Welcome to the Watersheds Canada Resource Library!
Here you will find a comprehensive collection of free educational resources dedicated to helping rural shoreline property owners, families, municipalities, lake groups, and educators protect their lakes and restore natural habitat. Explore guides, best practices, case studies, lesson plans, and tools to become a freshwater protector. All resources are freely shareable so please include them in a newsletter, on social media, or printed for a community booth!
Funding support thanks to Peterborough K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation, and S.M. Blair Family Foundation.
Shoreline Summer
Step out into the field with one of our past shoreline assessors with our Love Your Lake program! Hear about his experience with lake communities in Central-eastern Ontario that are passionate about bringing real change to their beloved waterbody.
Thank you for a great year!
This blog post was written as a thank you to all the staff, board, volunteers, and financial supporters that supported our work in 2016.
The Science Behind the Ribbon of Life: Why Vegetated Shoreline Buffers Matter webinar
This document outlines the benefits of vegetated shoreland buffers and discusses why local decision makers, landowners, developers, and landscape professionals should maintain or restore native vegetation to achieve holistic protection for water front properties and ecosystems. Vegetated shoreland buffers, also known as the 'Ribbon of Life', are essential to the health and sustainability of Canada's fresh water. According to numerous scientific studies, the restoration and maintenance of vegetated shoreland buffers is widely promoted by scientists as an effective best-management practice for fresh water health. Unfortunately, the removal of native vegetation from shorelands has become a harmful and growing trend across Canada and is a major factor in the decline of water quality and wildlife communities (Hadley et al., 2013). Supporting healthy fresh water ecosystems will depend on policy makers and property owners making sustainable land-use decisions informed by scientific evidence. Using highly-cited and peer-reviewed scientific studies, this document outlines the benefits of vegetated shoreland buffers, and discusses why local decision makers, landowners, developers, and landscape professionals should maintain or restore native vegetation to achieve holistic protection for water front properties and ecosystems. The document also provides a comprehensive overview of the science behind vegetated shoreland buffers, including their role in protecting water quality, mitigating erosion, and providing habitat for wildlife. The document concludes by emphasizing the importance of maintaining or restoring vegetated shoreland buffers to protect water quality, mitigate erosion, and support biodiversity in Canada's fresh water ecosystems.
The Way Forward for People and Waterfowl
Shoreline vegetation supports so many species, from fish, to amphibians, to mammals, to insects, and yes - even waterfowl! Waterfowl and other bird species rely on these areas for the nesting, foraging, and sheltering opportunities they provide. Learn more about the benefits of shoreline vegetation and how we can work towards supporting waterfowl species in this blog post!
Three Summers with Watersheds Canada
This personal reflection was written by a past intern that describes her experience supporting the pilot years of Love Your Lake, our shoreline assessment program. Step into the field with her to hear of her experience performing shoreline assessments and interacting with passionate lake stewards at events. Expand your horizons through hearing her views on building up freshwater stewardship around lake communities.
Top 5 Ways to Support Winter Wildlife blog
Winter in Canada can be difficult, especially for wildlife. Moreover, the increased development of natural areas has placed stress on species throughout the year but particularly in the wintertime. However, the silver lining is that there are things you can do to help support your shoreline wildlife this winter, though. Read this blog post to learn about some ways to do so, including supporting native plant growth, reducing your disturbance around shorelines, winterizing your chemicals, and more.
Watersheds Canada lesson 4 – DIY Shoreland Assessment lesson plan
Freshwater habitat and water quality are explored through field observations and research, highlighting the impacts of human activities on the environment and the importance of local actions to improve water quality. Shoreland assessments are used to evaluate the health and resilience of shorelands, identifying negative and healthy features and providing guidance on next steps and resources for further assessment. The collection focuses on building confidence and capacity to assess and protect freshwater habitat and water quality, empowering individuals to take local actions to address freshwater issues in their community. By understanding the impacts of development and human activities, users can develop effective strategies to enhance and protect freshwater resources.
Western Chorus Frog: A Captivating New Voice in the Conservation Song
Despite only reaching up to 2.5cm long and weighing 1g when fully grown, the Western Chorus Frog has been making headlines recently. This is because their Great Lakes/St. Lawrence – Canadian Shield (GLSLCS) population has been facing ongoing threats as a result of increased residential, commercial, and industrial developments. Read this blog post to learn about the sweeping impact of the conversation around this species, and how Watersheds Canada is working towards preserving this species and countless others through our programs.
You Can Give Our Lakes and Rivers a Fighting Chance
Climate change is an issue at the forefront of people's minds these days. This article provides some practical ways that you can get involved to reduce the impacts of this issue on us and our native wildlife, from restoring your shoreline to getting involved in community science initiatives.