Lake Simcoe Conservation Matters
Conservation Matters is a series of newsletters written by our team and published in Lake Simcoe Living.
Climate Change and its Effect on Native and Invasive Species
Volume 18, Fall/Winter 2022
Climate change is wreaking havoc on the planet in numerous ways, through floods, fires and droughts. But those aren't the only ways we're seeing its impact. A changing climate opens up opportunities for more invasive species.
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Unwelcome Visitors in Your Yard: How to Deal with the Invasive Spongy Moth
Volume 17, Summer 2022
Whether you're new to the topic of invasive species or
have dealt with one yourself, it's important to get to know the current
culprits in the Lake Simcoe watershed, and one in particular that's been of
concern in the past few years.
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Climate Change in the Lake Simcoe Watershed
Volume 16, Spring 2022
If we do little to change our greenhouse gas emissions, following is a quick and simplified overview of how climate change may affect the Lake Simcoe Watershed and what it means for you.
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Skating on Thin Ice
Volume 15, Winter 2022
Idyllic winter days are made for outdoor skating. Whether it be in your backyard or a municipally maintained outdoor rink, skating is a great way to infuse some fun, fitness, and fresh air into these sub-zero days all while staying safe and physically distanced.
However, not every place with potential to be an outdoor rink should be an outdoor rink. Storm water ponds are particularly dangerous. Not only are these ponds municipal infrastructure and not meant for recreation, but they are highly unsafe for recreation as well.
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Wetland Reflections
Volume 14, Fall 2021
Several weeks ago, I got to put on my boots and get muddy with my fellow classmates. Our teacher said he wanted us to learn about wetlands and so he wanted to take us to one so we could see first-hand what a wetland is. I was familiar with wetland functions from some of my earlier grades, but had never actually visited one. Mostly, I was just excited that I was getting to go outside and not be stuck behind my desk for the afternoon
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Put Your Lawn Out to Pasture
Volume 13, Summer 2021
Picture a meadow. What do you see? Acres of fields with knee-high grasses and colourful wildflowers swaying with the breeze? The sweet sound of birds singing and the buzz of insects flitting about? Perhaps you picture Julie Andrews frolicking on a mountain top?
But while a meadow may serve as backdrop to scenes in the iconic movie, The Sound of Music, it's the headline act for hundreds of plant and animal species.
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Dams: A Learning Opportunity
Volume 12, Spring 2021
When the settlers came to this land, they also brought with them their ideas of progress. They saw fast flowing rivers and in many communities around our watershed, set up mills at the rivers edge. Dams became a requirement for the new operations and way of life. In more recent history, dam-building continued to assist with controlling river flows in predictable ways – mostly for electricity generation or flood protection. We also centered communities around them. We enjoyed the views, the paddles, the memories.
Fast forward to 2021. We've learned so much.
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How I Made Friends with Winter
Volume 11, Winter 2020
For years, I begrudgingly “put up with" winter, complaining to myself and anyone who'd listen about how I couldn't wait for spring. Then one day I decided, enough is enough! Since winter is such a huge part of our Canadian climate, and clearly my years of complaining weren't making a difference, why not change my perspective instead?
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Grow Your Own Birdfeeder
Volume 10, Fall 2020
Birdfeeders are one of the most common ways we attract birds to our yards, but did you know there’s another way? It includes improving your yard’s “nature” potential and all you have to do is plant a native garden. Native plants offer a lot more than just birds. They are an integral component to a healthy functioning ecosystem.
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What is a Watershed?
Volume 9, Summer 2020
A sprinkle, a pitter-patter, a gentle shower, a battering storm or the trickling melt of snow - this is the story of water’s journey to the heart of our watershed: Lake Simcoe.
We think it’s important to understand two things – first, what a watershed is, and second, how water travels through our watershed. We know that when we understand this journey, we can make better decisions to protect how our environment functions.
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Forestry (and a Forester) at LSRCA
Volume 8, Spring 2020
Grrrrrrrrr, the sound of the chainsaw and other cutting equipment pierces through the otherwise silent fall forest. The crack of the wood and the felling of another tree is a little talked about part of our work in forest management at LSRCA. After all, isn’t a conservation authority all about preserving trees, planting more and safeguarding their future?
In this article, we highlight LSRCA Forester, Cory Byron, offer a glimpse into the history of forestry in Canada, and share some reflections from Cory’s youth.
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Winter Walkers
Volume 7, Winter 2020
While you’re hiking out there in the wintry wonderland of a conservation area – usually a hop, skip and jump away from home – or observing the cool changes in your backyard, take some time to play detective and closely explore that newly fallen snow. Even if you never spot an actual animal, you can still figure out who crossed your path, who left that snowy pattern near your garden bed, and who dashed off into the woods.
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He's One in a Million
Volume 6, Autumn 2019
When it comes to the environment, they say one person can’t make a difference. Our problems seem too large to be solved. But that’s just looking at the problems from the wrong perspective. Our small actions do add up and the difference one person can make is tremendous.
Paul Cottenden is a shining example of how someone’s actions, taken over the course of decades, has made an immense contribution to this planet.
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Nature Nurtures
Volume 5, Summer 2019
As many of us know, there’s a strong connection between reduced levels of anxiety and spending time in nature. In this issue we highlight the role that Scanlon Creek Conservation Area, located in Bradford West Gwillimbury, plays in both community recreation opportunities and our outdoor education programs.
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Managing Forests in a Time of Climate Change
Volume 4, Spring 2019
LSRCA has planted the seeds of persistence to manage our watershed’s forests in an era of climate change. We may be able to weather the current storms but we still need to dig deep to better understand the threats our forests face in the future. By acting today, we’re hoping to adapt to climate change tomorrow.
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Microplastics are the Last Straw!
Volume 3, Winter 2019
Every minute of every day a garbage truck’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. Microplastics including microbeads and other plastic pollution have not only floated into our oceans and fresh water systems, they’ve drifted into media headlines and seeped into our consciousness over the past 15 years.
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Nature is an Art Gallery
Volume 2, Fall 2018
Ephemeral Art, or Earth Art, is an art movement that became popular in the 1960s. Ephemeral artists work exclusively with natural materials to create works of art from debris such as leaves, rocks and even ice, sand or snow. Because of this art form's transient nature – being made from natural materials that don’t necessarily last, the pieces are generally photographed. Today, many photographs from famous ephemeral artists such as Andy Goldsworthy and others hang in art galleries and museums around the world.
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Let's Talk About Flooding
Volume 1, Summer 2018
A study released last year reveals that Canadians are largely unaware of the risks posed by flooding. The report, Canadian Voices on Changing Flood Risk, surveyed 2,300 people living in flood risk zones across Canada and found that 94% of them didn’t know they were at risk. Do you know your risk of flooding?
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