Ontario is taking action to enhance the effectiveness of the province’s conservation authorities, which will create consistency, reduce costs and drive faster outcomes for the communities they serve. These changes will support the government’s commitment to protect Ontario’s economy by speeding up critical infrastructure and housing development, while safeguarding the environment. To lead these efforts, Hassaan Basit, a well-respected and non-partisan leader with deep experience with local conservation authorities, will serve in a newly created role as the Chief Conservation Executive, effective August 4, 2025.

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This exciting fundraiser, licensed by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and subject to their regulations, is a great way to support the cause and win big. The 50/50 Raffle launched on Friday, Oct. 25. Ticket sales end on Monday, Nov. 25, and the draw date is Tuesday, Nov. 26. The pot is already over $38,000, meaning the winner takes home $19,000, and there is still time for the pot to grow.

The OTCC is a registered charity that protects and conserves Ontario’s native turtles and their habitat. It accomplishes this by operating a turtle hospital that treats, rehabilitates, and releases injured turtles, conducting extensive research to further conservation initiatives, and running a comprehensive education and outreach program.

Helping Raise Funds

Participating in the OTCC’s 50/50 Raffle is simple. For every ticket you purchase, half the amount goes into the prize pot, and the other half goes towards treating and caring for injured turtles admitted to the OTCC. The last 50/50 raffle winner took home $14,310, which means the same amount went to helping the turtles—thanks to everyone who purchased tickets.

In a 50/50 raffle, the prize money is half the total ticket sales, so the more tickets sold, the bigger the prize. Your participation gives you a chance to win big and directly contribute to the conservation of Ontario’s turtles.

Wildlife Rescues

Fundraising for wildlife rescues is essential because it directly supports the care, rehabilitation and conservation of animals affected by vehicle strikes, habitat loss, pollution, climate change and mishaps due to human activities and infrastructure. Wildlife rescues often receive limited or no government funding because they fall outside government budget priorities, frequently focused on healthcare, infrastructure and human services. While governments allocate some funding for conservation programs, it’s usually directed toward large-scale, high-profile environmental initiatives or specific endangered species programs rather than smaller, local wildlife rescues.

Most wildlife rescues operate as non-profits to remain operational, relying heavily on donations, grants and fundraising to cover expenses. Securing government grants can be challenging, as it frequently involves strict compliance criteria, lengthy application processes, and competition with other environmental organizations that equally need the funds. This funding gap is why community support and fundraising are so crucial— and why wildlife rescues, for example, the OTCC, rely on donations for medical treatments, food, specialized equipment and staffing, allowing them to continue their essential work in caring for injured turtles native to Ontario so they can be released back into the wild to fulfill their unique and valuable role in the ecosystem providing services we all depend and benefit from.

With a record 2,300 turtles admitted to the turtle hospital this year, your support is more urgent than ever. Every dollar you contribute will make a significant difference! The hope is that the raffle pot will surpass the last raffle, and this will directly translate into more resources for the OTCC to continue its vital work in caring for injured turtles and promoting their conservation.

50/50 Raffle Conditions

Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre is the legal operating name of Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre, Registered Charitable Business #857524409 RR0001.

AGCO License RAF1425891 | Must be 18+ and a resident of Ontario
Prize: 50% of Ticket Sales
Ticket Prices: 40 for $100; 12 for $50; 3 for $20; 1 for $10
Sales End: November 25, 2024, | Draw Date November 26, 2024, 11:00 AM EST at 2785 Television Road, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 1E9.

For more information about the 50/50 Raffle or other ways to help turtles, email info@ontarioturtle.ca, call 705-741-5000, or visit ontarioturtle.ca. Click here to buy raffle tickets.

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The Muskoka Scuba Team is a scuba diving group created out of the Scuba Shack in Gravenhurst. They go for dives together every Thursday during the summer and for a special dive on New Year’s. They decided to organize and execute the clean-up after seeing a need for it during their weekly dives. 

“As we were going on these dives, we could see just how poorly our lakes are being treated,” said team member Kaitlyn Hamilton in a written statement. “While we will continue to dive every Thursday evening in the summer, we hope that the clean-up dive will raise awareness throughout the Muskoka region and encourage others to join us [to] clean up our local lakes!”

Hamilton was in the water during the dive and acted as divemaster. She is the co-leader of the team and an “all-around great addition to Scuba Shack,” said owner Jane Mark.

With help from the Huntsville Rotary Club and Algonquin Outfitters, the scuba team spent a couple of hours removing trash from the water. Volunteers organized by the Rotary Club sorted, catalogued and disposed of the items found.

“We are more inspired than ever with how much trash was pulled within the two hours that the Muskoka Scuba team were in the water,” Hamilton said. “Items like sinks, shopping carts, bicycles, skateboards, a lot of bottles, wrappers, and more were found and brought to the surface to be disposed of.”

The team logged the clean-up as part of Dive Against Debris, a citizen-science program that has divers collect marine trash and report data on what they collect. The program is under the umbrella of the nonprofit organization PADI AWARE, which focuses on global ocean conservation.

The Muskoka Scuba Team hopes to clean up at least one location a year, possibly more. They want to extend special thanks to Algonquin Outfitters, Adrian Musters and the rest of the Rotary Club.

Plans for the next clean-up dive are still underway, so until then, they invite anyone interested in diving to tag along on their next outing.

“Although we sell memberships, you do not have to be a member,” she said. “We encourage anyone who is a diver to come join us! The whole reason we started the team was just to get divers together throughout the community – locals and tourists – out for a dive.”

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In addition, Orillia Horticulture Club, Mariposa Pollinators, and Streets Alive teamed up Monday to add native pollinator plants to the Orillia Public Library gardens. A kaleidoscope of butterflies painted by Streets Alive artists in 2020 caught the attention of passers-by as the groups came together to get Pollinator Week 2024 off to a flying start.

Mariposa Pollinators member Matt Thomson read a City of Orillia Proclamation for National Pollinator Week.

Orillia joins other cities nationwide in celebrating Pollinator Week, an annual celebration in support of pollinator health initiated by Pollinator Partnership, that has since spread throughout North America.

Pollinator awareness focuses on supporting native pollinators, especially insects, through the stewardship of habitat. Seeding and planting of plants native to the local environment helps support pollinator species such as butterflies and bees.

“Pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, moths, and other insects are essential partners of farmers and ranchers in providing much of our food supply;…pollinators provide significant environmental benefits that are necessary for maintaining healthy ecosystems,” reads the City of Orillia Proclamation for National Pollinator Week June 17 to 23, 2024.

The proclamation comes just in time for Streets Alive Productions’ ‘Pollinator Friendly’ installation. Artistic representations of sixty native pollinator flowers are displayed throughout Orillia’s downtown. The annual Streets Alive public art display has in past years featured bicycles, sailboats, and most recently, guitars honouring Gordon Lightfoot.

“The ‘Pollinator Friendly’ public art project highlights the importance of native flowers as the best option in our gardens. The colour and beautiful designs painted by local artists brightens the streetscape and helps educate the community on which flower species attract the bees, butterflies, and wide variety of pollinators that ensure a healthy ecosystem,” says Streets Alive founder Leslie Fournier.

To learn more about local pollinators, the Mariposa Bio Blitz Project invites residents to snap photo observations of pollinating insects and birds. Participants can share their observations on iNaturalist throughout Pollinator Week, June 17-23. “This is a cool way to help real scientists. I love the fact that anyone can do this, and each observation becomes a data point,” says Mariposa Pollinators member Gavy Swan. To participate, sign up for a free iNaturalist account and search for the Mariposa Bio Blitz Project 2024.

Youth-led group ‘Monarch Squad’ joins Mariposa Pollinators to present the One Plant Challenge: plant at least one native pollinator flower in your yard, garden, or balcony. “If everyone in Orillia planted one pollinator plant, that’d be thousands of new plants to feed bees and butterflies!” says Monarch Squad co-founder Morgan Mansfield, 10. Participants can share proof they met the challenge using  #OnePlantChallenge on social media.  “We hope people do the challenge because it will help grow habitat to keep our pollinators alive, and it’s good for the environment,” adds Monarch Squad co-founder Phoenix Ormson, 9. “You should just do it.”

Mariposa Pollinators will be adding a Native Plant Seeds collection to the Orillia Public Library Seed Library, Thursday. The Orillia Seed Library allows people to sign out up to 3 seed packages per person for free. Patrons are encouraged to collect seeds from the plants grown and return them to the seed library to share with others.

“We’re always trying to make native plant seeds available to people. And I believe the Orillia Seed Library usually has some on hand. But now they can be clearly identified as native plants to make them easy to find.” says Swan. Making these seeds available “increases community engagement with conservation efforts, and helps preserve our native plants biodiversity and genetics,” adds Mariposa Pollinators member Jennifer Bayley. “It’s one more way we can come together for the common goal of supporting wildlife and their habitats.”

Pollinators and you

In Canada, pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, and hummingbirds, among others.

Supporting our native pollinators has never been more important, as they provide significant environmental benefits that are essential to maintaining healthy ecosystems. In fact, they’re responsible for 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat.

There are roughly 400 species of native bees across Ontario that are solitary, ground nesting, and are small enough that they don’t have stingers. Bees are often confused with wasps, though wasps tend to be more aggressive predatory insects.

There are more than 100 species of butterflies and over 3,000 species of moths across the province. Moths are often referred to as “the night shift” as they’re busy visiting blooms while we’re sleeping at night.

In southern climates bats play a role in pollination and visit desert blooms like blue agave, which is the base ingredient for tequila.

Climate change has put pollinators in jeopardy around the world.

The best way to support our pollinating insects is by incorporating native perennials into your garden, as most of them rely on these plants for foraging, reproduction, and habitat. These relationships have been long standing over millennia. Once established, native plants require less watering and are adaptable to droughts.

Look for native plants at your local garden centre, or search out a plant nursery that specializes in native plants. Take advantage of local seed giveaways, seed libraries, and native plant initiatives.

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Kelly Wallace, managing director and founder of the Think Turtle Conservation Initiative, said her team often starts around 5 a.m. and doesn’t finish until 8 to 10 p.m. The non-profit is based in Bancroft but provides turtle conservation education and assistance across the province. They split their days between answering phone calls, Facebook messages, and emails and doing work out in the field. Every day is different, but they’re often installing nest protectors and coordinating plans to rescue injured turtles. June is typically their busiest time, and this year is no exception despite the inconsistent temperatures.

“It’s got the turtles a bit mixed up because they’re so sensitive to environmental change,” Wallace said. “The snapping turtles, which are pretty much the most sensitive to the environmental change, they’re really just starting to get nesting.”

Every year, turtle conservationists across the province try to plan for the busy season, but it all comes down to the transition between winter and spring, Wallace said. The change between seasons dictates the reproduction timeline, and it’s always different. 

Her team has seen a lot of digging and other activity from snapping turtles, but they haven’t fully settled into nesting. Looking at the weather forecast, a cooler end to June and high temperatures in July are a good indication that most nesting activity will happen over the next few weeks, taper off during cooler temperatures, and pick back up in July.

Climate change has impacted turtle habits in a few ways. One of those is the increased tendency to overwinter in their nests. Turtle hatchlings will remain in an underground nest throughout the winter before emerging from April to early June. The Think Turtle team saw one emerge at the end of last week. It’s yet another testament to this year’s unusual weather patterns, and the heat anticipated next month is expected to have its own effects.

“If we’re going to have a really, really hot summer, then that means that we probably are going to end up having more female hatchlings because the sex is dependent on the temperature,” she said. “There’s more females when it’s hot and then when it’s cooler, there’s more males.”

The same is true in each individual nest. The eggs at the top of the nest that get more sunlight are more likely to be females. In the middle of the nest, it will be a mix of sexes while the eggs toward the bottom are more likely to be male.

Despite the many effects of climate change, one thing has stayed consistent: getting struck by a vehicle remains one of the greatest threats to Ontario’s turtles. As of June 11, the number of intakes at the turtle hospital was 1,128, double what they had at the same time last year. It’s a significant increase that’s both good and bad; the number of injured turtles is shocking, but they’re getting better care than ever before.

One of the biggest things members of the public can do is simply watch the road and surrounding areas for turtles and other wildlife. Road mortality is a major contributor to population decline in turtles and other animals, so though Ontario is lucky to have a turtle hospital, it’s better to reduce the need for their services, especially when it comes to avoidable injuries on the road.

“It’s one of those things where it’s really jarring to think of that many turtles being largely hit by vehicles, but also, it is remarkable the number of people that are helping and stopping and making sure that the turtles get to the turtle hospital,” she said.

For people who want to get more involved in turtle conservation, there are a range of ways to help. People with nests on their property can install nest protectors. Nest protectors are available for purchase across the province and Think Turtle offers instructions on how property owners can make their own.

The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre (OTCC), home to the turtle hospital in Peterborough, has a network of volunteers called turtle taxi drivers. The drivers help coordinate travel for injured turtles to ensure they receive timely medical attention. Long-distance trips can be split up by multiple volunteers, so volunteers in areas like Muskoka can be a valuable asset.

Another great way to help is by assisting turtles across the road when it’s safe to do so. It’s important to move turtles in the direction they’re already headed; otherwise, they’re likely to double back and cross the road again. When handling turtles, people should wear gloves, hold the turtle low to the ground to avoid damage to their shells if they’re dropped, and never hold turtles by their tails.

Smaller turtles can be picked up by the middle of their shell, but since snappers have such long necks, they should be handled from the back of their shell. Volunteers can either slide their hand under the back of the turtle like a pizza box, put their hands on either side of the tail to lift, or use a shovel to move the animal. 

Locals can help with data collection by reporting turtle sightings in the Simcoe-Muskoka region to the Saving Turtles At Risk Today (S.T.A.R.T.) Turtle Project at 705-955-4284. They take calls for sightings of rare species or nesting females as well as injured or dead turtles.  People can also call the OTCC at 705-741-5000 to report injured turtles.

“When people stop to help an injured turtle and they report it to the turtle hospital, they should make sure that they do that when they’re with the turtle,” Wallace said. “Because once you drive away from the turtle, if it’s injured and if it does actually manage to be mobile enough that they can get back into the wild, the chances of it surviving without medical care, it’s very debatable.”

Remaining at the site gives turtle taxi drivers and other volunteers the best possible opportunity to locate and secure injured turtles. Soon, the turtles may not have to travel so far.

The S.T.A.R.T. Turtle Project collaborates with the Georgian Bay Turtle Hospital. They’re not ready to provide rehabilitative services yet, but they hope to become the second designated turtle hospital in the province to expand options for treatment and to reduce the environmental impact of transporting injured turtles. 

While it’s devastating to see so many injured animals, Wallace said Ontario is lucky to have the resources it does. She started working in turtle conservation in 2016 and founded Think Turtle two years later. In the years since she started, she’s seen a dramatic increase in the number of people who are interested in turtle conservation. 

She said more people are talking about turtles and nature as a whole, so it’s been amazing to see the shift. She’s glad that more and more people are mindful of their time on the road and willing to help turtles along the way, particularly considering the toll humans have taken on their territory.

“We built the roads and basically we fragmented their habitat and their natural corridors,” she said. “We get to hear more and more about people that are stopping safely to help move turtles in the direction they were headed, and that right there, that’s a citizen-based conservation effort that makes such a huge difference.”

For more information about turtle conservation, visit the Think Turtle Conservation Initiative online.

Turtle Hooked On Your Fishing Line? Here’s What To Do

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“Nature conservation benefits people in all the communities we serve, it confers benefits to future generations, and everyone connected to Muskoka Conservancy shares a part of this success,” said Executive Director Scott Young. “From the youngsters in our Little Sprouts Eco Club right on up to the donors of multimillion-dollar properties, we thank you all!”

Board chair Bob Weekes highlighted the most recent success stories in his address to Conservancy supporters who packed the charming and historic meeting hall. “We have had another successful year,” he said, “adding five more properties to the lands under our protection.”

Attendees enjoyed a slide show featuring photos of the newly protected lands:

• 17 acres on Porter Lake near Bala donated by Nature photographer Eleanor Kee-Wellman.
• An enhanced easement for 1,760 feet of shoreline on Lake of Bays thanks to Tara and Jason Ashdown.
• Another 20 acres were added to The Wolf Mountain Conservation Easement on Peninsula Lake thanks to Norm Moffat.
• An addition to the South Monck Meadows Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Bracebridge thanks to John & Kerry Fitzmaurice.
• The 597-acre Carr’s Lake Hunt Camp—now the largest of Muskoka Conservancy’s holdings, made possible with gifts from Brad Ford, Don Scott, Gerard Newman, David Young, and William Fitchett, and financial backing from Maple Cross, The Kenneth M Molson Foundation, Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions, and Ontario’s Greenlands
  Conservation Partnership Program.

“We are indebted to those foundations and to all our other financial supporters. We are also most grateful to our dedicated team of Board members and a number of committed volunteers who work quietly behind the scenes,” said Weekes.

Weekes has now completed his term as Board Chair. He remains with the Board as Past Chair. Peter Love was appointed the next Board Chair of Muskoka Conservancy at the meeting.

Love has been active in environmental and energy policy for more than 50 years. While at university in the late 60s, he became one of the founding members of Pollution Probe. His first full-time job was at Pollution Probe as part of the team that developed the concept of the 3 R’s: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” A former Chief Energy Conservation Officer for Ontario, he has served as director of the Muskoka Lakes Association and the Canadian Coalition on Acid Rain.

Muskoka Conservancy offers a local, nature-based solution to serious environmental problems like climate change, biodiversity loss and over-development. These land conservation efforts are mirrored by many similar organizations across Ontario, Canada, the U.S. and beyond, meaning local action is having a global impact.

“The Conservancy team of staff, donors, and volunteers are all dedicated to a clear cause: every year protecting more land,” said Young. “We are part of a success story making Muskoka better while helping to solve global challenges, and that feels good!”

The Conservancy gathering also included an awards ceremony. The prestigious Wayland Drew Award was presented to Allyn Abbott, who for decades has exemplified environmental leadership, stewardship and conservation through her involvement with the Conservancy.

The Esson Bursary was awarded to local Secondary School graduates Zachary Caplan of Huntsville and Will Lockhart of Bracebridge ($2,000 each). Odin Robinson took home the Little Sprouts Eco Club Photo Contest prize, and Laurel Turansky was the winner of the 2024 Michael Foster Photography Contest.

The meeting wrapped up with a special keynote presentation by Kathy Jones of Birds Canada, who spoke about the declining status of The Common Loon in Muskoka. The presentation included an update on the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and offered some helpful do’s and don’ts for installing floating nesting platforms.

1 of 10

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The South Freezy Lake old-growth forest has been recognized by both the Governments of Ontario and Canada as conserved and entered into Canada’s Protected and Conserved Areas Database. The database monitors progress toward Canada’s target of protecting 30 per cent of its lands and waters by 2030.

The 20-hectare site is surrounded by the sustainably managed forests of Haliburton Forest. Due to its unique ecology and history, the site has been set aside from timber harvesting and other industrial activities for the long term. The area’s old-growth sugar maple, eastern hemlock, American beech and white pine trees will support lasting biodiversity conservation.

The announcement was made at a media availability and property tour involving representatives from NCC and Haliburton Forest managing director Malcolm Cockwell, a registered professional forester. Cockwell also serves as volunteer president of Forests Ontario, the largest tree-planting charity in Canada.

OECMs are an emerging conservation category that received increased attention at the 15^th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Montreal in December 2022. OECMs provide the same conservation benefits as protected areas but are not managed primarily for the protection of nature. They are internationally recognized for their role in helping address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

OECMs can accelerate the pace of conservation by acknowledging and supporting important conservation work already happening in a variety of sectors, and are a critical part of a whole-of-society approach to conservation. Collaborations like the one between NCC and Haliburton Forest are essential in helping Canada meet its commitment of protecting a minimum of 30 per cent of its lands and waters by 2030.

“This partnership is an example of the collaborative commitment required by all sectors to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and the ongoing and exemplary contributions of the forest industry to conservation. Forestry companies, such as Haliburton Forest, are a critical part of the whole-of-society approach needed for Canada to reach its ambitious conservation targets by 2030. The Nature Conservancy of Canada applauds the vision and leadership of the management team of Haliburton Forest, and we hope this exciting milestone inspires other large landowners, corporations and industries to explore similar initiatives for conservation.” – Kristyn Ferguson, Program Director, Nature Conservancy of Canada in Ontario

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These are the lucky ones.

Two of the seven cubs were brought to the sanctuary after their mom was illegally shot near Haliburton. “They were spotted nursing from their deceased mom when we got the call,” said Jan Kingshott, director of animal welfare at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. The other cubs – all five of them – had to scramble after their moms were hit by vehicles and killed in three separate instances.

“The work that we do here at the sanctuary is not for the faint of heart,” said Linda Glimps, executive director of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. “It’s a roller coaster of emotions and heart-wrenching, to say the least.”

Upon arrival at the Sanctuary, each cub was triaged, provided with first aid, and a plan of care was put into play. “X-rays of one of the cubs revealed two breaks in his left front leg and our volunteer drivers took him to the National Wildlife Centre for emergency surgery,” said Kingshott. “He has since returned and will be closely monitored through his recovery.”

All cubs are roughly eight months of age and, for the most part, started their journey at the sanctuary in an indoor enclosure where they were monitored and received species-specific formula, in addition to solid foods. Later they were moved to a natural woodland outdoor enclosure in a very remote area on the sanctuary’s 460-acre property. As they continue to grow, they will all be moved to an even larger enclosure with various “denning” options in which to hibernate over the cold winter months.

“While they could choose to hibernate on their own, we anticipate that they’ll curl up together in one or two denning sites before making a reappearance in the spring,” said Kingshott.

Bear cubs, who are generally born in January, remain at the sanctuary for an entire year before being released back into the wild the following summer. This is in keeping with the length of time they would remain in the wild with their moms giving them sufficient opportunity to grow strong and learn some of life’s lessons – hibernating and tree climbing for instance. Other animals including raccoons, skunks, deer fawn, coyote and fox – to name a few – have been winding down their stay at the sanctuary and are being released this fall.

Not surprisingly, first aid, food, vaccinations and size-appropriate enclosures (indoor and outdoor) are all requirements for successful rehabilitation and cost a great deal of money. “The larger the mammal the more expensive the care,” said Alison Withey, director of advancement and communications for Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. “If you’re a pet owner, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Last month, Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary reached out to the community for help with respect to five injured and orphaned moose calves in their care. They had set a goal of raising $50,000 towards their wildlife program by the end of this year. “While our goal remains the same, the addition of seven cubs does raise the urgency of our push for funds,” added Withey. “If you are able to donate, now is the time.”

As a not-for-profit, Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is solely dependent on the generosity of its donors.  Please visit aspenvalley.ca to discover the many ways to give (including your volunteer time) and learn how to “keep wildlife wild”. They accept the donation of securities and bequests and love it when friends of Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary initiate fundraisers of their own.

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“This is our largest single nature reserve by area,” says Scott Young of Muskoka Conservancy. “It includes two water sources into Lake Rosseau, which makes the area significant to protecting the water quality on this iconic Muskoka lake.”

The Bear Cave-Koetitz Nature Reserve is in a unique location where watersheds of the Rosseau River and the Shadow River come within less than a kilometer of each other on their divergent meandering way through north Muskoka. The two rivers flow into Lake Rosseau about five kilometers apart. The Shadow flows into Rosseau Bay and the Rosseau into Mutchinbacker Bay.

“I’m glad Rose-Maria could do this for the animals and the environment,” says her close friend Janis Gibbs.

Natural wetlands are critical habitat to 20 per cent of Ontario’s species at risk, some of which find their homes on Bear Cave-Koetitz Nature Reserve. In addition, wetlands are important to the filtration of water and slow the flow of water over land.

By protecting wetlands, conservation efforts improve overall water quality, reducing incidents of Blue-Green Algae blooms which have occurred in Lake Rosseau. Reduced flow helps prevent flooding, which has also been an issue on all Muskoka’s big lakes.

“We are very thankful for this generous donation made by Rose-Maria Koetitz,” said Bob Weekes, president of the Muskoka Conservancy. “This is a big deal and it never would have happened without Conservancy volunteers. I’d like to offer a special thanks to Janis Gibbs for facilitating the donation.”

Muskoka Conservancy is the nature conservancy of Muskoka. Its mission is to protect nature. Bear Cave-Koetitz is Muskoka Conservancy’s 49th protected property. The Conservancy protects 3,750 acres of land, 60,000 feet of natural shoreline and 675 acres of wetlands.

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Cailan paddled 120 kilometres in 2020 and 250 kilometres in 2021, all with her mother Debbie and her shih tzu Tinkerbell by her side. She isn’t able to volunteer for Aspen Valley’s animal care program until she’s 18, so in the meantime, she decided to set a goal of fundraising $100,000 for the sanctuary, which cares for injured and orphaned wildlife. Along with the $15,000 she collected through door-to-door efforts and working at events, she has raised $28,815 through her paddles so far, bringing her total to nearly $44,000.

“I believe that without animals, we wouldn’t have our Muskoka and our woods and our Earth, really,” Cailan said. “It’s such an important thing and if we want a future, we really need to take care of our habitat heroes.”

Cailan and her crew took some wrong turns during last year’s paddle, and with the hot weather and unfamiliar territory, it made for a challenging journey. Still, despite the difficulties, they’re upping the ante with this year’s trip by increasing the distance. They expect it to be about 350 kilometres with 50 portages along the way.

Cailan and her mom have been canoeing and camping all summer to practice for the big trip. They’re currently dehydrating food and packing grab bags to switch out their supplies as they make their way through Muskoka. Keeping the weight of their packs down is an important aspect to consider, especially since they need room for some special cargo: the nearly 12-year-old Tinkerbell.

They can’t imagine doing the paddle without her, but as Tinkerbell gets older, she can’t handle the rough terrain of some portages. They’re happy to carry her along, though, especially since they know how much the little dog adores her time on the water.

“When you’re suffering and your arms feel like they’re going to fall off, all you have to do is look in the middle of the canoe and she’s looking out and sniffing the air and happy and you’re like, ‘Okay, well, at least one of us is enjoying it at this moment,’” Cailan laughed.

Cailan and Debbie will leave from Moon River Cottages on Sept. 1 and spend a few days in the Moon River area to rest for their trip and let some of the lake traffic die down. Then on Sept. 5, they will start their journey on Moon River before crossing Lake Muskoka and entering into the Muskoka River. They plan to take it slow and enjoy the last few weeks of summer, so they’re not sure how long the paddle will take.

They debated on the route for a while, but they ultimately decided it was best to start and finish at Moon River with mostly familiar territory in between. They’ll face a new portage between the north and south branches of the Muskoka River, but more importantly, they know they’ll be passing through several areas with slim pickings for camping locations.

They’re asking anyone who lives on the Muskoka River that is willing to let them set up their tent on a dock or lawn to send them a message on Facebook or Instagram. Having safe places to camp will give them some options and some peace of mind, Debbie said, and they’re hoping some locals may even join in on the paddle.

“We’re going to track our whereabouts better so that online they’ll be able to see where we are, where we’ll be taking off from the next morning and if they are able to come out and join us, I think it would be great,” Debbie said. “We’re really wanting to turn it into a community event.”

In future years, Debbie hopes to include a community paddle day where other locals canoe along with them before sending them off on the rest of their trip. They met people along last year’s route that expressed interest in joining them for a portion of the paddle, so they’re hoping to see some familiar faces this year.

Wildlife rehabilitation centres and sanctuaries are not government funded in Ontario, which is part of the reason Cailan and Debbie are so passionate about the cause. Places like Aspen Valley rely on donations from the public, and it’s an issue that extends far beyond cottage country.

“People come from far and wide to come to Muskoka, and we feel like it’s more than just a community issue here,” Debbie said. “As a whole, our province and our country need to really understand that taking care of wildlife ensures our habitats and clean air and filtered water and farming. I mean, without wildlife, we don’t really stand a chance for a future.”

Cailan said it’s been incredible to see how supportive the community is, especially considering how COVID impacted people and their businesses over the last two years. Seeing that support has made her feel better about the future since she knows there are people out there who want to protect it by protecting nature.

Debbie is proud to see Cailan’s ongoing dedication to wildlife, and she’s not the only one. The team at Aspen Valley was able to create a new facility for injured and orphaned fawns thanks to the funds raised by her first annual paddle. Alison Withey, director of advancement and communications at Aspen Valley, said they’re in need of that support again as they face another record year of intakes.

“Cailan’s passion for wildlife and their habitat is unstoppable. She has remained steadfast in her goal and we are truly grateful for her support,” Withey said. “This season has brought five orphaned moose calves and five orphaned bear cubs to our doorstep, in addition to hundreds of other animals in need of urgent care. The need is great and your contribution to Cailan’s fundraiser couldn’t be made at a better time than now.”

To follow along with Cailan’s fundraiser, visit her Instagram and Facebook pages. Click here to make a donation to the paddle.

The post Muskoka Teen Sets Out On Third Annual Paddle For Wildlife appeared first on Muskoka411.