2025 In-Water Structures Project – Baptiste Lake
In the fall of 2024, Watersheds Canada’s Fish Habitat team visited Baptiste Lake to deliver a brush bundle project. The brush piles, bound together and weighted with a concrete block, were deposited in key areas of the lake thought to best benefit native fish without interrupting the activity of boaters. The positive impact of these bundles was proven recently, when the North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery (a partner on the previous project) surveyed the bundles using underwater drones and found native fish weaving throughout the branches.
In an effort to expand the impacts of such work on the lake, Watersheds Canada returned to the site on September 22, 2025, to deploy more bundles. In partnership with Baptiste Lake Association, Bancroft Area Stewardship Council, and North Hastings Community Fish Hatchery, staff and volunteers created and deployed another 20 bundles to further benefit local native fish. Each deployment site was tracked with GPS points, just like the last, so they can be monitored in future years.
The brush bundles serve as essential habitat for native fish, who use the woody debris for shelter, feeding, and rearing. In a time where climate change, increased shoreline development, and invasive species bring a sense of unease about the health and stability of native fish, brush bundles help provide a chance for their populations to build back stronger and more resilient. Moreover, bringing the community together in a shared environmental purpose inspires them to protect their lake all the more and fosters a sense of kinship amongst participants.
This project was funded by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. All Watersheds Canada fish habitat projects are completed with applicable permits and approval by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
In partnership with grassroots organizations and local volunteers, Watersheds Canada has completed many fish habitat restoration projects across Eastern and Central Ontario over the past decade, including walleye spawning bed enhancements, cold-water creek enhancements, lake trout spawning bed enhancements, and in-water habitat enhancements through the deployment of brush piles (woody debris). If you think your Ontario waterfront community could benefit from a fish habitat enhancement project, please check out the free Fish Habitat Enhancement Toolkit: Watersheds.ca/download-the-fish-habitat-enhancement-toolkit/
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