Muskoka Heritage Foundation was founded in May of 1987. Founding directors were Glen Coates, Barry Hayes, John Gray, Phyllis Parker, Jeff Shearer, Bryan Vaughan, Al Tweedie, Michael Anne MacDonald and Rob Purves. These individuals, representing long term cottagers and settlers, local business and younger directors of the Muskoka Lakes Association, spent well over a year meeting and discussing the needs and aims for an independent, non partisan organization to promote environmental stewardship, built and cultural heritage and land conservation throughout all of Muskoka. With financing provided by the MLA, they founded the Muskoka Heritage Foundation, a volunteer-based registered charity organization dedicated to these goals.

Shortly after it was created, the Muskoka Heritage Foundation partnered with the District Municipality of Muskoka Planning Department to locate some of the most important natural areas in the region. The resulting project, the Muskoka Heritage Areas program, was instrumental in the discovery of a number of rare plant and wildlife communities. This program proved invaluable to the District in their Official Plan process, entrenching environmental planning as a key element of Muskoka’s civic future.

One of the initial roles of the Muskoka Heritage Foundation was to develop and implement a landowner contact program to garner support from people in the District. This effort led to the Muskoka Stewardship Program, an initiative to encourage private landowners to voluntarily continue with or adopt a strong conservation ethic.

In 1996 MHF established the Muskoka Heritage Trust as a related, sister organization to protect sensitive wetlands and other ecologically important lands in perpetuity. The MHT is a registered land trust as well and currently holds over 1,400 acres of land nature reserves and conservation easements.

In a joint initiative with the District Municipality of Muskoka, MHF established the Muskoka Watershed Council in 2001 as a means of championing watershed health. The MWC is a model of public/private/volunteer cooperation for the good of the environment and is held in high esteem by educators and professionals involved with both civics and the environment.

Beyond these milestones, our Key Accomplishments demonstrate progress made over the years. Yet the current pressures of population growth, development, fragmentation and climate change on Muskoka’s natural environment demand that the Foundation continue its vital work. Join us to help advance our goals.