Protect Oxtongue’s Shorelines

Did you know our lakes are being polluted this very second? All trees and shrubs around the shoreline are actually helping lakes. The roots of trees and shrubs are like barriers to the lake from the pollution carried in dirt, sand and grass. Trees and shrubs are like...

Plantings on Septic Tile Beds

The tile bed is a very important component of your septic system. The following are a few tips on care, plantings and activities to avoid on your tile bed. Never fertilize your tile bed area or any other area of your waterfront property. Fertilizer is a nutrient...

Invasive Species in Haliburton – From CHA

Next to habitat loss, invasive species are the second greatest cause of native species extinction and loss of biodiversity. Every year, invasive species cause between 14 and 35 billion dollars damage in Canada. It would be comforting to think that there are no...

Ministers Report on Drinking Water

From FOCA:  The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) has released the 2014 Ministers report on Drinking Water . The comprehensive report not only relates important data about the performance of Ontario’s municipal drinking water systems, but also...

Are we loving our lakes to death?

FOCA wants to ensure we don’t “love our lakes to death” and as such has looked to the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) in determining what those thresholds are, and how we might measure and enact limits.  For a visual essay...

Would it still be cottage country without the loon?

From Terry Rees, FOCA Executive Director with permission to republish as an open letter: Two reports released in October 2014 remind us that big changes are coming to Ontario’s lakes and rivers. First: Audubon’s Birds and Climate Change Report suggests that within...

Algae Blooms

On Sept 25, Algonquin Park reported two blooms of blue-green Algae which forced the closure of Dickson and Lavielle lakes.  It is an important reminder to treat our lakes with respect.  Algal bloom formation and subsequent release on toxins is an extremely complex...

Antibacterial Ban

Did you know that Triclosan is now one of the top 10 contaminants in American rivers and a noted chemical concern in the Great Lakes basin.  Triclosan has been detected in drinking water, breast milk and household dust.  95% of triclosan in consumer products goes down...