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OUR MISSION

To identify environmental threats, develop practical science-based solutions, and connect with policy-makers to put these solutions in place. We also strive to cultivate an awareness of these threats and solutions through educational outreach within the Muskoka community.
We do this to ensure that those who live in, visit, and love the Muskoka watershed can continue enjoying this natural ecosystem forever.
BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP

OUR PROCESS

Wise management of our watershed means implementing a sustainable, repeatable, and proactive strategy:

Assess

Always looking for potential changes and emerging threats.

Communicate

Staying connected to the Muskoka community and policy-makers.

Evaluate

Tracking trends to evaluate the effectiveness of previous

Diagnose

Gaining a deeper understanding of the cause behind

Act

Preventing, restoring, and creating proactive action to combat threats to the Watershed.
TAKE ACTION

Meet Our Change Makers

DR. NORMAN YAN

PETER KELLEY

DOUG CLARK

LENORE INNISS

NEIL HUTCHINSON, PH.D.

GORD MILLER

ANDREW WAGNER-CHAZALON

SANDY LOCKHART

PAUL GRINNELL

JIM DAVIS

MICHELLE de MEEL

DR. NORMAN YAN

PETER KELLEY

DOUG CLARK

LENORE INNISS

NEIL HUTCHINSON, PH.D.

GORD MILLER

ANDREW WAGNER-CHAZALON

SANDY LOCKHART

PAUL GRINNELL

JIM DAVIS

MICHELLE de MEEL

DR. NORMAN YAN

Secretary and Fundraising Chair

Dr. Norman Yan completed his MSc and PhD dissertations on the effects of acid rain and metal pollution on Ontario lakes, then worked as a research scientist with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for 25 years. In 2000, he negotiated a 5-year partnership between the MOE and York University, accepting a position as Professor in York’s Biology Department, and conducting a body of research on the effects of multiple stressors on Ontario Lakes co-developed by Yan and collaborating government scientists. Given its success, this partnership was renewed twice, until Norman’s retirement in 2014. During this period, Norman taught in Toronto, but conducted most of his research in Muskoka.

Norman has co-authored over 200 publications on Canadian lakes, a body of work which is widely recognized. He is one of only four Canadians to receive both the K. Patalas award for research excellence in applied limnology (the study of lakes), and the F.H. Rigler Memorial Award from the Society of Canadian Limnology for his contributions to fundamental understanding in limnology. Dr. Yan received a Premier’s Research Excellence Award from the Ontario government, and has received visiting fellowships from the Australian and Italian governments. For his contributions to the understanding and wise management of Canadian lakes, he was inducted as a Fellow by the Royal Society of Canada in 2014.

PETER KELLEY

Vice-Chairman

Starting off his career as a corporate lawyer in private practice, Peter soon found himself in an in-house counsel role which led to becoming President of GE Commercial Distribution Finance. Upon leaving GE in 2007, he successfully co-founded TCF Inventory Finance, now a $2.7 billion subsidiary of TCF Bank.

Peter is a proud father of two: Peter Jr., currently living in Toronto, and Sarah, who is attending school in Muskoka. Peter not only fell in love with Muskoka but also with Valerie Duke, a 6th-generation Port Carling native, and they have been together for 25 years.

When he is not out sailing, tinkering at home or at the cottage, you may see him driving through town in his vintage 1934 Ford Roadster.

DOUG CLARK

Treasurer

Doug grew up in Toronto and currently lives in London. He and his wife Patti met as camp counsellors as teenagers and today, own a cottage on the Muskoka River. Doug, a certified Project Manager, retired from a 30+ year career as an IT & Operations professional in the Telecom industry, managing multi-million dollar budgets in the Technology, Marketing, and Operations sectors. Doug has been involved with Camp Big Canoe for over 40 years. The camp is just east of Bracebridge and is a partner with Friends of the Muskoka Watershed. Doug has served the last 15 years as Chair of the Board of Directors. The Camp’s 260 acres, lake & wetlands have fuelled Doug’s interest in the Muskoka Watershed. When in London Doug provides daycare for his grandchildren while also volunteering with several local organizations. When in Muskoka, between working with FOTMW and Camp Big Canoe, Doug is an avid paddler who enjoys canoe tripping, running, and hiking.

LENORE INNISS

Board Chair

Lenore Inniss grew up in Muskoka. Her parents bought a cottage on Sparrow Lake when she was four years old and it became their full-time residence a couple of years later. (The only exceptions were a year in the U.S. and a year in Iqaluit, Nunavut).

“I’ve always been very outdoorsy. As a kid, my neighbour and I would spend most of our time either in the woods or on the water – eating wild leeks, jumping off the dock, watching turtles, digging up worms to bring to our favourite fishing spot (with seemingly endless sunfish), turning over rocks in search of crayfish and tons of other Muskoka adventures. That’s the main reason I want to help Friends of the Muskoka Watershed – I have a two-year-old niece and I want her to be able to have all those same amazing experiences that I was lucky enough to have growing up.

“After high school, I moved away to Peterborough for university, where I spent 3 years at Trent University studying Biology. While I do have a very basic science background, I realized that it wasn’t the career path for me – I find it very interesting, but came to realize I enjoyed the bigger picture rather than the more detail-oriented work.”

“I ended up moving into a variety of sales jobs instead, which I excelled at – including being in the top 10% of Bell sales agents Canada wide, even as one of very few on the “win back” list (to put it simply, calling angry former clients and attempting to bring them back). I think my sales experience will translate well to helping Friends of the Muskoka Watershed increase membership.

“I moved back to Muskoka at the beginning of 2020 to join my mom in her real estate business. We share the purely real estate work, but my main focus is the tech stuff – social media, photography, website maintenance, drone videography, and creating our newsletters.

“I look forward to helping to grow both the presence of the FMW both online and in the community and encouraging more friends to join as we protect Muskoka’s watersheds forever.”

NEIL HUTCHINSON, PH.D.

Environmental Action Committee

Neil brings a broad environmental perspective, technical knowledge of water quality and practical experience to the FMW Board.

Neil completed an Honours B.Sc. in Ecology at the University of Guelph in 1978 (where fellow board member] Gord Miller was one of his instructors, and his Ph.D. in Zoology (Aquatic Toxicology) at Guelph in 1985. He came to the Dorset Research Centre of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment in 1984 and completed 2 1/2 years of post-doctoral research on acid rain toxicology before gaining employment as a scientist with the Inland Lakes Program of the Ministry the of Environment (MOE, now MECP), working alongside Norm Yan, with a focus on nutrient management and policy development. He left MOE for the private sector in 1998 and worked for 11 years across the country as the Senior Aquatic Scientist at Gartner Lee Limited.

In November 2009, he formed Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd. as a consulting firm specializing in aquatic science, technical facilitation and peer review services. His clients included municipal, provincial and federal governments and Boards, First Nations, Inuit Organizations and private sector developers, industry and mining companies. His work spanned the country from Muskoka to Nunavut and included 20 years advising the District of Muskoka on their Lake System Health Program. His major career highlight was being introduced as “The Mick Jagger of Lake Management” several years back. He retired in 2022, leaving his company in the capable hands of his staff.

Neil served on the Board of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, served three, three-year terms as a reviewer of research and scholarship applications for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), was a founding member and is currently a Director of the Muskoka Watershed Council, is Chair of the Science Committee for Georgian Bay Forever and a member of the Rotary Club of Bracebridge.

Neil lives on the shore of a small lake outside of Bracebridge in a home which he shares with his wife Barb (their three daughters have all left Muskoka), two happy dogs and too many blackflies in June. Hobbies include making music (recording and performing his original folk songs and playing flute in the Muskoka Concert Band), canoeing, kayaking, skiing and sailing.

GORD MILLER

Board Director

Gord Miller is an ecologist and environmental policy analyst with many years of experience. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Guelph and has worked in the manufacturing industry and consulting business as well as in academia as a professor.

Most of his career, however, has been spent in the public sector starting as a scientist with the Ministry of the Environment and concluding his career by serving three five-year terms as Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner. In that role, Gord was an independent Officer of the Legislative Assembly overseeing and critically evaluating government decision-making on the environment, climate change and energy conservation.

Gord retired from that role in May of 2015. He now does public speaking on environment and energy topics and occasional consulting projects. He chairs the Board of Directors for the environmental group Earthroots.

ANDREW WAGNER-CHAZALON

Communications Chair

Andrew began his professional writing career while he was still a student at the University of Guelph, writing press releases about such topics as the adoption habits of Canada geese, myrmecochory and wild ginger, and the mass defecation flights of Asian honeybees. Although he soon moved into community journalism – first in Ottawa Valley towns like Barry’s Bay, Renfrew, Arnprior, and Pembroke, and later in Muskoka – he often freelanced, particularly about science and nature. Among other projects, he produced mini-documentaries for CBC Radio (recording frogs in a swamp on a rainy night was a highlight), wrote news releases for the International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species, and was a contributing editor to Outdoor Canada.

He and Sharon, his wife, moved to Bracebridge in 2000 to be closer to her parents while raising their three children. He served as editor of the Muskokan, the Muskoka Sun, and Muskoka Life, before joining Dockside Publishing, first as a writer, then editor, then CEO. He has written or contributed to half a dozen books, mainly about Muskoka.

Andrew loves paddling a canoe and kayak (or being on the water in just about anything else), enjoys theatre, and is an enthusiastic amateur musician.

SANDY LOCKHART

Communications Director

Sandy grew up in Kitchener-Waterloo but spent much of her time at the cottage – or wishing she was at the cottage. When starting her journalism career, she moved to Muskoka.

For more than a decade, she worked in community journalism, including time as editor of Muskoka Magazine. Much of her career was spent working for not-for-profit organizations with a decade as Public Relations Manager for Muskoka Family Focus and five as the Executive Director of the Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce.

In the summer she’s often in or on a lake and for the other three seasons, she’s regularly outside exploring or playing with her grandchildren.
She’s thrilled to put her communications skills and not-for-profit experience to good use supporting the work of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.

PAUL GRINNELL

Technical Operations Director

Paul Grinnell has a broad range of experience spanning a highly successful 30+ year career in IT and Telecom. He is a former IT Director, Executive Consultant, and technology architect with roles in operations, service delivery, sales and business development where he was effective at bridging the gap between business requirements and technology solutions. Respected as a dynamic leader and creative thinker with a flair for making difficult concepts easy to understand, he has enjoyed successful collaborations with a variety of teams and business professionals to solve business and IT challenges, develop strategy, execute and deliver with excellence, continuously drive revenue, and find innovative ways to engage with clients and customers.

Since arriving full-time in Muskoka in 2010, Paul has taken his knowledge and experience to the not-for-profit sector where he has served on the board and staff of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, the Muskoka Freshwater Foundation and the Bracebridge Lions Club. Most recently, he has contributed as a freelance consultant to small startups looking for operational and technology guidance.

Beyond the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds, Paul continues to pursue his creative interests as a photographer, writer, woodworker, and all-around tinkerer. A lover of dogs, nature, and all things earthy, he is currently learning more about the world of permaculture.

JIM DAVIS

Board Director

Jim and his family are long-time seasonal residents of Muskoka. “My wife Patricia’s parents purchased three water-access lots on Silver Lake (Gravenhurst) in the late 50’s” and DIY construction started soon after.” “Being a water-access resident means everything you need to build, eat, and enjoy comes by boat and one quickly develops a very close relationship with the water.”

Jim has served on the Board of Directors of the Gull & Silver Lakes Residents’ Association for over 20 years, 10 years as President. “I think Gull & Silver Lakes may have been the first small lakes to participate in the Muskoka Lakes Association Water Quality Initiative, a nearshore water testing program designed by Dr. Neil Hutchinson. We now have 20 years of data regarding bacteria, phosphorus, water clarity and temperature of our two lakes, vital information to understand the long-term health of Gull & Silver Lakes”. Jim also served as a Director on the Board of the Muskoka Lakes Association from 2016 to 2018.

Now retired, Jim spent his career in advertising and media, with the last 17 years as head of market research at The Weather Network. Jim also worked for CHUM Broadcasting, Thomson Newspapers, and Ted Bates Advertising.

Two of Jim’s favourite quotes about our environment are from Rachel Carson, author of the Silent Spring and Ansel Adams, landscape photographer and environmentalist.

“One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, “What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?” – Rachel Carson

“It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.” – Ansel Adams

MICHELLE de MEEL

Board Director

Michelle de Meel is a Professional Engineer with a degree in Civil-Environmental Engineering from Queen’s University. Michelle works for Magna International as the Global Director of Environmental Programs. She leads a team of dedicated environmental professionals to ensure operations achieve and maintain the highest levels of environmental performance.

Michelle grew up cottaging near Haliburton but for the last ten years has made Lake of Bays her cottage home. When not working on cottage DIY projects with her husband Alex she can usually be found on Dwight Bay paddleboarding in the summer or cross-country skiing in the winter.

“I am passionate about protecting and preserving our environment and welcome the opportunity to bring my more than 25 years of environmental skills and experience to the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.”

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DR.NORMAN YAN

PETER KELLEY

DOUG CLARK

LENORE INNISS

NEIL HUTCHINSON, PH.D

GORD MILLER

ANDREW WAGNER-CHAZALON

SANDY LOCKHART
JOAN D’SOUZA

SPENCER MACPHERSON

PAUL GRINNELL

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