Fire Safety & Air Quality
Wildfire risk, smoke conditions, FireSmart, emergency contacts
- AirNow Fire & Smoke Map
https://fire.airnow.gov/?lang=en#10/45.1717/-79.0684 - AirNow – Lake of Bays Air Quality
https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Lake%20of%20Bays&country=CAN - FireSmoke.ca
https://firesmoke.ca - Interactive Forest Fire Map: Ministry of Natural Resources
https://www.lioapplications.lrc.gov.on.ca/ForestFireInformationMap/index.html?viewer=FFIM.FFIM&utm_campaign=/en/release
- Forest Fire Rating (daily conditions): 1-877-847-1577
- Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department (non-emergency): (705) 789-5201
- Lake of Bays Fire Department
https://www.lakeofbays.on.ca/fireemergency-services/fire-department/ - Ontario Forest, Wildland and Outdoor Fires (MNR)
https://www.ontario.ca/page/forest-wildland-and-outdoor-fires
- FireSmart Canada
https://firesmartcanada.ca - Home Owner FireSmart Manual
https://foca.on.ca/Home-Owners-FireSmart-Manual-MNR-publication.pdf - Sky Lantern & Firework Safety
https://cafc.ca/page/skylanterns
Native Plants & Pollinator Gardening
Plant lists, how-to guides, wildlife gardening resources, where to buy plants
Planning & Responsible Gardening
Plant Lists & Selection Guides- What waterfront property owners should know before altering shorelines or removing vegetation: Township Of Lake Of Bays Planning/Permits
https://lakeofbays.civicweb.net/document/97908/ - Gardeners Action Plan
https://files.ontario.ca/mnrf-invasive-species-gardeners-action-plan-en.pdf
- List Of Common Native Plants For The Muskoka-Parry Sound Area
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l_z71xFewQsN8HnSxRj02jKweRcFnD1D/view?usp=share_link - Best for the Biosphere Native Plant List
https://georgianbaybiosphere.com/Best-for-the-Biosphere-Plant-List.pdf - Your Guide to Native Ontario Plants
https://naturecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plant-List-Options-Web.pdf - Planting for Pollinators
https://georgianbaybiosphere.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Planting-for-Pollinators-A-Guide-for-Eastern-Georgian-Bay.pdf - Pollinator Plant Selection Tool
https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/en/find-your-roots - Northern Grow Me Instead
https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/NorthernGMI_2014_FINAL.compressed.pdf - Southern Grow Me Instead
https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Southern-Grow-Me-Instead-1.pdf - Ontario Tree Atlas
https://www.ontario.ca/page/tree-atlas/ontario-southcentral - Canadian Species Database
https://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/species/index.htm - Mitreworts - Woodland plants great for damp, shaded areas
https://blog.cwf-fcf.org/index.php/en/mitreworts/ - Top Three Reasons Not To Garden With Peat Moss
https://blog.cwf-fcf.org/index.php/en/top-three-reasons-not-to-garden-with-peat-moss/ - Pale Showy Goldenrod
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b1rMwG8LTAqm82MY7i75WrKclfCvfZ6Y/view?usp=share_link - Complete Guide to Showy Goldenrod (Solidago Speciosa)
https://growitbuildit.com/showy-goldenrod-solidago-speciosa/ - Native Wild Strawberries: Sweet Additions to Your Garden
https://blog.cwf-fcf.org/index.php/en/native-wild-strawberries-sweet-additions-to-your-garden/
- Gardening for Wildlife
https://cwf-fcf.org/en/explore/gardening-for-wildlife/ - Native Plant Encyclopedia
https://cwf-fcf.org/encyclopedias/native-plant-encyclopedia/ - Growing Native Plants
https://ontarionature.org/how-to-grow-native-plants-to-help-protect-pollinators-blog/ - Going Wild for Native Plants
https://ontarionature.org/going-wild-for-native-plants-blog/ - Wildlife-Friendly Gardening (video series)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY-KTbpNXtBEPVP8qCSgJ-_uMpYmjUgmn
- Hidden Habitat Native Plant Nursery
https://hiddenhabitat.ca/ontario-native-plant-nursery/ - Ontario Native Plants (delivered to your door)
https://onplants.ca/ - Muskoka Conservancy Annual Native Plant Sale
https://www.muskokaconservancy.org/native-plant-sale/ - Northern Wildflowers Catalogue
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0261/2523/8377/files/NW-Catalogue_2026.pdf?v=1769530029
Shorelines, Lawns & Natural Landscaping
Natural Edge, lake-friendly yard care, leaf management, erosion prevention
- Love Your Lake - Native Plants
https://loveyourlake.ca/project/native-plants/ - The Natural Edge Program
https://naturaledge.watersheds.ca/ - Natural Edge Resources
https://naturaledge.watersheds.ca/resources/ - Watersheds Canada Plant Database
https://naturaledge.watersheds.ca/plant-database/
Lake-Friendly Yard Care
- Backyard Habitats Guide
https://onnaturemagazine.com/backyard-habitats-guide.html - Spring & Fall Leaves Guidance
https://www.thelandbetween.ca/living-in-the-land-between/autumn-leaves-and-gardening/
Wood Ash & Soil Care
Safe use of wood ash and related research
- Your Guide to Wood Ash Recycling in Muskoka
https://fotmw.org/wp-content/uploads/ASH11-HATSEO-Tech-Rprt-3-_GuideBook.pdf - Friends of the Muskoka Watershed - Wood Ash & More
https://fotmw.org/get-involved/#ash - Nurturing Muskoka Sugar Maple Forests with Firewood Ashes
https://www.muskokaregion.com/opinion/columnists/mws-forest-firewood-ashes/article_889a2015-7280-5fa1-8855-7241a7e4a8a2.html - Restoring Sugar Bushes with Wood Ash (Research Paper)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/rec.70264
Local Environmental Organizations & Programs
Watershed groups and local initiatives
- Friends of the Muskoka Watershed
https://fotmw.org/