Muskoka Watershed Council (MWC) and Friends of the Muskoka Watershed (FMW) have mutually agreed to formally become two independent and separate organizations, each pursuing different, yet complimentary, paths to best serve the environmental interests of Muskoka, its residents and its watershed ecosystems.
MWC will continue with its long standing and engaging projects and programs to champion watershed health, including its recent “Planning for Climate Change in Muskoka” report, its upcoming Stewardship Conference on algae (50 Shades of Green) being held in Port Carling on May 12, 2017, and its 2018 Watershed Health Report Card.
MWC will continue to advise the Muskoka community and its municipalities on a variety of environmental topics, including shoreline renaturalization, forest health and power generation, and will continue its successful community activities (including lectures, workshops and citizen science programs) to encourage active environmental stewardship. Volunteers are welcome, MWC monthly meetings are open to the public, and Muskoka Watershed Council may now also directly receive donations, sponsorships, and funding grants.
Learn more about Muskoka Watershed Council at www.muskokawatershed.org or stop by the new office at 70 Pine Street in Bracebridge.
Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, in parallel, is undergoing change and will focus on larger- scale applied research projects, including HATSEO (Hauling Ash to Solve Ecological Osteoporosis), Environment Care, an extensive capital fundraising program to build a freshwater research facility in Muskoka, and building the capability and capacity as a grant maker to provide funding for environmentally focused projects and programs in Muskoka.
In order to better reflect its role and eliminate any confusion with respect to name and the relationship to the Muskoka Watershed Council, Friends of the Muskoka Watershed is pursuing a name change in alignment with its mission to become a globally recognized leader in improving the quality and resilience of freshwater resources.
The FMW vision is to support that mission through the creation of Canada’s preeminent freshwater science research institute, in Muskoka, whose design and facilities will establish an unparalleled environment for discovery and collaboration, uniting public and private partners and the best scientific minds from around the world to find transformative solutions for the preservation and protection of local and global freshwater resources.
Learn more about Friends of the Muskoka Watershed at friendsofthemuskokawatershed.org