Volunteers who take water samples as part of Ontario’s Lake Partner Program are key to what we know about phosphorus in Lake of the Woods and throughout the entire watershed. Bev Clark, an environmental scientist and consultant who has worked on Lake of the Woods and with the Foundation for many years, presents the Lake of the Woods phosphorus story. In a later article, Bev will focus on the upstream waters that feed into Lake of the Woods, including the Rainy River and beyond.
Andrea Khanjin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Environment, Conservation & Parks, Jeff Yurek, and MPP for Barrie – Innisfil delivered an address at the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum. She highlighted progress under Ontario’s Environment Plan which identified Lake of the Woods as a priority for actions and asserted the commitments of the Government of Ontario to Lake of the Woods
Our annual International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum took place March 11-12 in International Falls, Minnesota. The Forum program featured an update on the Minnesota plan to cut phosphorus, a focus session on toxins produced by algae, a full day devoted to outcomes of Environment Canada’s Lake of the Woods science program and an international panel discussion session on next steps – with science as the foundation, how do Canadian and American agencies move forward to develop a plan for the lake.
Read more: 2020 Watershed Forum – Spotlight on Lake of the Woods Nutrient & Algae Science
Tim Pascoe, Environmental Scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is the 2020 recipient of the Kallemeyn Award, recognizing his outstanding professional achievements and contributions to collaborative research and resource management in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods Basin.The Kallemeyn Award was presented to Tim by the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation on behalf of the community of scientists and resource managers from the United States and Canada attending the 2020 International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum in International Falls, MN.
The Foundation presented Pauline Gerrard, Deputy Director of the IISD – Experimental Lakes Area, with the 2020 Wilson Stewardship Award for her leadership in developing environmental education programs at the IISD-ELA and for building knowledge sharing between scientists, First Nations community members and the general public and helping to educate the scientists of tomorrow.
The Foundation presents the Wilson Stewardship Award annually to recognize individuals, groups, or projects that are making significant contributions to environmental stewardship in the Rainy-Lake of the Woods watershed.
Battigelli Award - 2020 Recipient Kelly Macgillivray
Kelly Macgillivray, MSc. candidate at Trent University, is a recipient of the 2020 Deborah Battigelli Memorial Award. Presented by the Foundation, this Award provides financial assistance to graduate students to present their research at the annual International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum.
Kelly's research is improving our understanding of sources of nutrients and potential best management practices to limit phosphorus loading to the Rainy River and to Lake of the Woods. Kelly will deliver the Deborah Battigelli Memorial presentation at the Forum titled "Longitudinal patterns in nutrient export in the lower Rainy River watershed".
Battigelli Award - 2020 Recipient Seth McWorter
Seth McWhorter, MSc. candidate at the University of Georgia, Warnell School of Natural Resources, is a recipient of the 2020 Deborah Battigelli Memorial Award. Presented by the Foundation, this Award provides financial assistance to graduate students to present their research at the annual International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Forum.
Seth's research into cyanotoxins in water and fish fillets should contribute to ecological risk assessments and importantly help inform human health risk in lake and areas plagued by cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms. Seth will deliver a presentation at the Forum titled "Investigating presence of cyanotoxins in fish of Voyageurs National Park".
Read more: Deborah Battigelli Memorial Fund Awards Announcement 2020
August 15, 2019 in Treaty 2 Territory, Leadership from the Anishinaabe Nation of Treaty #3 and technical support staff met with International Joint Commission (IJC) Commissioners and staff at Prairie Firehouse in Brandon, MB.
An account of this important meeting as well as details of the Treaty #3 Nibi (water) Declaration is available in the pdf August edition of Treaty 3 News (602 KB) .