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Friends of the Muskoka Watershed
community need to act to tackle these threats.
Recently, Yan made the decision to rename
citizen scientists as community scientists in his
work. He explains, “With this change, we make it
clear that everyone, not just citizens, are welcome
to take part in our community science projects.”
Current chloride levels (from road salt) may be
toxic in one-quarter of Muskoka lakes and levels
are rising in many developed lakes according to
data from the provincial and district governments.
Our community scientists are helping us identify
the sources of this problem. A recently completed
report on this threat led by Dr. Neil Hutchinson,
FOTMW director, included 600 road salt measurements in 26 Muskoka locations—streams,
ditches and other drains feeding the Muskoka
River. Most of that data was collected by community scientists, and their work has identified the
land use types that contribute the most salt-contaminated inputs to the river.
“Knowledge is not enough to solve our
Sandy Lockhart is the communications director of Friends of the Muskoka Watershed.
problems,” explains Yan. “It also takes the will to
act.” When community members are involved in
creating the knowledge, then they are more likely
to participate in turning that knowledge into action.
much ash to add—enough to address nutrient deficiency without
Community science helps make science easier to comprehend.
causing any new problems. They learned that roughly one 750
Calcium decline affects half the lakes in cottage country, to the
gram yogurt container of ash is enough to restore one square
point where animals are in danger and forest health is in decline.
meter of forest floor. Everyone is excited to share that it takes one
“If the public is generating data, they understand it,” he says.
dose—ever! It’s not something you need to do every year. They
At FOTMW, many community scientists are involved in the
are educated and share their knowledge.
ASHMuskoka project to restore their forests. Those who dedicate
Yan says there are many practical reasons to have community
their time to save their fireplace wood ash and donate at a drive
scientists. “We save a tremendous amount of money by using
on a cold winter morning, are invested. “We’ve collected tens of
volunteer community scientists. We generated 600 road salt
tons of ash for forest restoration experiments because people are
measurements at 26 sites,” he says. “We couldn’t do that alone.”
engaged with the issue to the point where they are participating
And those volunteers accomplished a lot. They generated a
in the experiments,” says Yan.
broad swathe of curated information quickly. They helped us
Community scientists give FOTMW the ability to conduct
learn which land use types were responsible for high salt levels in
large-scale experiments. “With their help, we’ve identified a dose
waters draining into the Muskoka river system.
of ash to restore forest health, thanks to ash additions,” says Yan.
With so many environmental concerns and the passion many
These volunteers know that decades of acid rain left Muskoka
Muskokan’s feel for their lakes, there are community members
lakes and forests short on calcium. They know that the calcium
who want to participate and make a difference. As a community
rich woodstove ash is 25-30 per cent calcium and adding it to the
scientist, they can get involved and take action. Community
forest floor helps our trees recover from what we call “environinvolvement generates ongoing support and interest, and event
mental osteoporosis.”
grants for the FOTMW charity.
Working with community scientists also “democratices”
With all these active community scientists, the result is a broad
science. Hundreds of members of the public agree by their parsegment of the voting public that understands the issue. “Interestticipation in the ASHMuskoka project that widespread calcium
ed locals likely have a greater opportunity to influence politicians
decline is a threat worth tackling.
than scientists do,” says Yan.
Others have helped FOTMW find large-scale solutions.
As a science-based environmental charity, it’s very important
Community scientists both contributed and helped spread ash
that FOTMW is tackling questions that matter to the commuso Trent University academics and students could identify how
nity. “Why should the general public care about environmental
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