January 31, 2026

Muskoka Watershed Council has been advocating for a new form of more integrated environmental management in this region since 2020. But why now? Why is the old way of doing things suddenly no longer sufficient? Why are we pushing for change?

January 24, 2026

I first ran into unintended consequences about 11 years ago, during an exam season at university (Go Ravens!). Pulling an “all-nighter” before a test was almost a badge of honour, everyone did it. The intention was solid: study hard, show up prepared, crush the exam. But the next morning usually told a different story.

January 17, 2026

As the smell of woodsmoke drifts across our lakes and through our towns and villages, a familiar anxiety settles over Muskoka.

Our dense stands of white pine and hemlock are no longer just scenery, but potential fuel. Ontario’s record-breaking wildfire seasons of 2023 through 2025 have fundamentally shifted the landscape of risk.

January 10, 2026

We’re very comfortable with the idea of property rights. If you own land, you own what’s on it — or so we assume. The house, the driveway, the fence, the trees. They’re yours. And you can cut trees down, trim them back, or clear them out entirely.

But here’s an unsettling question worth sitting with for a moment: do the trees on your property have any rights at all?

January 3, 2026

They say an earthquake is the most disturbing of all natural disasters (for those who survive uninjured). It disturbs profoundly because it shatters one’s faith in the stability of the universe. When the ground itself is shifting and heaving, any sense that our environment is a reliable place in which to live gets shattered permanently.

December 20, 2025

In 2026, Muskoka Watershed Council will continue to explore bold, thoughtful, and sometimes unconventional ways to nurture our watersheds. Not because they are “weird,” but because the challenges we face demand creativity, courage and a willingness to be different. We invite you to stay curious and join us on this next step toward a healthier, more resilient Muskoka.

December 13, 2025

For some of us, the winter holidays force a pause; even if we try to keep running, workplaces shut down, families hijack our schedules, and we’re compelled to sit down.

December 6, 2025

I made a living doing technical work in the ecological sciences, but one of my, and my colleagues’ toughest challenges has always been explaining to people, including business owners or community leaders, why they should care what an ecosystem is and why every action they take becomes a part of it. Understanding this reality is among society’s greatest imperatives.

November 29, 2025

Nature has a right to thrive, and all of humanity deserves a stable climate and healthy environment that Canada can help restore and preserve, writes Bet Smith of the Muskoka Watershed Council.

November 15, 2025

Jared Jylhä reframes nature as one of the most reliable investment portfolios we have. From reducing flood costs to supporting our health and well-being, these natural systems provide passive savings and passive income that compound over time.

November 8, 2025

We must consider ecological factors as we plan for the needed new housing over the next couple of decades, writes Peter Sale of the Muskoka Watershed Council.

November 1, 2025

As our climate warms to temperatures not experienced in all of recorded history, more green plants offer a chance to accomplish two critical goals, writes Geoff Ross of the Muskoka Watershed Council.

October 25, 2025

If we fail to act boldly on climate change over the next decade, Muskoka could lose the essence of what makes it special — clean waters, quiet forests and stable shorelines, writes Peter Johnston of the Muskoka Watershed Council.

October 25, 2025

As the world prepares for COP30 in Brazil, the urgency of the climate crisis is no longer a distant concern—it’s unfolding right here in Muskoka. The shifts in temperature, rainfall, and extreme weather that dominate global headlines are already reshaping our forests, lakes, and communities. If we don’t think globally and act locally, Muskoka’s future will look very different.

October 11, 2025

Present methods of construction in Ontario produce substantial quantities of greenhouse gases, and of construction waste. We could use the same raw materials, manufactured into different products that would mean less waste, less energy use in construction (all the way from harvesting materials to final delivery of the building), and more carbon stored long-term in the building products used. Innovative timber products do an excellent job of sequestering carbon for the life of the building.

October 4, 2025

Here in Muskoka, it is still possible to feel sheltered from the world’s turmoil. A quiet paddle across a misty lake or the call of loons on a moonlit evening still feels timeless. But Muskoka is not immune to climate change. Our winters are becoming more erratic and violent, as last year’s heavy snowfalls and devastating ice storm showed us. Extreme events are no longer rare—they are the new normal.