How do we nurture our environment more effectively? We integrate.

By Peter Sale | Published July 19, 2025 Over recent months, Muskoka Watershed Council has talked a lot about Integrated Watershed Management. But are we ready yet to explore what…

Finding Meaning as an Artist on a Changing Planet 

By Bet Smith | Published July 12, 2025 Some days, I sense a chasm between my creative ambition and my desire to make a positive difference in the world.  How…

What does Living Smarter mean?

By Peter Sale | Published July 5th, 2025 I recently saw an article about a new cottage on the Joe River. According to the article, when the owner first saw…

Photo of a building and tree.

When is the time to invest in the environment?

By Geoff Ross. If we used green building practices in Muskoka, our infrastructure could disappear into the environment it is a part of while also reducing its impacts on our…

Photo of a bathtub on a balcony taken by @fokkebok

Might living smarter in Muskoka mean measuring time like a lake?

By Norman Yan. In some ways, lakes are like bathtubs. Some lakes overflow more quickly than others and this will impact how we manage them. Photo from iStock by @fokkebok.…

Photo of Port Carling in 2015.

The Muskoka we want should not be the Muskoka of yesteryear.

The challenge we face in Muskoka is that we want to retain this healthy natural environment while also allowing for continued growth. By Peter Sale. Port Carling in September 2015…

Photo of someone canoeing in Muskoka

How to protect nature in Muskoka when there are governments promoting ‘environmental stewardship’ while approving ‘shoreline-altering developments’.

By Bet Smith. Exploring Muskoka’s quiet places by canoe or kayak can be exhilarating. Photo by Bet Smith. After a long, hard winter rife with emergency-level weather events, spring has…

A slide showing how many stressors may act together to cause algae blooms

You mean one problem isn’t enough?

How the cumulative effects of multiple stressors impact the Muskoka Watershed. By Neil Hutchinson. This slide from Friends of the Muskoka Watershed show an example of cumulative effects — many…

Citizen scientists collecting data in Muskoka

Citizen Scientists Play Important Role in Sustaining Our Watersheds.

By Dr. Norman Yan. Whether sampling algae in a lake or spreading ash in a sugar bush, citizen scientists are making an important contribution to understanding our watersheds. My friend…

Photo of a server farm near Ashburn, Virginia

Artificial intelligence and its impact on the Muskoka watershed.

Everything is connected to everything else. It’s going to be challenging to manage the wonderful natural environment of Muskoka in this rapidly changing world. By Peter Sale. This server farm…

What’s Wrong with the Current Management of Our Watershed?

Too Many Managers and No Common Plan. By Patricia Arney. The Muskoka River Watershed stretches from its headwaters within Algonquin Park to its outlet to Georgian Bay. This watershed needs…

Sunrise over a lake by Derek Sutton

On Our Path to Integrate our Watershed Management.

IWM is a necessary new approach to manage how we live, work and play in Muskoka. We need this new paradigm to remain economically prosperous while retaining a resilient natural…