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.
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.
Rob Discovers the Natural Edge
Rob is the President of the Mississippi Lakes Association (MLA) and has participated in both the Love Your Lake Program and the Natural Edge Program. Using 64 native tree, shrub, and wildflower species across four planting compartments on his property, Rob is well on his way to a naturalized shoreline! We're excited to continue seeing his plants mature and fill in over time.
Roll a Spring Story Lesson Plan
This lesson plan introduces students to native wildflower species and pollinators found in the Ottawa area. Students will explore interrelationships among native plants, pollinators, and habitats. They will create works of art that express personal feelings and ideas inspired by the environment. The activity helps students understand the importance of pollinators in maintaining local wildflower biodiversity.
Roll to Build a Fish activity
This activity sheet guides you through building a 3D fish cube. You will learn to colour and cut the fish body parts, fold, and glue them together. Once the cube is built, you will roll and draw a part of a fish, repeating the process until an entire Largemouth Bass is created.
Salt Pollution in Ontario: Exploring Challenges & Cross-Sector Solutions
This is the handout from our webinar, "Salt Pollution in Ontario: Exploring Challenges & Cross-Sector Solutions". Millions of tonnes of salt are applied every year to combat ice and snow in Ontario. Salt pollution harms plants and animals, infiltrates groundwater, and is corrosive to cars and infrastructure. Removing salt from the environment is difficult, and current guidelines are not adequately protecting ecosystems. Changing current practices requires investment in new equipment and maintenance plans.
Salt Tolerant Native Plants
This document lists salt-tolerant native plants in Eastern Ontario. It includes 40 species of plants, along with their scientific names, common names, and types. The list is likely intended for use in landscaping or conservation efforts in areas where salt tolerance is a concern. The document also includes references to external sources of information on salt tolerance in plants. The list of plants is organized by type, with shrubs, trees, and vines listed separately. Each plant is listed with its scientific name, common name, and type. The document also includes links to external sources of information on salt tolerance in plants.
Salting our Freshwater Ecosystems webinar with Lauren Lawson
This is a handout from our webinar, "Salting our freshwater ecosystems: Understanding consequences of road salt use in Canadian watersheds". The use of road salt in Canadian watersheds has various consequences, including increased saltiness of freshwater lakes, rivers, and wetlands, and changes in turnover dynamics in lakes. High chloride concentrations can affect fish growth and egg production, and multi-level effects can occur from increased stress on ecosystems. Animals are attracted to roadways, causing an increased risk of collisions, and birds consume small grains of salt, which can become toxic. Additionally, plants and vegetation can be damaged or have reduced growth, and there is a risk of drinking water contamination and change in the taste of water.
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.