Wetland Photo - John McQuarrie

How important is that wetland?

By Peter Sale       You’ve all seen wetlands. There are lots of them in Muskoka. Marshy, boggy, mosquito-infested, noxious places; neither a lake nor dry land; what good…

Upjohn Nature Reserve - Wetland

Mother Nature thinks we are all deadbeats in Muskoka

  By Geoff Ross   In most human endeavours, from managing a home, to managing a major business enterprise, it is important to consider all the costs and all the…

Algae Sampling

What Are Algae Doing in Muskoka’s Lakes?

By Peter Sale     Responding to considerable community interest, the Muskoka Watershed Council wants to find out what algae are doing in Muskoka lakes.   These tiny single-celled plants…

Muskoka Environment

Why talk about “models” when we need to stop real floods?

By Geoff Ross     In the many discussions underway about recent flooding in Muskoka, the idea of a “model” for how water moves through Muskoka is perhaps the most…

Photo by John McQuarrie

Integrated watershed management can manage Muskoka’s environment

By Peter Sale     In a previous article, Kevin Trimble proposed using watershed hydrology to help manage floods. How do we do this?   The Muskoka Watershed Council recommends…

Mary Lake Dam

We need more than just an update to the Muskoka River Water Management Plan

By Kevin Trimble, MWC Chair     The “Flood of 2019” is now a common term in Muskoka. In its aftermath, there has been an urgent need to focus political…

Big East River aerial photograph

The Great Lakes: A Macrocosm of the Muskoka River Watershed

By Emily Crowder   At the University of Guelph, Professor Paul Sibley teaches a course titled “Stressors in the Great Lakes” where 15 or so lucky students get to participate…

Muskoka Watershed Report Card Logo

How much Interior Forest is enough?

      The 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card produced by the Muskoka Watershed Council features 8 different indicators of watershed health. Interior Forest is one of these indicators, categorized…

Muskoka Watershed Report Card Logo

Species at Risk: Protecting Our Biodiversity

      The 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card produced by the Muskoka Watershed Council features 8 different indicators of watershed health. Species at risk are one of these indicators, categorized as a threat…

Muskoka Watershed Report Card Logo

Intruders in Muskoka: Invasive Species

  The 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card produced by the Muskoka Watershed Council features 8 different indicators of watershed health. Invasive Species are one of these indicators, categorized as a threat indicator…

Muskoka Watershed Report Card Logo

Fragmentation: A Big Concern For Muskoka

  The 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card released by the Muskoka Watershed Council features 8 different indicators of watershed health. Fragmentation is one of these indicators, categorized as a threat…

Muskoka Watershed Report Card Logo

How Does a Changing Climate Impact Our Watershed?

    The 2018 Muskoka Watershed Report Card produced by the Muskoka Watershed Council features 8 different indicators of watershed health. Climate Change is one of these indicators, categorized as…