Muskoka Watershed Council

🌸 These forest gems are on their way… 🌼 Get ready for Muskoka’s spring ephemerals—a fleeting burst of wildflower magic! From late April to early June, catch trout lily, bloodroot, and Dutchman’s breeches before they vanish until next spring. These tiny treasures are early lifelines for pollinators like bees. Plus, they’re a joy to spot on a spring hike! 👀 Keep your eyes low… the show’s about to begin. . . . #SpringEphemerals #MuskokaInSpring #PollinatorPower #ForestGems #NatureLoversOfInstagram #Muskoka #Bracebridge #Huntsville

🌱 Make Your Spring Donation Count 🌸 As Muskoka comes back to life, so does our work to protect it. Your donation helps us evaluate water quality, support native species, and promote sustainable practices across the watershed. Whether you're hiking muddy trails, collecting maple syrup, or opening the cottage, your connection to nature matters—and so does your support. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gv_pVp22 . . . #ProtectMuskoka #WatershedHealth #SpringInMuskoka #SupportLocalNature #GetInvolved #MuskokaWatershed #WaterShed #SaveOurWatershed #EcoSupport #Muskoka #DonateNow #GiveBack #MakeADifference #SaveOurWaters #SupportLocal #GiveForGood #CommunitySupport

Check out our full program for the Watersheds Canada National Conference, taking place May 1-2, 2025 in Haliburton, ON! The conference will feature a mix of presentations, hands-on outdoor sessions, and networking times. You will hear from Dr. Norman Yan of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, Barbara Elliot, Mark Cullen, Mark Mattson of Swim Drink Fish Canada, Frank Figuli of U-Links Centre for Community Based Research, Kathy Jones of Birds Canada, and many more! Be in attendance for this transformative event! Buy your ticket today: https://lnkd.in/eiUvh3Ar

🌊 New Flood Mapping Tools Now Live on Muskoka GeoHub! Muskoka’s updated Floodline and LiDAR Mapping 2.0 app gives you powerful new ways to see how flooding may impact your property. It’s especially helpful for seasonal property owners who want to stay informed, even when they’re not in Muskoka. Here’s what’s new: ✅ Explore flood-prone areas in 2D and 3D ✅ See live lake levels, now updated hourly ✅ Use the new Live Lake Level Line to see where water may reach on your property – now available along with detailed hydrographs for these 7 lakes across Muskoka with live monitoring: (Bala Bay, Fairy Lake, Go Home Lake, Lake Muskoka, Lake of Bays, Lake Rosseau and Mary Lake) ✅ Filter data by structure, municipality, or lake to see affected areas and estimated values ➡ Explore the new features now at: https://lnkd.in/ekyTmMvp ➡ Need help getting started? Watch our YouTube tutorial: https://lnkd.in/ercYG7_3 ➡ View all of GeoHub’s apps at: https://map.muskoka.on.ca/ #MuskokaGeoHub #FloodMapping #LiveLakeLevels #LiDAR #LakeMuskoka #BalaBay #FairyLake #GoHomeLake #LakeofBays #LakeRosseau #MaryLake #FloodAwareness #CottageCountry #Muskoka #MuskokaGeoHub Town of Bracebridge Township of Lake of Bays Town of Huntsville Township of Lake of Bays Township of Muskoka Lakes Township of Georgian Bay

🌱 Plant Native, Protect Nature 🌿 Support Muskoka’s unique ecosystems by choosing native trees and plants for your property. They’re perfectly adapted to our local climate, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and help prevent soil erosion along our shorelines and trails. 🌲 What grows here, belongs here. Let’s keep Muskoka thriving—one native plant at a time. Check out @Hidden Habitat . . . #MuskokaBiodiversity #NativePlants #ProtectOurWatershed #GrowLocal #HelloSpring #SpringVibes #PlantingSeason #PlantMoreTrees #Watershed #Muskoka #Bracebridge #GreenThumb #NatureLover #GardeningTips #GardenLovers #TreePlanting #PlantLover #GrowNative

🦫 April 7 is International Beaver Day — a perfect time to celebrate nature’s original water managers! We need beavers in our environment. Beaver dams are more than just wildlife wonders — they help slow spring runoff, reduce erosion, and manage flooding. As the snow melts, these clever engineers shape the landscape and build resilience into our watershed.💧🌲 Learn more about beavers in our Steward’s Guide series: https://lnkd.in/gpkGCkCr Learn more about International Beaver Day: https://lnkd.in/ghyDNzt7 . . #InternationalBeaverDay #WatershedWisdom #MuskokaWatershed #BeaverBenefits #NatureKnowsBest #Muskoka #Bracebridge #Watershed

🌊 As our climate shifts, so does the way we experience water in Muskoka. From frozen lakes to spring floods, understanding how and why things are changing is key to living with the flow. 📰 Read the latest Our Changing Watershed column: “Living With Flood Waters” 👉 https://lnkd.in/g2sj2U_V . . . #MuskokaWatershed #FloodAwareness #ClimateChange #OurChangingWatershed #WatershedWisdom

🌳 Beech Bark Disease: A Growing Threat in Muskoka Muskoka’s American beech trees are under serious threat from Beech Bark Disease (BBD)—a destructive duo of an invasive insect and a harmful fungus. 🪲🍄 This disease kills trees by making them vulnerable to breakage and death… and disrupts the habitats of countless forest species. Watch for these signs of BBD: ⚪ White, waxy coating from scale insects 🍄 Reddish fungal spots on bark, especially in fall Beech Bark Disease is just one of many challenges facing our forests. Explore Chapter 11 of the Muskoka Watershed Report Card to learn more about its impact and what can be done. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gRgXrY6b . . . #MuskokaForests #BeechBarkDisease #ForestHealth #InvasiveSpecies #ProtectOurTrees #EnvironmentalAwareness

It's National Ferret Day! 🐾 Did you know? Black-footed ferrets were once the most endangered mammal in North America, with just 18 ferrets remaining in the wild in the early 1980’s. As the final attempt to save the species, these ferrets were brought into human care to establish a breeding and reintroduction program. Since 1992, black-footed ferrets have been bred at your Toronto Zoo, with the aim of preventing extinction. However, not all ferrets successfully breed in human care. Recently, researchers at your Toronto Zoo and the University of Toronto Mississauga conducted a study to investigate this variation in ferret breeding success. This study found that, compared to female ferrets that successfully gave birth, the females that did not reproduce had slightly reduced concentrations of the reproductive hormone, progesterone, and the stress-associated hormone, cortisol. The study also found that, compared to males that successfully fathered young, males that did not attempt to mate had reduced concentrations of the reproductive hormone, testosterone. Findings from this study will contribute knowledge to a large collaborative effort to reintroduce black-footed ferrets to their native habitat, which involves five other breeding facilities. While the efforts to release human raised black-footed ferrets have increased the wild population to approximately 300 individuals, wild ferrets are threatened by disease and a lack of suitable food and habitat. Continued breeding and reintroduction of black-footed ferrets, along with additional habitat management efforts, are necessary for their survival in the wild. Learn more about one of our four priority areas in the Toronto Zoo's Strategic Plan, where we're committed to being #NaturesInsurancePolicy: torontozoo.com/strategic #savingspecies

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) – Bracebridge-Minden-Parry Sound District is advising area residents that a Flood Warning bulletin is in effect for the Black, Burnt, Muskoka, and Severn River watersheds in the District until Friday, April 11, 2025. Find the full bulletin on our website: https://ow.ly/sva250VuaYI