Natural Environment Organizations

Lake Partner Program by DESC
The Lake Partner Program is a volunteer-based water-quality monitoring program for Ontario's inland lakes. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks coordinates this program from the Dorset Environmental Science Centre (DESC) in partnership with the Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations. Each year, more than 600 volunteers monitor water quality in almost 550 inland lakes at over 800 sampling locations.

Volunteers collect water samples and return them, postage paid, to DESC. All analyses are performed in the DESC Water Chemistry Laboratory. The resulting data are used by members of the public, partner agencies, government and academic researchers and private consultants to assess and report on water quality in lakes across Ontario. Total phosphorus, calcium and water clarity data are published on the provincial Lake Partner Program website, as well as Ontario's Open Data Catalogue.

  • P.O. Box 39, 1E0, 1026 Bellwood Acres Rd, Dorset, Ontario
  • www.desc.ca

 The Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority
The Conservation Authority's main purpose is to manage natural resources, primarily land and water, on a watershed basis. To do this, they participate in many different activities including surveys and studies of our natural resources, education programs, land use planning and forestry, to name a few.

  • 1641 Perth Road, P.O. Box 160, Glenburnie, Ontario K0H 1S0
  • 613-546-4228
  • info@crca.ca
  • https://crca.ca/

Water Rangers
Water Rangers is a non-profit group focused on inspiring the public to get involved by collecting water data around their local rivers and lakes. Current data collection methods and reporting are mostly time consuming and manual. Water Rangers encourages more people to collect data, teach them how to conduct experiments, easily analyse the data, and be able to recognize risks to their waterways. Citizens, schools, and all those who are already collecting data will be able to organize more trips and expeditions to collect water samples and general observations without overburdening already stretched conservation authorities and riverkeepers to manage the data.

In 2020, they were named "a bold and transformative solution" to help achieve the goal of ensuring all of Canada’s freshwater is healthy.

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Watersheds Canada
Watersheds Canada is a federally incorporated non-profit organization and registered Canadian charity. They are committed to providing programs to communities across the country that work to engage and help shoreline owners enhance and protect the health of lakes and rivers.

Explore their comprehensive Plant Database for Ontario. Click on the plant name to get more information, including saving to your own list.

  • 115-40 Sunset Boulevard, Perth, Ontario K7H 2Y4
  • 613-264-1244
  • info@watersheds.ca
  • www.watersheds.ca

Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network
Initially nominated by the community in 2000, the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region was designated as Canada's 12th biosphere reserve by the UNESCO "Man and the Biosphere" programme in November 2002. It was re-designated in 2007, with a larger land area including Frontenac Provincial Park. The biosphere region overlaps with the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe (Algonquin) and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) lands and covers an area from Brockville and Gananoque, extending north of Kingston including Harrowsmith, Verona and Westport. It encompasses and area of approximately 2700 sq. km.

Bedford Mining Alert
The Bedford Mining Alert is a group of citizens in Bedford District in South Frontenac Township. They are concerned about the growing threat of mining in this region. The vision of Bedford Mining Alert is to landscape where responsible mining practices respect property owners, the environment and regional land use decision.

EOMF
The EOMF is a not-for-profit, charitable organization. The EOMF works with government, landowners, industry, First Nations, non-government organizations and others to develop new ways to sustain and manage our forest resources. The model forest provides a unique forum where forest owners, managers, and users can forge partnerships, share their knowledge, and combine their expertise and resources.