Story & Photos by Carla Brown, NWF Web Producer via The National Wildlife Federation's "Garden for Wildlife" I love bats because mosquitoes LOVE to bite me. Pesticides can be harmful to mosquitoes’ predators as well as mosquitoes. According to Bat Conservation International, one little brown bat can eat 60 medium-sized moths or over 1000 mosquito-sized insects in one night! Bats are also interesting because: In many ecosystems, they play a key role in pollinating plants. There are ... Read More
The Many Health Benefits of Nature
Written by: Chlöe Lajoie, 2017 Spring is here! That means that it’s time to start spending more of your days outdoors. Have you ever noticed how you feel better, both mentally and physically, when you spend some time in nature? There’s a reason for that: there are many health benefits related to being outside. Vitamin D Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that your body requires to function properly; without it, you’re at risk of muscle weakness, increased blood pressure, cardiovascular ... Read More
Enhancing Fish Habitat with Woody Debris
Written by: Melissa Dakers, 2017 Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy! The Benefits of Adding Woody Debris to Enhance Fish Habitat With the warmer weather upon us, many Canadians start dreaming about heading to the lake. Visions form of standing on the dock or heading out in the boat and casting a line, hoping to catch the big one! Every fisherperson has their “spot” where they know the fish will bite. But have you ever thought about what makes that “spot” the perfect habitat? Many fish species like ... Read More
A Letter of Appreciation to All Volunteers
Written by: Brent MacDougall, 2017 Ever worked too hard, and too long, for no pay? Thanks for volunteering! I would like to take a moment to deviate from our usual style of posting to thank all of the wonderful volunteers who devote personal time to worthy causes. Whether it be the lake resident who devotes endless amounts of time to ensure proper water quality sampling procedure and standardization, or the individual who selflessly spends hours preparing delicious treats for a community ... Read More
Lakeside Living: Changing the Paradigm
Written by Heather Murphy, 2017 Lakeside living is a dream that many Canadians aspire to attain at some stage in their lives. By putting in the time with their 9-5 jobs, working hard and saving their money, maybe just maybe, they might be lucky enough to own a little slice of heaven on a lake somewhere. The “Great Canadian Dream”, for some, of owning waterfront has gained massive popularity with retirees looking for a quiet retreat and working professionals trying to escape the perpetual rat ... Read More
Relationships and Water
Written by: Barbara King, 2017 I spend a lot of time working with small groups and individuals that are working to change the way that people act towards our freshwater and over the past 15 years have come to the conclusions that we need to change the way that we talk to people about freshwater issues. As environmentalists, we often come at things the wrong way when working in our communities. This isn't to say that there isn’t a time to fight but generally when you get down to the fundamental ... Read More
Cities In Bloom
Written by: Jorden Keeley, 2017 Due to the nature of our work here at Watersheds Canada, we are constantly surrounded by an abundance of plants, fish, and wildlife. Admittedly, often times we take our surroundings for granted. Visiting city centres often helps us to appreciate our unique work environment, by allowing us to recognize the contrast that urban development has created. Moving from a rural environment to an urban one forces you to notice whatever tiny patches and parcels of green you ... Read More
Thank you for a great year!
We want like to thank you for a great year. Have a look at what we have been up to, and what we are looking forward to in 2017! As 2016 draws to a close, it provides us with an opportunity to look back at everything we have accomplished. It has been a fantastic year at a Watersheds Canada due to all the amazing support we have received from our staff, board, volunteers, and financial supporters. We are so excited for 2017, during which we will continue to increase our efforts to protect and ... Read More
Lake Links 2016
“Every Waterfront Matters, You Can Make a Difference” Saturday October 22, 2016 from 8:30-3:15 pm Perth Civitan Hall, 6787 County Road 43, Perth, Ontario. The 15th annual workshop explored trends in the ownership of shoreline properties in Eastern Ontario, with a special focus on what those trends may mean in terms of fostering lake stewardship actions across generations. We also learned about practical tools and approaches that you can use to bolster the effectiveness of your ... Read More
Microbeads – Not a Very Tiny Piece of Jewellery
Written By: Brent MacDougall In today's realm of environmental awareness, the majority of citizens would be unlikely to discard plastic directly into our fresh and oceanic water systems. However, unknowingly ordinarily environmentally conscious individuals may be polluting our water systems through washing their face, brushing their teeth or scrubbing their body. The reason individuals may be performing an act of pollution is due to one word, "microbeads"! Now, you may ask what ... Read More