water quality

A Permission Slip for Your Shoreline: What Gord Miller Taught Us About the Littoral Zone in Muskoka

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Most cottagers don’t need to “clean up” their whole waterfront to love it. That was one of the best takeaways from How Lakes Work Episode 2, a webinar presented by Muskoka Discovery Centre in collaboration with Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, featuring a talk on the littoral zone by ecologist Gord Miller of Earthroots (Ontario’s … Read more

On Thin Ice: Lake Ice Safety, Climate Signals, and Why It Matters for Muskoka

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Aerial drone view of a frozen lake at sunset, illustrating the expansive ice cover and the safety risks associated with changing winter patterns.

        Some environmental changes creep in quietly. Lake ice doesn’t. In Episode 1 of How Lakes Work, Dr. Sapna Sharma (York University) laid out a reality that’s both simple and unsettling: winter is still here – but the rules that made ice predictable are breaking down. This isn’t just about skating season … Read more

Muskoka Lakes Membership Renewal

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Muskoka

Subject: Keep Muskoka Sparkling – Renew Your MLA Membership Open Letter to Our Clients When you close your eyes, can you hear it? The gentle lap of water against sun-warmed rock, the call of a loon across the bay, the scent of pine carried on a soft breeze. Muskoka has a way of weaving itself … Read more

Unveiling Muskoka’s Legacy Cottages: Part One

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Nestled on the shore of Lake Rosseau in the heart of Ontario’s esteemed Muskoka region, a contentious development has emerged that is raising concerns among many local residents and environmentalists. In this first part of our series, we’ll delve into the concept and location of the Legacy Cottages project, aiming to provide an informative overview … Read more

Muskoka Watershed council launches new stewardship recognition program

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The Doug Cross Stewardship Recognition Program, named for a late member of the Muskoka Watershed Council, aims to help local community and lake organizations across Muskoka’s watersheds recognize residents who protect the local watershed. Each year from January 1-31, eligible organizations can register to receive a free recognition package from Muskoka Watershed Council. That organization … Read more

Protect the Future of Your Investment – Naturalize Your Cottage Shoreline

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The shoreline is an extremely valuable and important area – not only for personal enjoyment and property values, but for the health of our Muskoka Lakes, and the critters we share them with. Did you know a natural shoreline can: Protect against erosion? A natural shoreline is perfectly engineered to protect against erosion. Native vegetation … Read more

Muskoka Lakes Association AGM

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This Friday, the Muskoka Lakes Association will hold its AGM in Port Carling. Details below and here. The 121st Muskoka Lakes Association Annual General Meeting will be held on July 25th at the Port Carling Community Centre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Come and enjoy some refreshments and … Read more

In Muskoka, the environment is the economy. For cottagers, protecting the Muskoka watershed, protects your investment.

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This is the most important thing you can do today to help protect the Muskoka watershed which gives us all so much everyday! The Muskoka Watershed Council has launched an online campaign to bring the 2014 Watershed Report Card to life! This new user-friendly digital report card will provide information on water quality; phosphorus levels in your … Read more

Muskoka’s Lakes: The Calcium Story

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As mentioned last month in this cottageinmuskoka blog entry and this news story from the Huntsville Forester (Cottage Country Now), the decline of calcium in our lakes can affect our lakes recovery from acid rain as well as zooplankton in our lakes, which are are very sensitive to declining calcium levels. From the Muskoka Watershed … Read more