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The Muskoka Heritage
Foundation (MHF) is a non-profit, charitable agency whose
reason for existing is to protect the natural and built
heritage of Muskoka. The agency has significant volunteer
support for many of its activities, such as the Native Tree
and Shrub Sale and the awards program for stewards of built
and natural heritage. However, it needs additional support
from Muskoka residents to become a more significant force in
the protection of natural areas.
The
MHF has already seen a number of successes.
With the generosity of the McVitty family, in 1990,
the 253-acre McVittie Nature Reserve was established on
Eilean Gowan Island. And, in 1996, the 17-acre Delta Nature
Reserve was established through the donation of lands on
McVittie Island. In
1999, the MHF, with the Muskoka Field Naturalists and many
other organizations, supported the Ministry of Natural
Resources in the protection of the Torrance Barrens
Conservation Reserve as a special Dark Sky Reserve.
The next year, the Foundation entered into a
conservation agreement with the Goering family on Lake of
Bays for their 37-acre property.
In
2001, Club Link donated a 195-acre piece of land contiguous
with the Torrance Barrens that is now called the Musquash
Road Nature Reserve. It was so named because of the 1872 –
1930 colonization road that runs through its middle — the
only road from Gravenhurst to Musquash Falls (now Bala)
during that time.
More
recently, 52 acres of land on Sparrow Lake was donated to
the Foundation to create the McLeans Bay Nature Reserve and
a 12-acre conservation easement was created on Longline Lake
in Lake of Bays Township.
Shortly, there will be another reserve created, this
time it will be 239 acres on Browning Island in Lake
Muskoka. More
efforts like this are possible with the continued leadership
of the MHF and other organizations, and with the
participation of interested residents.
In
Muskoka, we have an outstanding natural landscape that we
tend to take for granted.
Significant representative samples of this landscape
have been carefully documented through the Muskoka Heritage
Areas Program (1994), which was completed by the District
Municipality of Muskoka with the support of the MHF and the
Ministry of Natural Resources.
Significant protection action has already taken place
on some of these Muskoka Natural Heritage Areas (NHA)
through Ontario’s Living Legacy program. Lands protected
include:
Cognashene Lake-Longuissa Bay
Gibson River Corridor
McRae Lake
Moreaus Bay
Pine Islands
Lost Channel
Lower Swift Slope
Moose Lake
Neipage Lake
Concession Lake
Deer Lake Complex Gray
Rapids
Loon Lake Wetlands Lower
Moon River
Morrison Lake Wetlands
Gibson River Valley
Jevins Lake
Kashe Lake Barrens
Lewisham Wetlands Riley Lake Barrens
South Three Mile Lake
Axe Lake Peatland Shack
Creek Wetland
Big East River Corridor
These
locations account for 23 out of 68 areas identified by the
Natural Heritage Areas (NHA) program. It is an excellent
start; however, a total of 45 significant NHAs on private
lands remain to be protected. And a considerable amount of
other ecologically valuable land that is in private
ownership remains to be both identified and protected.
The
Muskoka Heritage Foundation wants to encourage landowners to
become aware of the natural values of their land and to
participate in discussions about protection measures —
from stewardship activities to the donation of a
conservation easement, to actual donation of the land as a
nature reserve — whatever approach is most workable and
acceptable to the landowner.
And we believe that all landowners with heritage
lands will want to contribute to the future of a green
Muskoka.
If
you want more information on how to be a good land steward,
contact the Muskoka Heritage Foundation.
Or visit our web site at www.muskokaheritage.org
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