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.
Flood Impact Maps webinar by Dr. Slobodan Simonovic
This is a handout from our webinar, "Flood Impact Maps: A Standardized Approach of Understanding Vulnerable Landscapes". The document discusses the use of Canada Flood Impact Maps for understanding flood hazard, identifying high-risk areas, and investigating regional impacts. It also explores the Flood Map Viewer, a web-based tool that helps the public understand flood risk in their area. The document highlights changes in floodplain regimes over Canada due to climate change and provides additional resources for learning more about flood impact mapping. The Flood Map Viewer is a tool that includes visualization of flood and complementary maps, methodology used to produce the flood maps, and a download page for maps and other files.
Flying Fish Race activity
This lesson plan introduces students to five different fish species found in the Ottawa area and teaches them to match different local fish to their respective habitats. The activity encourages teamwork and understanding of the natural environment. Students learn about the importance of habitat features for fish survival and participate in an over-under relay race to help their fish find its way home. The lesson plan is designed for 20-40 minutes and is geared for young students (grades K-3).
Forest Kit Workbook
This activity book is designed for students to learn about nature and the riparian zone. It provides tips for safely exploring nature, activities to discover wildlife and ecosystems, and ways to help protect the environment. The book includes information on bird identification, native wildflower seed kits, and community science programs. It also provides resources for further learning and encourages students and families to take action to protect nature.
Freshwater Kit Workbook
This booklet is designed for students to explore and learn about nature. It includes activities and exercises to help students understand different species, ecosystems, and the impact of human activities on the environment. The booklet also provides tips on how to safely explore nature and how to contribute to conservation efforts. Through the activities and exercises, students will develop their observation, identification, and critical thinking skills, and gain a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Frog Life Cycle activity
A handout to guide you through the activity of colouring, cutting, and assembling a handout to create a visual representation of the life cycle of a frog.
Frog identification guide – adapted from Toronto Zoo
This document introduces Ottawa frogs, describing their colors and sounds. The Green Frog has a green to brown color, a bright yellow throat, and dark brown or black spots. The Leopard Frog has a green to brown color and dark colored lines on its back legs. The Bullfrog is also mentioned, but only as a name.
From Rain to Root webinar with Rosmarie Lohnes
This is a handout from our webinar, ""From Rain To Roots: Slowing Shoreline Erosion With Storm water Management Techniques". Native plants along shorelines act as a buffer to protect waterways. Having a large shoreline buffer helps to protect water quality by reducing pollution as well as stabilizing water levels and water temperature. Healthy shorelines also provide habitat for a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial species. Effective storm water and runoff management is critical to protect freshwater areas.
Garlic Mustard webinar with Dr. Michael McTavish
This is a handout from our webinar, "Garlic Mustard: New insights into the ecology and management of an old adversary". Garlic mustard is a non-native invasive herb common in forested habitats. It was brought from Europe in the 1860s and has a biennial life cycle. Management is often labour-intensive and short-term, but can increase community engagement and awareness. Effective management requires prioritizing sites, sustaining long-term efforts, and considering the impact after control.
Garlic Mustard – New insights into the ecology and management of an old adversary handout
Garlic mustard is a non-native invasive herb that competes with native plants, reducing biodiversity and altering soil chemistry. It has a biennial life cycle and can become a dominant understory plant in as few as 5-7 years. Effective management requires prioritizing sites, sustaining long-term efforts, and considering the consequences of control. The document provides information on control methods, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches.