Muskoka Watershed Council

DIRECTOR – Aaron Rusak is the Protected Areas Manager for the Georgian Bay Land Trust. He has been cottaging in Go Home Bay his whole life and feels a deep connection with the natural landscapes of Georgian Bay. An avid birder and naturalist, Aaron has spent many hours exploring the wild areas in Georgian Bay, often hip-deep in a wetland to get a better look at a species of flora or fauna.

DIRECTOR – Dr. Neil Hutchinson became passionate about environmental science as a teenager and coupled its emergence as a discipline with his personal attraction to water and Canadian geography. Having worked on water quality from Newfoundland to BC and from southern Ontario to Nunavut, he considers himself fortunate to have taken part in the great strides made in environmental management over his 45-year (and counting!) career as a summer student, graduate student, government scientist, consulting scientist, managing his own firm of dedicated, likeable and talented individuals and, recently, moving into semi-retirement.

His professional career has focused on pollutants and stressors of aquatic systems, with a focus extending from geochemical to laboratory to whole-watershed levels of investigation and a specialization in Precambrian Shield systems. He’s a stickler for clarity in thought and writing. He always strives to serve clients with sound and objective advice and creative feasible solutions. He has worked at the highest levels of peer review, providing input to all levels of the environmental assessment process, provided evidence to the Senate of Canada and served three three-year terms on Grant and Scholarship Selection Panels of Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

His off-work time finds him messing about in canoes, kayaks or sailboats, skiing and performing music as a flutist or in his alter ego as “Singer-Songwriter-Scientist”, performing his original and Canadian folk music.

DIRECTOR – Terry Crew is a CPA, CMA and has a B.Comm in Accounting and Marketing from McMaster University. He has 26 years of work experience, including 20 years in the Consumer Products industry providing financial support and managing the Budgeting and Strategic Planning processes. He was the Budget
Manager for the City of Vaughan and provided financial data and project management for then Xtrata Nickel.

Now retired, Terry enjoys golfing, downhill skiing, hiking, and travelling.

DIRECTOR – Peter F. Sale is an environmental scientist whose research into ecology of coral reefs spanned a career at the University of Sydney (1968-87), University of New Hampshire (1988-93), University of Windsor (1994-2006), and most recently United Nations University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health (2007-2014). He remains University Professor Emeritus at the University of Windsor. Educated at the University of Toronto and the University of Hawaii, he now lives in Muskoka, that special jewel in central Ontario, continuing to write and speak on critical environmental issues. His 2011 book, Our Dying Planet, tells the story of our impacts on the environment from the perspective of an ecologist who has seen environmental decline with his own eyes. And his 2021 book, Coral Reefs, Majestic Realms Under the Sea, tells stories that reveal the utter wondrousness of these very special places (that we are eliminating from the planet). He brings his expertise in aquatic ecology to the deliberations of the Muskoka Watershed Council.

For the past 8 years Nancy Alcock has represented the Town of Huntsville as a Town and District Councillor and in 2022, she was elected Mayor. She was first elected as a Town and District Councillor in 2014 and for the past two terms has served as the Chair of the District of Muskoka Community and Planning Services Committee. She is currently a member of the Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC) and is a member of the Muskoka Area Indigenous Leaders Table (MAILT). In her last term of Council, she served as the Chair of the District of Muskoka Housing Task Force.

For over 20 years, Nancy held policy and project management positions with the Government of Ontario, working for the ministries of Finance, Environment and Energy, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat, Superbuild Corporation and Public Infrastructure Renewal. She spent her last years as the provincial project lead on the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative. Nancy holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo School of Urban and Regional Planning and a Master’s of Science from the London School of Economics in Public Policy and Administration.

From 2008 to 2016, she was employed as a part-time instructor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University.

Patricia Arney joined MWC in 2001 and served as Chair from January 2012 to January 2014. She operated a summer business in Bala for years and moved to Muskoka full time in 1998. Patricia is a dedicated volunteer having held executive positions on the Muskoka Ratepayers Association, Habitat Restore Muskoka, Moon River Property Owners’ Association, Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce, and Georgian College Board of Governors. She was a member of the Standing Advisory Committee for the Muskoka River Water Management Plan as well as the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group. She offers strong governance skills and a passion for education in all aspects. Patricia has a MEd in Applied Psychology.

Jose Augustine is a GIS Technician with the Town of Huntsville and Township of Lake of Bays. He has a Master’s Degree in Space Science, a GIS Application Specialist Certificate from Fleming College, and a Big Data Analytics Certificate from Georgian College. Throughout his career, he’s worked on environmental projects like studying ecosystem changes in the Indian Sundarban Mangrove system, analyzing South-West monsoon rainfall patterns, and using LiDAR for flood planning in Cobourg.

Jose is driven by a passion for understanding and protecting the environment. For him, it’s not just about data or technology—it’s about being a steward of nature and ensuring that future generations can experience the beauty and vitality of our planet. He is particularly drawn to the Muskoka Watershed because of its unique and diverse ecosystems. He wants to use his background in GIS and environmental science to help MWC monitor and preserve the health of these watersheds.

An avid swimmer, hiker and paddler (mostly kayak), Susan enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities in all seasons. Muskoka, like many areas, has seen increased traffic on its roads, trails and waterways. Like many longtime outdoor enthusiasts, she sees the inherent issues resulting from a lack of knowledge and concern for our natural environment-air, forests, shorelines, waterways and lakes. Grassroots organizations that provide knowledge and encourage supportive, positive participation by all is one way to help keep our natural environment thriving and healthy for generations to come.

Javier Cappella is a Registered Professional Forester and ISA Certified Arborist and manages Crown land forests as well as providing professional arboriculture services to both rural and urban clients. Javier has a passion for sustainable development, protecting and managing trees, and helping people see the forest for the trees.

John Cooper has been a Muskoka cottager for nearly 60 years, a permanent Gravenhurst resident for over 12 and an active pilot for 49 years. Prior to retirement, John was the CEO of Cooper Canada, the largest sporting goods manufacturer in the country at the time and the world’s largest manufacturer of ice hockey equipment.

John’s passion lies in attracting more year-round jobs that pay a fair wage to the region. He is an active member of the Muskoka Watershed Council, Gravenhurst Rotary Club, PROBUS Gravenhurst, the Seniors Centre, and a Director of the Sparrow Lake Association.  John has also sat on the economic development advisory board for the Town of Gravenhurst for several years. At any given opportunity he is a staunch supporter and promoter of the arts and cultural attractions in Muskoka.

Chris Cragg is a Director of the Muskoka Lakes Association and Chair of their Environment Committee. Since 2019 he has been a Provincially appointed advisor to the Minister of Environment, Conservation & Parks on flooding and environment in the Muskoka River Watershed, as part of the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group. A substantial portion of his 45-year engineering career has been spent on dam safety particularly at Ontario Power Generation’s 70 hydroelectric power stations which include over 200 dams. He has written some 40 technical papers/conference presentations including, most recently “The Evolution of Water Management in the Muskoka River Watershed”, for Muskoka Watershed Council, Nov 2020. His experience includes stints as Chair of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers and President of the Society of Energy Professional. Also, former President of the Antique & Classic Boat Society which showcases antique wood boats at the Gravenhurst Boat Show since 1993. He is a third-generation owner of a family waterfront property on Lake Muskoka.

Now retired, John spent 30 years in the IT industry in technical, sales and marketing roles throughout North America. He spent a further 16 years as an entrepreneur in his own business, marketing and selling to consumers. John is Vice President of the Bala Curling Club and one of the lead members on the committee of the Bala Trek to Bethlehem annual pageant. He is engaged with several members of the Township of Muskoka Lakes council and numerous Township staff members. John’s communication skills, penchant for detail, and willingness to help others in his community will help MWC move forward and expand its reach by engaging members of the community.

Ann’s first Board position was with the Windsor/Detroit International Freedom Festival, followed by board positions with Muskoka Tourism, Huntsville Hawks Lacrosse and as President of the Huntsville Hawks Junior B Lacrosse club and the Madill Church Preservation Society.

Lance’s roots run deep in Muskoka. His great-great grandfather first settled in Muskoka in 1881. Born in Parry Sound, Lance spent his early years in Bala before his family moved to Toronto and ultimately Vancouver. His working career with a major business equipment firm started in Vancouver and took him to Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and finally back to Toronto. He left the confines of corporate life to start his own company developing specialized accounting software used by all the major international accounting firms in Canada. After selling his firm, retirement took him to the University of Toronto, where he received a BSc in environmental sciences in 2014. Returning to his roots, Lance has made his home in Muskoka since 2015 and resides in Gravenhurst with his partner Elga. Lance is a proud member of Wahta Mohawks First Nation.

Maggie Dechert is a recent graduate of the Ecosystem Management Technician program at Fleming College and a long-time Muskoka resident. She is a local environmental consultant with experience in remote field work, data collection and analysis, community outreach and education, and habitat restoration.

Many watersheds currently face challenges. Joan is participating in the Muskoka Watershed Council in order to better understand some of these challenges as they related to the Muskoka River Watershed and to work towards sustaining a healthy watershed that can continue to be enjoyed into the future.

Jo-Anne Goodwin is hoping to draw from both personal and work experience to contribute to keeping Muskoka beautiful and healthy. Jo-Anne’s love of her childhood home in Muskoka led her to pursue a career as a Senior Water Resources Technologist for several Consulting Engineering firms. At these firms, Jo-Anne worked on many stormwater management, hydrologic and floodplain mapping studies for private industry and government agencies. Larger projects worked on in her career were hydraulic studies for drainage of Hwy. 407, a flooding and remedial measures assessment for the City of Hamilton and a Probable Maximum Precipitation Study for Northern Ontario’s Hydro Dams. Prior to that Jo-Anne worked for the Toronto Region Conservation Authority supervising capital work projects aimed at protecting and enhancing the shoreline of Lake Ontario in the Toronto Area. Most of her experience was gained in Toronto but she is hoping that she can use it now to help Muskoka withstand the changes that it has and will continue to endure. That is what drove her to her career choice in the first place and being a member of the Muskoka Watershed Council will be a wonderful place to start.

Allan Hazelton has been a councillor for the Township of Georgian Bay since 2018. Prior to that he retired from a professional sales career of over 35 years selling Customer Service and Customer Experience Solutions to Executives at Fortune 500 companies in North America. He has over 40 years of volunteer experience with organizations like the Georgian Bay Association (GBA), the Honey Harbour Association, The Go Home Lake Cottagers Association, and the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association (OOWA), representing cottager and resident interests to local government as well as to Ontario and Federal government ministries.

Kathleen recently retired to her real home on Kawagama Lake. Kathleen spent over 30 years working in the federal government in various positions, all related to environmental protection. Her choice of career was dominated by her love of the cottage that she spent all of her summers at from a very young age. Kathleen has experience working on a wide range of environmental issues, from water and air quality to contaminated sites and environmental assessment. In her professional career Kathleen also led numerous multi-stakeholder consultations leading to world leading regulations and environmental monitoring programs.

Peter was born and raised in Muskoka, returning after university to settle down and start a family. He served as the Deputy Clerk-Treasurer and Clerk-Administrator for the Town of Gravenhurst, and was elected District Councillor, serving on both the local and Muskoka Councils. 

Leaving in the mid-80s, Peter served 12 years as a Senior Advisor with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in Sudbury, the last of which he was the Acting Regional Manager for all of northeastern Ontario. 

Most recently, Peter was the Chief Administrative Officer for Bonfield municipality near North Bay before being elected as a Muskoka District Councillor for Gravenhurst. 

Peter started his career as a corporate lawyer in private practice and served as President of GE Commercial Distribution Finance. Upon leaving GE in 2007, he successfully co-founded TCF Inventory Finance, now a $2.7 billion subsidiary of TCF Bank.

For 23 years Peter and his wife have been cottagers on Lake Joseph and made Port Carling their permanent home in 2015. His professional, municipal, and community service experiences have allowed him to gain a unique perspective that allows him to understand and represent the interests of all of Muskoka’s residents, both seasonal and permanent. Peter is active in a number of community and service groups in Muskoka Lakes and sits on the board of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.

When he is not out sailing or tinkering at home or at the cottage you might see him driving through town in his vintage 1934 Ford Roadster.

Dr. Richard Lammers is a Research Associate Professor in the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space at the University of New Hampshire. Richard was one of the founding members of the Water Systems Analysis Group and has been Co-Director since 2008. He received a PhD in Physical Geography from the University of Toronto in 1998 and has been a researcher at the Institute since 1996. The focus of his research is understanding the dynamics of global and regional-scale hydrology with an emphasis on human interactions within the hydrological cycle and on high latitude hydrological systems. His most recent work involves integrating hydrology with energy, economic models and water rights to understand the resilience and vulnerability of water, land, food, and energy systems. His research interests also include understanding the convergence of human and biogeophysical datasets, modeling, and analysis; inter-basin hydrological transfers; the hydrological cycle at high latitudes; future change; spatial datasets and geoprocessing; river networks; and techniques of Internet-based data serving and analysis. Richard now resides in Bracebridge.

Jess Lario is an environmental biology student currently working on her Masters at the University of Alberta. She has a background in environmental science, having completed her environmental technician diploma at Canadore College and a degree in Environmental Biology from at Nipissing University. She is currently the Watershed Science and Stewardship Coordinator at Lesser Slave Watershed Council. Her past experience with the District of Muskoka as the Biomonitoring Technician gave her the opportunity to explore many of the lakes within Muskoka, big or small. During her free time she likes to go kayaking, hiking, or spending time with her dog and family.

Pete has been a cottager on Morrison Lake since birth. Thirty years ago, Pete and his wife Sandy bought property on the lake and built their own four-season cottage. Six years ago, they made the cottage their home and love living here fulltime!

Pete recently retired from 41 years in high technology and is very busy with volunteer work, projects around the home, cycling, kayaking, and skiing. He is the been the lake steward for Morrison Lake for many years and has been involved with Lake Partner Program water testing for decades.

Pete has had a variety of roles within MWC. He has a strong interest in protecting and enhancing the watershed for future generations. Pete brings a business background to MWC to complement the ecology and science expertise of the other members.

Don Macintosh is a corporate commercial lawyer with expertise in corporate governance. He also has a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning (M.Pl.). His 1983 Masters Report was titled: “The Role of Technical Water Quality Criteria in Lakeshore Development Planning: A Case Study of the District of Muskoka”. He currently represents the Lake of Bays Association on MWC’s IWM Community Roundtable.

While Don practices law at a large downtown Toronto firm, he grew up in Port Carling (he went to high school in Bracebridge), and spends a majority of his days during all months of the year at his home on Lake of Bays. He has a keen personal interest in the concept of IWM, as well as a interest in collaborative planning, while maintaining a healthy and realistic cynicism, which he believes allows him to help in efforts to achieve altruistic goals in the real world environment.

Doug McColl has a BA in Earth Science from UWO where he studied Wildlife Ecology and Management with Prof Dave Ankney, and Pollution in Aquatic Ecosystems, and Protista with Dr. Charles Trick. He also served on EAGLE (Env. Awareness for Greater London Education).

Doug has extensive experience creating, producing and facilitating all types of programs on the land and water and about all things on the planet, including astronomy and quantum physics. He has led programs for all ages and for various institutions, including universities, Ontario Parks, public and private education organizations, and outdoor centres, including the Leslie M. Frost Centre in Dorset and Haliburton Forest, among others. Outside of education, his work includes conducting biological surveys, woodlot management, identification of species and control or monitoring of introduced species. He is a canoe guide, and enjoys leading people in nature on foot, bike or canoe.

DIRECTOR – As a four-season cottager on Ril Lake for over 20 years, David Parsons has been continually active in the Ril Lake Association, joining the executive in 2009. His current role is Environmental & Municipal Liaison, which includes monitoring and maintaining lake water data. David is a retired college educator and programs coordinator, with a background in civil construction. He enjoys being on the water, as an avid sailor, having restored two sailboats that have been on the lake since the 1960’s.

Om Patel is a Gravenhurst High School student who’s passionate about getting involved in his community. Through student council and volunteering with Gravenhurst Against Poverty, Om has had the chance to work on projects that make a real impact. He joined MWC to help protect the environment and bring a youth perspective to the council. Om thinks it’s important to get more young people involved in conservation efforts, and he hopes to accomplish this through outreach, advocacy, and new ideas.

DIRECTOR – Michael Peppard is the founder and Executive Director of EcoMuskoka Conservation, a not-for-profit corporation whose mission it is to engage communities in local greening projects. For the past fifteen years Michael has been engaged in managing environmental programming for not-for-profits across Ontario. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Guelph and a Certificate in Restoration Ecology from Niagara College. Michael is a community engagement specialist who is striving to bring his skills to his new home in Muskoka.

Carley joined MWC because she cares deeply for the natural environment and finding solutions to create a sustainable future for all. Spending summers and holidays in Muskoka growing up, and having experienced the beauty of the landscape, she is passionate about protecting its health. She seeks to create and implement sustainable solutions both in her personal and professional life and would like to support MWC in its mission and objectives. Carley has a Masters in Environment and Sustainability from Western University and is currently an ESG Specialist at Northland Power Inc. She believes that her academic and professional experiences, along with her passion for sustainability, will positively support MWC.

Sabrina is the owner of Big Hawk Lake Marina and is a permanent resident on Little Hawk Lake in Algonquin Highlands. She has over 20 years of experience in the logistics and transportation industry assisting importers and exporters navigate not only Canadian but International regulations at various levels and with various departments of government. In her former role as National Operations Manager for a large National Company, she was responsible for human resources, budgets, client retention and growth. Her experience in government regulations will be an asset in her new role as a councillor with the Township of Algonquin Highlands.

Geoff Ross moved to Muskoka in 2010 after a career as a Professional Engineer developing water and air pollution control standards and programs with Environment Canada. His work included control of coal-fired power plant emissions contributing to acid rain, smog, climate change and other major air issues. He represented Canada in technical work under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and participated in negotiation of the Ozone Annex to the Canada/U.S. Air Quality Accord. Geoff holds degrees in Engineering and Physiology. He is a past President and member of the executive of the Skeleton Lake Cottagers’ Organization, and devotes his spare time to carpentry, sailing, canoeing , curling, XC skiing and tennis. He joined the Muskoka Watershed Council in 2012.

Bet Smith is a Canadian alternative folk singer-songwriter who weaves environmental and socio-political philosophy into rich, reflective compositions. Bet’s reverence for nature is ever-present in her writing. She attributes this to time spent homesteading on a small island in British Columbia. Bet returned home to Ontario in 2014, settling in Bracebridge, and released a solo album, titled Downer, in February 2021.

Bet published an animated video for the album’s first single, Forgive You. Painstakingly hand-illustrated and set into motion by Bet herself, the video is a bleak portrayal of the ongoing environmental destruction occurring in the face of peaceful protest and new levels of climate awareness.

Bet also keeps a blacksmith’s shop in Bracebridge Ontario, which she calls Persephone Forge.

Don grew up in Bracebridge and started his journalism career here in 1971. In 2014 Don was elected as a District Councillor for Bracebridge and has been the council-appointed representative on the boards of the Muskoka Watershed Council, Muskoka Tourism and Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce. Don was also appointed by the Provincial Government as vice chair of the Muskoka Watershed Advisory Group.

In the community, Don is a past president of the Rotary Club of Bracebridge and has served on a number of boards including the Chamber of Commerce, the YWCA of Muskoka and the McConnell Foundation.

Working in the publishing industry for his entire career, Don has owned both newspapers and magazines in Muskoka. Most recently, he is the founder and current publisher of Unique Muskoka. Don and his wife, Susan, have also been active in downtown businesses and they currently operate the Unique Muskoka store. A two-time recipient of the Bracebridge Businessperson of the Year Award, Don was presented the Robert J. Boyer Award by the Muskoka Heritage Foundation in 2010.

DIRECTOR – Kevin Trimble is an ecological consultant with more than 25 years of experience assessing the impacts of many types of land use change in Ontario, most recently with Golder Associates in Barrie. Originally from an aquatic background, he integrates a number of terrestrial and aquatic disciplines with the water resource and groundwater sciences and has directed many types of restoration projects. After cottaging on Lake Simcoe his entire life, Kevin and his family relocated to Muskoka in 2014.

Taryn van Kooten is a student at Gravenhurst High School. She joined MWC to provide a youth voice and add new perspectives to the ongoing conversation about climate change. She aims to encourage youth like herself to get involved in taking care of the planet they are to inherit.

As a lifelong local, Taryn has had the privilege of experiencing the beauty of Muskoka firsthand. Though, as time passes, the natural environment that defines our home faces increasing threats. She is excited to work with MWC to advocate for the protection and preservation of Muskoka’s watershed. It is her generation that will inherit this responsibility, and Muskoka’s legacy, “once discovered, never forgotten”.

Rebecca has been with the Muskoka Watershed Council since 2002 and the District of Muskoka since 2003. She has a degree in Zoology and a certificate in Environmental Conservation from the University of Guelph, as well as a certificate in Restoration Ecology from Niagara College. Since moving to Muskoka in 2001, she has enjoyed hiking the many excellent trails found in the area. Through her work with the District and the Muskoka Watershed Council, Rebecca is active in promoting good stewardship practices across the watershed, with an emphasis on maintaining good water quality.

Glenn joined the District of Muskoka as its Manager of Watershed Programs in 2022. He has 11 years of academic training and over 20 years of applied experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Road Ecology, allowing him to provide practical solutions for managing and mitigating the impacts of infrastructure projects on the natural environment. In his previous role as a private consultant, Glenn provided expertise in wildlife surveys, identification and mapping of Species at Risk habitat, and provincial and federal permitting. His projects regularly included due diligence studies, literature and peer reviews, habitat assessments, and the development and assessment of mitigation measures for Species at Risk.