Muskoka is available on the Muskoka Water Web in the lake data sheets link. Please be aware, if you are not linked-out already, there is an important page to explain how you interpret the water quality data.

Our meeting were held in the Raymond Community Centre, hosted by the Township of Muskoka Lakes. After the meetings we visited Fish Hatchery Park at Skeleton Lake.

Entrance to Fish Hatchery Park

Located just in from 141 of Fish Hatchery Road, the park has an entrance on either side. To the left follow the trails along the river to the falls. To the right the entrance leads to Skeleton Lake and the dam. Although not used as a fish hatchery for a number of years, the park is a great place to take a hike.

The falls at Fish Hatchery Park

I only had a BlackBerry with me for the photo, so imagine what you can do with a bit more control. Bring your camera along and go for a hike to the falls!

Moon River Walleye Fishery

Here’s another video for the Muskoka Watershed Council‘s YouTube channel.

Eric McIntyre, of the Eastern Georgian Bay Stewardship Council discusses spiking water flow downstream from Bala Falls, its devastating implications to Walleye reproduction and the current status of the agreement between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Power Generation.

2005 water flows, highly detrimental to Walleye reproduction have now been improved somewhat.

Eric spoke at the Muskoka Stewardship Conference.

In the video, there’s some interesting detail about Walleye habitat, the Moon River Walleye fishery and the need to control water levels in Lake Muskoka.

Oops, not a great spot to pitch your tent!

Troubling Times for Our Turtles

Did you know that it may take 60 years of egg laying for a female turtle just to replace herself!

I just finished editing, and posted a video on YouTube. Glenda Clayton is a very warm and engaging presenter who presented at the Muskoka Watershed Council‘s Muskoka Stewardship Conference.

In 40 minutes you’ll not only be able to identify Muskoka’s turtles by species, but be more apt to help “wheelbarrow” them  across the road.

Assisting a snapping turtle across a roadway. The back-end is the good side.

So, you’re all up to the cottage for the summer, one of the kids finds a turtle and wants to keep it as a pet. No matter how wonderful they may look and how convincing the argument to adopt may be, NEVER, NEVER allow this to happen. With predators as well as cars at every corner, the odds are so stacked against turtles that we need them ALL in the wild reproducing.

So cool! Hard to resist keeping a guy like this as a pet, but please don’t – don’t, don’t, don’t!

Andrew Daniels Fish Stewardship Program, Lake of Bays

I just finished editing and posted a video on the Muskoka Watershed Council‘s YouTube channel. George Daniels has obviously been a driving force behind some terrific conservation efforts on fish habitat in and around Muskoka’s Lake of  Bays. After the death of George’s son Andrew, a couple of Andrew’s buddies launched the Andrew Daniel’s Fish Stewardship Program.

George presented the program at the  Muskoka Stewardship Conference.

In the video, you’ll learn about many of the initiatives taken on by volunteers, local business, government and NGO’s – great stuff! You can pick up a fish ruler and poster at all of the Lake of Bays marinas.

Lake of Bays fish poster.