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.
Meet Your Butterfly Neighbours
Did you know that there are over 300 butterfly species in Canada, with 150 in Ontario alone? This blog post reviews some of the species that you may find in your garden, from the Great Spangled Fritillary to the White admiral. It also provides an overview of the threats they face these days, and how everyday people can help maintain their population levels in the years to come.
Microbeads – Not a Very Tiny Piece of Jewellery
Microbeads are small synthetic polymer particles that are used in a variety of personal care products, cleaning products, printer toners, and more. Concerns have been raised about the environmental consequences of these microscopic plastic particles, including the physical, chemical, and pollutant effects of them on wildlife. Learn more about microbeads and what you can do to reduce their impact in this blog post!
Municipal election time – a river day runs through it
This blog post was written by executive director Robert Pye. It centers on how World Rivers Day fell in time with the 2022 election season, and highlights how important this particular election was for freshwater protection and stewardship.
My Journey to the South: The Fall Migration of a Prothonotary Warbler
The prothonotary warbler has a migratory journey as incredible as it's striking yellow colour. Follow along on its journey in this blog post, told in the form of a story by one of our past interns. The blog post even includes hand-painted works of art by the author herself, and a wide selection of resources to help you learn more about birds and bird migration.
Ontario Biodiversity Council welcomes Watersheds Canada
The Ontario Biodiversity Council is a volunteer group made up of conservation organizations, government bodies, academia, indigenous communities, and more. In 2023, the council accepted Watersheds Canada into their ranks. This blog post was written to celebrate this occasion, marking a better means for us to provide policy, education, shoreline naturalization, and fish habitat enhancement programs.
PFAS: The Forever Chemicals
Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group human-made substances. They are nicknamed 'forever chemicals', as their rate of decay in the environment is so slow - and throughout this long period of decay, they can cause significant damage to our environment. Read this blog post to find out about our exposure to PFAS, about PFAS in Canada’s drinking water, about their environmental consequences, about their impacts on us and the environment, and more.
Pine Lake In-Water Fish Habitat Enhancement - Watersheds Canada
Funding from the LUSH Charity Pot has allowed for the in-water fish habitat enhancement in Pine Lake, about 60 minutes west of Perth in the Township of North Frontenac, Ontario. The project was completed thanks to twelve members of Watersheds Canada and local volunteers. Twelve bundles of brush were built and deployed on Tuesday, October 15, 2019. Underwater woody debris is a healthy component of lake environments. Sunken logs, trees, branches, and root balls provide excellent habitat for wildlife, including fish, turtles, birds, invertebrates, and more. Brush piles can provide fish, such as perch, bass, and walleye, with a food source, as well as shaded areas to rest, spawn, and escape predators.
Planting Your Own Pollinator Garden
Planting a pollinator garden is one of the easiest (and most beautiful!) direct changes that you can make to your property to benefit the environment. Read this blog post to find out the best way to approach such a project and about some of the species you can include in your garden.
Process and Maple Syrup
This reflection from past executive director Barbara King tells of her experience making maple syrup and ties it into our work at Watersheds Canada. She shares what makes our approach so unique and powerful.