Earlier this month the Stewardship Program held its' annual Master Steward Training in preparation for property visits this field season. The Master Stewards visit with landowners to tour their property and speak with them about good stewardship practices for their property. Everything from healthy forest management to shoreline re-naturalization to creating habitat for wildlife and trail building.

We had a fastastic weekend of learning! The following is a photo journal of our weekend spent talking, learning and experiencing stewardship in Muskoka.

This is most of the group at the end of the weekend. Thanks for a great weekend and for being super volunteers!

Master Steward Paula led us in a creative icebreaker that involved gathering from the forest to make a food or drink to share!

Matt and Chad explain their concoction.

The group listens to Master Steward Chris Near as he speaks about trail building.

The Master Steward volunteers listen intently.

The Master Stewards gaze up at the canopy as we listen to our guest speaker, Forester Scott Reid.

Scott speaks with the group about common tree diseases in Muskoka.

The Master Stewards identify trees and note their defect in a field exercise with Scott.

Master Stewards cross the stream on a bridge built by a landowner during a property visit at the Master Steward training.

Master Steward Chris Near speaks about trails in the field as a follow-up to his morning presentation.

The Master Stewards hike up a path using a railing along one of the trails at the property visit.

Master Steward Chris Gilmour gives a talk about wild edibles of Muskoka.

Some of the wild edibles Master Steward Chris Gilmour brought with him to share with the group- at our own risk!

Master Steward Chad give a talk on the importance of downed woody material in the forest and the art he creates from it.

Master Steward Ariel Zwicker speaks about her family maple syrup operation in Muskoka.

Thanks to the Master Stewards for their participation and passion for conservation through private stewardship in Muskoka!

Are you a landowner who would like a property visit from a Master Steward? Your property must be at least 5 acres. For more information click on the "About Us" tab or the "Contact Us" tab at the top of the page.