Stewardship Resources

Below are links to information that will help you with your projects to improve the ecological integrity of your land. Scroll down to find information about: Native Species, Eco-System Health, Forestry, Wetlands, Habitat, Shorlines, Water Quality, Dark Skies, Well Aware, Septic Systems, and Connection to Place.


MULTIPLE TOPICS

Extension Notes
User friendly fact sheets published by the Ministry of Natural Resources booklets on several topics within the headings of Agro-Forestry, Financial Aspects, Forestry, Insects and; Pests, Water and Wetlands, and Wildlife.


NATIVE SPECIES

Healthy Homes
Rain Gardens 101

Healthy Lawns and Gardens Naturally
Muskoka Watershed Council -Best Practices Brochure

Information for Native Plant Restoration/Gardening
Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve

Master Gardeners of Ontario
Master Gardeners of Ontario is a volunteer organization comprised of individuals who are certified horticultural experts and who provide in depth sustainable gardening information to the general public.
Naturalizing Your Property
Muskoka Heritage Foundation- powerpoint

Somerville Seedlings
A nursery near Barrie that specializes in seed zones for Ontario. A fantastic resource from which to draw for information and ordering seedlings.

ECO-SYSTEM HEALTH

Low Impact Development on Your Property
Muskoka Watershed Council -Best Practices Brochure

Notes from the Muskoka Watershed Council
Forest Health Articles:
Trees are an integral part of Muskoka
Forests of Muskoka

Ecosystem Health Articles:
Ecosystems must be protected
Bigger is better for healthy ecosystems
Here, there and everywhere: land must be protected
Natural cover protects us from ourselves
Strategy needed to protect natural areas


FORESTRY

Caring for Your Woodlot
Muskoka Watersehd Council -Best Practices Brochure

Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program (CLTIP)
The Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program is designed to recognize, encourage and support the long-term private stewardship of Ontario's provincially significant conservation lands by providing property tax relief to those landowners who agree to protect the natural heritage values of their property.

District of Muskoka- Forest Health Program
To provide forest health education and extension services. A forester will be available to assist property owners who are interested in managing or learning about their forests or who wish to undertake sustainable logging.

Eastern Ontario Model Forest
Lots of great information and resources here! The Eastern Ontario Model Forest demonstrates how partners, representing a diversity of forest values, can work together to achieve sustainable forest management using innovative, region-specific approaches. Knowledge, research, techniques, and resources all become more effective when shared.

Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP)
The Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program is designed to encourage landowner participation in natural resource stewardship on private forest land in Ontario.

Ontario Forestry Association
The Ontario Forestry Association is dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of all aspects of Ontario's forests. The OFA promotes the value of our forest lands for multiple purposes.

Ontario Woodlot Association
The OWA brings woodlot owners together to share ideas and learn about forest management. We promote sustainable forestry practices in private forests to ensure the viability of these forests for future generations.

Ontario Woodlot
This website will help landowners find the right forest service provider to meet their specific needs (e.g., forest consultant, tree marker, logger, tree nursery, etc.). These service providers can help landowners better manage their forests to achieved their ecological, economic and/or recreational goals, while protecting and enhancing forests for future generations.

Trees Ontario
We used to plant 30 million trees a year on rural, private lands in the province. Now we plant only 3 million. Experts tell us that in order to achieve 30 per cent forest cover and a healthy ecosystem we need to plant over a billion more trees.

The Working Forest Newspaper
Provides news information for and about the Ontario forest industry.


WETLANDS

Caring for Wetlands on Your Property
Muskoka Watershed Council -Best Practices Brochure

District of Muskoka- Muskoka Water Web
About wetlands
Protecting Wetlands
Watershed ecology & geology
Watersheds of Muskoka
Muskoka's Wetlands
Swamps
Bogs
Marshes
Fens

Wetlands 101
Muskoka Watershed Council


HABITAT

Canada Geese- What a Nuissance!
Muskoka Watershed Council
Drain Primer
A guide to maintaining and conserving agricultural drains and fish habitat

Evergreen- Native Plant & Invasive Species Resources
Native plant database, Canada's Ecozones, Find your ecoregion, start your own native plant garden, tips for chooing native species, fact sheets.

Fish Habitat Primer
A guide to understanding freshwater fish habitat in Ontario.

Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters: Invasive Species
Invading Species Awareness Program and information

Ontario Hummingbird Project
All about hummingbirds: migration, habitat, food, native plants.

Ontario Invasive Plant Council
Coordinated response to the growing threat of invasive plants.

Garlic Mustard: INVASIVE species!
video

Species at Risk in Ontario
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

Wildlife Habitat Coucil
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, nonlobbying 501(c)(3) group of corporations, conservation organizations, and individuals dedicated to restoring and enhancing wildlife habitat. Created in 1988, WHC helps large landowners, particularly corporations, manage their unused lands in an ecologically sensitive manner for the benefit of wildlife.

SHORELINE

District of Muskoka -Muskoka Water Web
Lake data, watershed health, lake system health, protecting water resource, recreation, water smart living.

Healthy Shorelines- Muskoka Watershed Council
Aquatic plants are not just weeds!
Beach building blues
Retaining wall woes
Natural shorelines

The Dock Primer
A Guide to Friendly Docks

Muskoka Watershed Council Factsheets
A Healthy Waterfront
Your Littoral Zone
Your Shoreline
Your Buffer Area
Recreating a Healthy Waterfront

Native Plants for Shoreline Planting
Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve

Protect Your Waterfront Investment
Muskoka Watershed Council -Best Practices Brochure

The Shore Primer
A Guide to a Healthy Waterfront

A Shoreline Owner's Guide to Healthy Waterfronts
From the Federation of Ontario Cottager's Associations


WATER QUALITY

Algae in Muskoka
Muskoka Watershed Council Technical Bulletin

District of Muskoka: Lake System Health
The Lake System Health program is a comprehensive program to protect our water resources. Projects include: biological monitoring, limits to growth assessment, private land stewardship, recreation water, remidial action programs, and shoreline surveys.

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit
Learn how you can take a water sample, understand the results and ways to improve your water quality.

The Waterhole
Your source for Drinking Water protection in Ontario.


DARK SKIES

Dark Sky Lighting
Muskoka Watershed Council Tecnical Bulletin

International Dark Sky Association- Homeowners Guide
Preserving and Protecting the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.

Turn the Lights Out- Light Pollution & Wildlife
Muskoka Watershed Council
Muskoka Heritage Foundation -Dark Sky Lighting brochure
How to Preserve our Night Sky: A Sensible Waterfront Lighting Guide

Muskoka Heritage Foundation -Torrence Barrens: Dark Sky Reserve
The Torrance Barrens is a Conservation Reserve consisting of 1990 hectares of crown land south-east of Bala, which is administered by the Province of Ontario. The first of its kind in Canada, the Torrance Barrens is now officially recognized as a Dark Sky Reserve.


SEPTIC SYSTEM

Caring for Your Septic System in Muskoka
Muskoka Watershed Council -Best Practices Brochure

Stormwater
Muskoka Watershed Council -Best Practices Brochure

Wastewater
Muskoka Watershed Council Technical Bulletin


WELL AWARE

Well Aware
A guide to caring for your well and protecting your family's health.

If you are a well owner in Muskoka and are interested in a free, confidential, voluntary, & non-regulartory guided self-assessment of your well, please contact us by phone (705-645-7393)  or by email. During the visit, you will learn to: do an annual checkup on your well, mantian your well and septic system, correctly take a water sample, save water in your home, take care of an abandoned well, and protect yout community's groundwater.


CONNECTION TO PLACE

Earth Mentorship Programs
We run a variety of programs designed to help participants learn valuable and comprehensive knowledge of the natural world through experiential activities, story telling and the application of ancient wilderness skills and bush craft.

Institute for Natural Learning
There is a map for each person in a community, with detailed instruction and mentoring, on how to facilitate awareness to self, nature, family, community, and spirit. Imagine a community holistically mentoring these connections from generation to generation: Connection to Self, Connection to Nature, Connection to Community.

The P.I.N.E. Project
Inspiring healthy, lifelong connections between people and nature through outdoor-based learning and play.