Huntsville - Lake of Bays Lakes Council

To: Muskoka Watershed Council From: Committee Chairs Date: September 12, 2008 Re: Update on Committee Activities Communications Initiatives The Best Practices Brochure on Wetlands was produced and almost 4,000 brochures have been distributed to date. The Waterfront Investment brochure created in 2005 was reprinted as the original stock of 20,000 had run out. Public Service announcements ran throughout the summer on various Best Practices topics on the five local Moose FM radio stations as well as The New CHAY. MWC members wrote a series of articles on topics from the 2007 Muskoka Watersheds Report Card that ran in the Muskoka Sun newspaper. A small subcommittee of representatives from MWC, MHF and MHT will be formed to develop a process for creating and approving communications tools that feature all three organizations. Strategic Directions Committee – next meeting: Friday, October 3rd at 10:00 am in the Oak Room The Bulk Water Removal paper approved in June was distributed to relevant organizations and posted on the MWC and Munk Centre websites. An Interim Report Card on Municipal Planning has been developed and will be discussed at the MWC meeting on September 19th. The Committee is looking for someone to coordinate the Environmental Lecture Series held in conjunction with MHF. Anyone interested in helping should contact Judi at jbrouse@muskokaheritage.org. Three lectures have been held to date, all of which were well attended. A sub-committee has been formed to develop a response to DMM’s Economic Strategy Phase 2 Report. Policy & Research Committee – next meeting: Friday, October 17th at 10:00 am in the Town of Huntsville Council Chambers A letter is being drafted to the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s site selection committee outlining why Muskoka would not be a good place to bury uranium waste. Position papers on wetlands and power generation have been drafted and are in the process of being finalized. Both papers will likely be brought forward to MWC at the meeting on October 17th. A position paper on pharmaceuticals is in the initial stages of development. Executive Committee – next meeting: Friday, October 3rd at 1:00 pm in the Oak Room An Activities Report will be distributed twice a year to MWC members and partner organizations outlining what MWC has accomplished. The report will also include a financial statement for designated funds. The first Activities Report will be brought forward at the MWC meeting on September 19th. A policy is being developed to guide MWC on responding to issues and will be brought forward at a future MWC meeting. MWC Committee structure and tasks are being revisited in order to better align them with the goals and objectives adopted by MWC in June. To: Muskoka Watershed Council Members Re: 2008 Year-to-Date Report From: Ian Turnbull, Muskoka Watershed Council Chair Date: September 6, 2008 This overview of Council’s work year-to-date will help guide us in the months ahead. Activities have been aligned with our objectives. Please contact Committee Chairs (Rob Milligan, Patricia Arney, Doug Cross), me or Judi Brouse if you have any questions. Your feedback will help refine our work in the months ahead. This report will be shared with colleague organizations. Objective: Evaluate the Watersheds § MWC and Muskoka Heritage Foundation are co-sponsoring the Muskoka Inventory Project, a GIS-based tool that identifies significant natural areas and areas requiring remediation; terrestrial component is complete; aquatic component nearing completion; Inventory in use by Muskoka Heritage Trust to develop a land acquisition strategy Objective: Advocate for the Watersheds § MWC adopted an Economic Development Position Paper and presented to the District Planning and Economic Development Committee in April § MWC adopted a Bulk Water Position Paper in June; communication of the Paper is ongoing; working with the Township of Georgian Bay to circulate through the municipal process at AMO and the Great Lakes Cities organization § MWC provided input to the District’s Strategic Stormwater Management Project § MWC provided comment to District on Hydro One’s vegetative management plan in April § MWC provided comment to the Township of Muskoka Lakes on their Official Plan review in August § MWC is providing input to the District’s Forestry By-law § Work is ongoing developing a Power Generation paper § Work is ongoing developing a Wetland Position Paper § Work is ongoing collaboratively with Muskoka arts and culture organizations towards a cultural mapping of Muskoka § Work is ongoing collaboratively with District towards a Muskoka visioning process Objective: Communicate and Educate § Wastewater Technical Bulletin prepared and posted to the website in April § Caring for Your Wetlands brochure completed in April § Articles based on 2008 Report Card published in summer papers May to September, and in yearbooks of the Muskoka Lakes Association, Lake of Bays Association and Muskoka Lakes Ratepayers Association § Radio Public Service Announcements produced for summer broadcast in Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Barrie, Parry Sound, Haliburton and Bancroft § Work is ongoing working collaboratively with the Muskoka Heritage Foundation and Muskoka Heritage Trust towards joint communications initiatives § MWC and the Muskoka Heritage Foundation presented a two-day Social Marketing Workshop in April § MWC and the Muskoka Heritage Foundation presented a lecture series: o Gord Miller – Environmental Commissioner of Ontario -– an overview of the environmental record of the Ontario Government – Huntsville, February 28, 2008 o David Pearson – Professor at Laurentian University – the health of our lakes with respect to Climate Change – Bracebridge, April 24, 2008 o Andrew Paterson, Norm Yan and Keith Somers – the Health of our Lakes; Thirty Years of Data at Dorset – Bracebridge, July 31, 2008 § Presentations at Muskoka Watershed Council meetings: o Golf Courses: Fore or Against Nature – The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating – Mike Michalski, Michalski Neilson & Associates Limited o Ontario Planning Approval Process with a focus on Red Leaves o Crown Land Use Planning and Forest Management Planning – Kim Benner & Jan McDonnell, Ministry of Natural Resources o Certification Systems in Canada – Steve Munro, Westwind Forest Stewardship Inc o Road Ecology 101 – Brad Steinburg, Algonquin Park o Climate Action Muskoka ‘Towards a Sustainable Muskoka’ – Stan Hunter & Dave Rasmussen o Tour of Port Severn, Township of Georgian Bay – Mayor Jim Walden (June) o Tour of Huntsville – Mayor Claude Doughty (October) § Presentation on MWC to the annual meeting of the Muskoka Tourism Marketing Agency in May § MWC display and personnel on hand at the lecture series, the Muskoka Lakes Association annual meeting (July), and the Muskoka Heritage Place Anniversary (July) Objective: Promote and Demonstrate § MWC and Muskoka Heritage Foundation co-sponsored implementation of the Well Aware program funded by Green Communities Canada § MWC and Muskoka Heritage Foundation are co-sponsoring the Eco-driver program, a stewardship and education program for drivers on how to reduce fuel consumption through proper driving and vehicle maintenance; program delivered in cooperation with Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School and a local car service shop; funded by Green Communities Canada § MWC is working collaboratively with the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, Muskoka Heritage Trust, Westwind Forest Stewardship, and the Parry Sound – Muskoka Stewardship Network to launch the Muskoka Envirocredits program Governance § MWC membership strengthened with addition of four new members representing north, south and west Muskoka § MWC Mission, Goal and Objectives revised, refined and adopted in June § MWC met in Georgian Bay Township in June and will meet in Huntsville in October; over the next year, MWC aims to meet in municipalities throughout the watersheds § Work is ongoing in review of committee structure This report aims to communicate Muskoka Watershed Council activities to members and supporting organizations, specifically the Muskoka Heritage Foundation and the District Municipality of Muskoka. We thank both for their critical support, the former for office overhead support and the latter for seconded staff support. The attached report summarizes the status of project-specific funding held by the Muskoka Heritage Foundation for Muskoka Watershed Council related projects. Respectfully submitted, NOTE: please see attached PDF expense summary (186kb).

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MWC projects expense page.pdf	186.84 KB