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. Funding support thanks to Peterborough K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation, and S.M. Blair Family Foundation.
Grade 2 Life Cycles activity book
This activity book introduces young students (grade K-4) to the life cycles of frogs and turtles with engaging illustrations and interactive exercises. The book covers the different stages of frog and turtle development, and includes fun activities such as word searches and mazes.
Grade 3-4 Native Plants Unit: video module #1
Why are shorelines important and how can people protect them by planting local plant species? Monica from Watersheds Canada discovers the different parts of a plant and what things they need to grow strong and tall. Each part of the different plant plays an important job, like providing food or a home for local animals and people. Meet local Ottawa plant species like the white water lily, purple coneflower, black-eyed susan, and common milkweed.
Grade 3-4 Native Plants Unit: video module #2
No description available.
Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz webinar with Cecilia Weibert
This is a handout from our webinar, "Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz". The Great Lakes Basin is home to many aquatic invasive species. These species can spread through microscopic larvae or plant parts on watercrafts, trailers, and gear. The Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz is an outreach event that works with multiple partners to manage invasive species and raise awareness. The event takes place over a two-week period in the summer and focuses on AIS prevention and containment, increasing awareness and responsible behavior, and promoting partnerships.
Guide to Building Resilient Shorelines manual (web)
This manual outlines several actions that can be taken to help create resilient shorelines capable of adapting to changing conditions. It provides information on how to protect your shoreline from the impacts of climate change, including installing raised stairs, planting deep-rooted vegetation, and managing stormwater runoff. The guide also emphasizes the importance of nature-based solutions and the benefits of using permeable materials and pathways. By following the steps outlined in this manual, landowners can help ensure the long-term health and resilience of their shoreline.
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]
Happy Earth Day! 3 Free and Easy Ways to Create Wildlife Habitat
This blog post was written in celebration of Earth Day. It provides you 3 simple and free ways that you can protect sensitive shoreline habitat and the wildlife that live there: creating a "no mow" zone, leaving aquatic logs, and leaving terrestrial logs and leaf litter.
Happy World Snake Day!
Snakes are a vital part of ecosystem health, acting as nature's pest control. This blog post was written for World Snake Day which celebrates these often misunderstood creature for all the good they bring to our ecosystems and brings awareness to the risks that they face. This blog touches on the native snake species we have in Canada, the threats they are facing, and the benefits they provide to our ecosystems.
Healthy Shorelines, Healthy Lakes workshop
Sustainable land use planning is key to protecting the health and enjoyment of Ontario’s lakes and rivers. A natural, resilient, and low impact method of buffering adjacent water bodies from the impacts of waterfront development is the planting of native vegetation along the shoreline. Municipal councillors, planners, and waterfront associations are invited to join us as we discuss the scientific benefits of natural shorelines and different policy and planning tools available to municipalities aimed at protecting and maintaining vegetative shoreline buffers. Municipal case studies will also be featured to learn what select municipalities are doing now.