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.
20 years of Watersheds Canada
Watersheds Canada was proud to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2022. This blog post, written by executive director Robert Pye, reflects on our organization's impact on freshwater ecosystems across Canada and all the diverse wildlife they host. He also discusses how much more work there is do, especially in the face of a changing climate, invasion by alien species, blooms of harmful algae, and other issues affecting our freshwater.
2021 Year-end Celebration Event
This webinar was originally recorded on January 19, 2022. Join our staff for this one-hour webinar to see all that was accomplished in 2021 for Canada's freshwater. We shared the amazing on-the-ground impacts youth, grassroots organizations, waterfront property owners, and individuals had for your lakes and rivers. The evening was finished with a time to ask questions and talk to our staff.
An opportunity on the shore… reflecting on my time with Watersheds Canada and Planning For our Shorelands
This personal reflection from a Watersheds Canada intern tells of his time with the organization, with emphasis on his experience with our Planning for our Shorelands program. Read on to find out how he help push forward change for our freshwater through engagement with municipal leaders, environmental organizations, and lake associations.
Buffer Zones to Prevent Harmful Algae Blooms
Harmful algae blooms pose a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems, human health, and wildlife, particularly in warm and nutrient-rich environments. Buffer zones, strips of vegetation around lakes and rivers, can play a crucial role in preventing these blooms by filtering out sediment, toxins, and nutrients, and providing habitat for wildlife. Learn more about them in this blog post!
Continuing Momentum from Ontario's Municipal Elections: One Year Later
There was a particular focus on climate change and freshwater health in Ontario's 2022 election. This blog post, written a year after the fact, looks back at the priorities voters saw going into municipal election time and provides important resources and programs that can be used to impact your elected officials' decisions around these issues. It also shares the results of a question posed to our supporter base in a webinar we hosted at the time: 'what waterfront issues are on your mind?'.
Cyanobacteria and Canada’s Great Lakes
Canada's Great Lakes are facing a growing issue with cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, which can produce toxic blooms that harm aquatic life and pose a risk to human health. These blooms are often caused by human activities such as agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge, and urban development, which can lead to eutrophication and deplete oxygen levels in the water. Learn about how we can address this issue in this blog post!
Cyanobacteria and Public Health
Cyanobacteria, commonly referred to as blue-green algae, pose a significant threat to public health and aquatic ecosystems due to their ability to produce toxic compounds. The toxins produced by cyanobacteria can cause a range of health issues, from skin irritation to neurological damage, and can be particularly hazardous for swimmers, pets, and livestock. Learn more about this risk to public health and what we can do to mitigate it in this blog post.
Guide to Preparing a Shoreline Naturalization Planting Plan
You will receive access to the resource after you complete the below form. By providing your email, you agree to be added to Watersheds Canada online mailing list and receive occasional electronic communications. You can unsubscribe at any time via a link provided in each communication. For more information, you may contact us at [email protected]
Hidden Dangers: How Could your Septic System be Affecting Water Quality
This webpage discusses the potential impact of septic systems on water quality, highlighting the risks of untreated wastewater contaminating freshwater sources. Septic systems, commonly used in rural areas, can fail due to excessive water use, improper design, or lack of maintenance, leading to the release of pollutants such as bacteria, viruses, and excess nutrients into the environment. These pollutants can cause algae blooms, deplete oxygen levels, and harm aquatic life, ultimately affecting biodiversity in both freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Regular maintenance and responsible use of septic systems are crucial to preventing these environmental impacts and protecting Canada's freshwater resources.