Environment

McKellar Township's Lake Stewardship and Environmental Committee was created to pursue a mission of fostering environmental awareness, understanding and appreciation to protect and sustain our municipality’s abundant natural resources, which enhance the quality of life for our residents and seasonal visitors.

Stewardship and Environmental Committee

PURPOSE:

1. To ensure we preserve our #1 priorities of our lakes and the ecology of life in our community.

2. To investigate ways and means of resolving water quality issues and preserving the natural environment.

3. To review the Township’s Official Plan, existing municipal documents and stewardship plans, and the Biosphere’s State of the Bay Report.

4. To engage the public at large through public meetings.

5. To advise and make recommendations to Council on matters about water quality and preserving the beauty of our surroundings within one year.

ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED:

• Fish habitat and stocking of lakes

• Water Levels

• Boater Safety – speed, wakes, policing

• Renters

• Pesticides

• Water testing

• Logging

• Septic Systems

• Lack of loons

• Geese

• Wild Rice

Committee Members:

Rick Speers

Ross Crockford

Tony Best

Sue Poff

Axy Leighl

Peter Duffey

Carl Mitchell

Jennifer Ghent-Fuller

Melanie Jeffrey

Nick Ryeland - Council Representative

Agendas

Agenda LESC Meeting - November 14, 2024 (Zoom Link Included)

Agenda LESC Meeting - July 13, 2024

Agenda LESC Meeting - June 13, 2024

CANCELLED - TO BE RESCHEDULED AT A LATER DATE - Agenda LSEC Meeting - March 7, 2024 (Zoom Link Included)

Agenda LSEC Meeting - February 8, 2024

Agenda LSEC Meeting - January 11, 2024

Previous Years

Agenda LSEC Meeting - December 14, 2023(Zoom Link Incuded)

Agenda LSEC Meeting - November 9, 2023 (Zoom Link Included)
Agenda LSEC Meeting - October 12, 2023 (Zoom Link Included)
Agenda LSEC Meeting - September 14, 2023 (Zoom Link included)
Agenda LSEC Meeting - July 6, 2023

Agenda LSEC Meeting - April 13, 2023

Agenda LSEC Meeting - March 9, 2023 (Zoom Link included)

Agenda LSEC Meeting - December 8, 2022

Agenda LSEC Meeting - November 10, 2022

Agenda LSEC Meeting - October 13, 2022

Agenda LSEC Meeting - September 8, 2022

Agenda LSEC Meeting - June 9, 2022

Agenda - Special Meeting May 3, 2022

Benthic Reports

Manitouwabing Lake Environmental Report - September 2023
Manitouwabing Lake Environment Benthic GBB report March 2023
Manitouwabing Lake Environment Benthic GBB report 2022 (Includes Manitouwabing Lake State of the Basin Bev Clark 2018)
Manitouwabing Lake Environment Benthic GBB report 2021
Manitouwabing Lake Environment Benthic GBB report 2020

Blue Green Algae

What can I Do to Help Prevent a Bloom of Blue Green Algae on our Lake?

Boating

Budget

Budget 2024 - Final as amended

By-law to establish LSEC

By-law #2021-41 Being a By-law to Establish the Township of McKellar Lake Stewardship and Environmental Committee

Capacity of the lake

Implications of the 2021 Lake Capacity Study of Lake Manitouwabing, Presentation by Carl Mitchell, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto - August 23, 2023

E Coli

Extended Surface Water Testing, McKellar Township

Clarity, Phosphorus and Calcium

Dark Skies

Fishing

Catch and Release Best Practices - 2022

Stocking Fact Sheet - October 30, 2023
Draft Fisheries Management Plan Highlights Proposal Summary - Seeking Indigenous Community Feedback - October 25, 2022

Habitat

https://www.gbbr.ca

Videos: Hummingbirds in McKellar Township. We celebrated the return of hummingbirds to McKellar Township with this presentation by Erich Eberts, Ph.D. candidate from the University of Toronto. Erich discussed the biology of hummingbirds, including the effects of nesting, body fat, seasonality and temperature on hummingbird torpor.

Home Tweet Home: How to host birds and bats on your property. Presentation by Tianna Burke, MSc of the Georgian Bay Biosphere. - October 13, 2022

ICECAP

ICECAP/Georgian Bay Biosphere

Toolkit for Protecting Your Lake from Aquatic Invasive Species

Invasive Species Awareness and Monitoring for Lakes Education Ontario: 2022 Results

Invasive Species Protecting McKellar Township from Invasive species

McKellar Invasive Species Pamphlet - 2022

Minutes

LSEC Meeting Minutes Final - October 2024

LSEC Meeting Minutes - September 2024

LSEC Amended Meeting Minutes Final - August 9, 2024

LSEC Meeting Minutes - July 2024

LSEC Meeting Minutes - June 2024

LSEC Meeting Minutes - May 2024

LSEC Meeting Minutes Draft - January 11, 2024

LSEC Meeting Minutes - December 14, 2023

LSEC Meeting Minutes Draft - November 9, 2023

LSEC Meeting Minutes Final - July 6, 2023

LSEC Meeting Minutes - June 8, 2023

LSEC Meeting Minutes - March 9, 2023

LSEC Draft Minutes - November 10, 2022

LSEC Draft Minutes - October 13, 2022

Deputation to Council - October 11, 2022

LSEC Meeting Draft Minutes - August 18, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - July 14, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - June 9, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - May 3, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - April 7, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - March 10, 2022
LSEC Meeting Minutes - February 10, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - January 13, 2022

LSEC Meeting Minutes - December 9, 2021

LSEC Meeting Minutes - November 11, 2021

LSEC Meeting Minutes - October 21, 2021

Lake Stewardship and Environmental Committee Public Meeting Minutes - September 25, 2021

Ministry of Natural Resources

Tip line - 1-877-847-7667

Plants

Best for the Biosphere Plant List - June 13, 2022

Planting for Pollinators A Guide for Eastern Georgian Bay - June 13, 2022

Plastics, Microplastics, Microfibres

Sources and solution to microplastic fibers in our watersheds. PhD candidate, Samantha Athey outlines her research on microplastics. Some research has been completed in Parry Sound. Washing machine filters are available. - March 10, 2022 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlMgc5QA-ZY

Road Salt

https://fotmw.org/2020/10/the-road-salt-threat-to-muskoka-lakes-answering-10-key-environmental-questions/

Septic

Help your Septic Systems and our Lakes - FINAL
Link https://www.rvca.ca/media/k2/attachments/Septic_Smart_English.pdf
Link https://www.buildingcode.online/1156.html
Link https://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Septic-Systems-FOCA-Fact-Sheet-at-2019.pdf
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3SZLLr9F4Y Maintaining your Septic System with Danielle Ward describes the independent onsite sewage system that each household has when a municipal sewer system is unavailable. Septic system owners need to care for the septic bed, keeping it clear of deep-rooted vegetation and heavy weights. Regular maintenance of the septic tank is described in detail, including pumping of the tank and cleaning of the filters. Danielle lists items that will clog a septic bed or tank if flushed, resulting in possible back-ups and costly repairs. The question period at the end highlights common concerns of septic system owners. - July 14, 2022

Videos

Links to Special Webinars - 2024

Water Levels

Water Levels on Lake Manitouwabing - July 2022

Water Treatment - Video - Treating Lake Water or Well Water for Household Use with Bruce Butler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQldfiF1dtc

Waterfront

Natural Edge with Calvin Blewitt, Watersheds Canada - May 7, 2022 - https://youtu.be/F3177Jr4kkk
Why Natural Shorelines are Key to Lake Health, Julie Sutton, Sweet Fern Consulting details how maintaining naturalized vegetation along the shoreline helps maintain the health of our lakes. - June 16, 2022 -
Lake Protection Workbook - Watersheds Canada - Work, Live, & Play in Healthy Lakes and Rivers
Protecting the Waters of McKellar Township

Work Permits

Contact for Parry Sound - psdistrict.mnrf@ontario.ca
Crown Land - https://ontario.ca/page/crown-land
Work Permit Information - https://www.ontario.ca/page/crown-land-work-permits
CLUPA - https://www.ontario.ca/page/crown-land-use-policy-atlas
eLaws Public Lands Act - https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90pg43
Video: Work permits, Boathouses, and changes to the Public Land Act - with S/Sgt Robert Gibson Manager - Parry Sound Enforcement Unit Enforcement Branch/Northeast Region Enforcement Operations Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources of Forestry May 22, 2022 - https://youtu.be/Z4bSQP91Z

Plant One Tree for McKellar

OUR MISSION

www.plantonetreeformckellar.com

"If everyone plants a native tree every year for six years, we will have effectively revived the global forest and stopped climate change in its tracks."
Diana Beresford-Kroeger
(dianaberesford-kroeger.com)

Our mission is to encourage the planting of trees to help the Earth revive. We are taking up the challenge for McKellar to encourage the planting of one native tree per person per year for six years to help Mother Nature repair herself one community at a time.