2025 President's Report

President Margaret Casey welcomed everyone to the annual general meeting of the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation for Fiscal 2025 (May 1, 2024 - April 30, 2025). 

This year the Foundation is celebrating our 40th anniversary and there are many good things to report including improvements to the Education Centre, our trail system and our governance structure. The directors have been busy with improvements at Marsh’s Falls Nature Reserve, running well attended community events as well as potential new land acquisitions. In September, the Board of Directors will create a new strategic plan that will focus on what we want to achieve by 2040-15 years from now.

40th Anniversary with Hikes and StoryWalk at Marsh’s Falls Nature Reserve (MFNR)

Two 40th Anniversary hikes were held at Marsh’s Falls this summer that attracted several young families. A new StoryWalk had been installed as well as a number of interpretive panels about various topics including turtles, oxbow wetlands, pollinators, and history of the land at Marsh’s Falls. Both days were extremely hot and the hikers were served cookies, cold drinks and freezies in the cooler Education Centre. A big thank you to volunteers Cathy Francis, Louisa McClanahan and Joan Decarie who helped make this happen. 

There was a 17% growth in visitors at the MFNR this year. We have retained an expert to inventory the various species on specific areas of the property. The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre released 28 incubated turtle hatchlings into the Lower Oxtongue River at MFNR.

Annually Community Events

Harriet T. Weaver Memorial Bursaries of $1,000 are awarded to one student at each of Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School and Huntsville High School who has been accepted by a post secondary institute for studies in subjects aligned with the Foundation’s interests. Since inception in 2014, 23 students have received assistance. 

The Dr. Cathy Charles Bird Count takes place on the first weekend in May. This year was one of our best turnouts despite an early morning temperature of 4 degrees. Rick and Kelly Stronks are very knowledgeable and wonderful guides; as a result, we all stayed until noon! And we heard 30 species of birds!

The Butterfly Count held on July 6th also had an excellent turnout. The weather was warm, and, once again, Rick and Kelly kept everyone’s interest. Our efforts to maintain the pollinator meadow around the Education Centre are very successful. The Annual Silent Boat Rally is our most popular event and is organized by Mark McLean with help from 6 other directors. All participants were enchanted by the peacefulness of the river and the opportunity to learn more about the ecology of the lower Oxtounge River.

Mushroom Forays are led by Mark Maclean and fill up quickly! There are 2 forays: August 26th and 30th.

New Land Donation: Westermain Woods

Westermain Woods is located on the west side of Lake of Bays and is made up of two tracts of land. One of the tracts is Needlers Point with 14.6 acres and 740 feet of shoreline. The other is 333.75 acres of forested land that lies on the west side of South Portage Road. The area contains a very mature upland forest in good condition and of significant size. For many years private landowners have maintained the forest in a natural state and the District of Muskoka identifies Westermain Woods as a Muskoka Heritage Area. 

In 1977 Westermain Woods was incorporated as a non-profit organization with board membership made up of the owners of the 7 adjacent waterfront lots. The corporation’s sole mandate was to care for and protect the 2 tracts of land. A Managed Forest Plan is in place. 

Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation will retain the existing goals and objectives of the current Management Plan, keeping the land in its current undeveloped state. An easement will provide the 7 lot owners with access to the land.

The name Westermain Woods will be retained, and the land will only be accessible for monitoring and scientific study. The Foundation may occasionally hold nature events led by qualified naturalists.

We are very grateful for the donation of Westermain Woods. It is a great addition to the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation’s conservation properties, almost doubling in size the protected acres we own and manage.

We hope to announce a second property donation of a similar scale in the weeks ahead.

The Foundation is a volunteer organization funded by memberships and donations for which we are very grateful. We are also very grateful to the people who have donated land for conservation.  However, there are costs associated with stewarding the Foundation’s protected properties. By donating annually, even if you are a Life member, you help us to protect more land and to engage the community in conservation.