How might multiple divergent threats pile on to damage Muskoka’s lakes?
By Dr. Norman Yan. Norman Yan and Lenore Inniss (R), Chair of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, examine animal plankton on board the Peerless on Lake Rosseau in September. Photo…
Municipalities embark on a long and winding journey towards watershed management.
Collaborative approach needed to enable watershed-scale decisions that address local land-use issues. By Kevin Trimble. Kevin Trimble, a board member at the Muskoka Watershed Council, spoke at the Integrated Watershed…
Do the turtle and deer have a legal right to use Muskoka’s lakes and land as we do?
Just because our legal code declares that other species do not have rights does not make that assumption correct. By Peter Sale. The snapping turtle is Canada’s largest freshwater turtle…
It really is possible to take proper care of the Muskoka we love?
By Peter Sale. Finn MacDonald, Taryn van Kooten and Om Patel from Gravenhurst High School, three of the four students who were featured at MSE2024 – Resilience in Bracebridge. Those…
‘We all agree we love Muskoka’: A common vision for Muskoka’s natural environment.
We cannot thrive without understanding how ecological forces, including human actions, shape the world we live in. By Neil Hutchinson. Our past two articles have highlighted the need for setting…
Environmental Monitoring and Reporting is Not Enough.
The establishment of thresholds that trigger subsequent action is critical to protect the features of Muskoka that we value. By Keith Somers. Most people can identify the features of Muskoka…
‘So what?’ The role of adaptive management in the Muskoka watershed.
The process is not trivial, but has the merit (and the need for) involving all interests in the watershed working together in a process of integrated watershed management. By Neil…
The future Muskoka I would like to see.
By Jeff Lehman. The Muskoka watershed is surely among the most loved environments in our country. Millions of visitors cannot be wrong in finding something truly special — and those…
Balancing fire protection, recreational esthetics and ecological health
Conifers are more susceptible to wildfire, but the fortunate mix of deciduous trees in our Muskoka forests creates a more resilient ecosystem. By Richard Lammers. Will the warming climate in…
The future Muskoka I would like to see.
In my future Muskoka, buildings are constructed to the greenest standards available, and pedestrians and cyclists rule. By Dr. Peter Sale. The many waterfalls of Muskoka are already providing green…
Science is easy, it’s bringing people together to fight environmental problems that’s the difficult part.
Those who say we should delay environmental action until the science is clear are usually seeking to stall action. By Geoff Ross. Participants listen to speakers at the Municipal IWM…
Might the time be here for community engagement in lake management?
Lake health is guaranteed by vigilance — by monitoring indicators of current and emerging threats. By Dr. Norman Yan An old lake management model from 30 years ago didn’t make the light…