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.
Riparian Zones and Climate Change
Climate change resilience is a topical issue these days, especially around waterfront communities. Cottage owners especially should be primed to spot, prevent, and address issues on their properties as a result of climate change. This blog post provides a thorough overview of climate resilience on the shoreline: what might be expected in terms of changes, what you can do to prevent them, and more.
Road Salt Introductory Slide Deck
Road salt pollution is an escalating concern in Canada, affecting aquatic life and freshwater resources. Elevated sodium and chloride levels can harm plants, deteriorate infrastructure, and threaten drinking water supplies. The use of road salts can lead to elevated levels of sodium and chloride in freshwater sources, posing human health risks. Sustainable road salt management is crucial to preserve the health of Canada's ecosystems, infrastructure, and communities.
Road Salt Stress Alters Freshwater Food Webs
Nature is deeply interconnected, and the movement of energy throughout food chains it is a great example of this. Every organism is part of multiple food chains that overlap and connect to form larger food webs within a single ecosystem. This blog post explores the impacts of road salts on these food webs, and the implications on the whole of a freshwater system's form and function.
Saltwater Pools, Hot Tubs, and Freshwater: Is this the Best Alternative?
Is saltwater the most environmentally safe alternative to the chlorine, bromine, and other chemicals historically used in pools and hot tubs? Read this blog post to find out how this salt can end up in freshwater, how it can impact freshwater ecosystems, and what some other alternatives to salt are that will keep our pools and hot tubs safe to swim in without the environmental consequences.
Shoreland Health Q&A Teller lesson plan
This activity helps students build confidence and capacity to take local environmental action and make an on-the-ground difference for freshwater issues affecting their community. Students will identify and assess ways freshwater habitat and water quality can be enhanced and protected locally. They will also demonstrate an understanding of biodiversity, its contributions to the stability of natural systems, and its benefits to humans.
Sleeping Through the School Year – A Turtles Strategy for Survival in Canada
Canadian wildlife have evolved to have unique and fascinating ways of surviving through our cold winters. This is especially true of reptiles, as they are cold-blooded animals an external source of heat to control their body temperature. Read this blog post to find out how turtles have gained physical and behavioural habits that keep their heart beating through the colder weather!
Small Businesses: Freshwater Conservation Heroes
When it comes to freshwater conservation, every single person has a responsibility to conserve and protect it. This includes small businesses! In fact, their smaller size allows them to make changes to their business practices quickly and efficiently, and they usually have very close ties to the community too. Read this blog post to find out some changes that any small business can make today to help protect our freshwater.
Soil: More Important and Fascinating Than It Seems
Soil is the medium in which life grows. Plants - the start of the food chain that supports everything else - require good soil conditions, and the impacts of our soil quality on the quality of the ecosystem as a whole is, therefore, massive. Read this blog post to learn what makes soil so valuable, what makes good soil quality, and even how you can identify the soil type on your property with a test at home!
Stay Natural, Stay Safe around Ticks
Ticks are tiny parasitic insects found throughout most of Southern Canada. After biting a deer, they can become transmitters of Lyme disease; a debilitating condition that can dramatically impact our quality of life as humans. This blog post provides an overview of ticks, including how you can stay tick-free while still getting out to enjoy your local nature spots.