MEDIA RELEASE
February 13, 2017
Receiving A $74,400 OTF Grant to Save Muskoka Lakes from Aquatic Osteoporosis
Bracebridge — On Monday, local MPP Norm Miller met with members of the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed to congratulate them on receiving a $74,400 Seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Over the coming year, the group will be using an innovative approach to correct what it terms "aquatic osteoporosis" in Muskoka’s lakes, by developing a wood ash recycling program. Wood ash, which is rich in calcium, may help the lakes that have seen a long-term calcium decline.
"The biodiversity and resilience of Muskoka’s ecosystems are paramount to our collective successes in all arenas. It is with deepest gratitude that I recognize this groundbreaking, community stewardship program today." — Norm Miller, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka
Muskoka’s forests and lakes are suffering from long-term calcium decline, a kind of aquatic osteoporosis, caused mainly by decades of acid rain. Multiple logging cycles can worsen the problem. Friends of the Muskoka Watershed believes residential wood ash can help solve this problem and will be researching what it would take to develop and implement a wood ash recycling program in Muskoka. Bracebridge resident and Chair of the organization, Dr. Norman Yan will be conducting the study over the coming year.
"We need to become gardeners of our forests, supporting them by returning the nutrients that acid rain and logging have removed. Wood ash may well fulfill this need, and healthy forests sustain healthy lakes," said Dr. Norman Yan, Chair of the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.
The OTF grant will be used to help with some staffing and administrative costs, enable the group to host five information sessions, produce information materials and to help with the ash collection and distribution.
Friends of the Muskoka Watershed is a Muskoka-based not-for-profit Corporation committed to supporting research to improve the quality and resilience of freshwater ecosystems, beginning with Muskoka’s lakes. See friendsofthemuskokawatershed.org for additional details.
An agency of the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is one of Canada’s largest granting foundations. With a budget of over $136 million, OTF awards grants to some 1,000 projects every year to build healthy and vibrant Ontario communities. For more information, please visit: www.otf.ca
For more information, please contact:
Norman Yan, Chair
Friends of the Muskoka Watershed
705 646-0111, email:normandyan@gmail.com
www.friendsofthemuskokawatershed.org