Muskoka Envirocredits
Strengthening the health and sustainability of watersheds in Muskoka and the French-Severn Forest
Healthy watersheds and quality water in the lakes and rivers within them are essential to human health, economic stability and quality of life.
Watersheds are the source of drinking water, the foundation of year-round economic activity, and the basis for a wide range of recreational and leisure time activities.
Permanent and seasonal residents and visitors know that healthy watersheds are the essence of one of Ontario’s premiere vacation areas.
Protecting the quality of water in those lakes and rivers has long been a priority of local and regional governments, cottager and lake associations, and non-profit environmental groups. We know that that air quality, weather patterns and climate, as well as what happens on the land – in forests, wetlands, along shorelines and in the communities that border water bodies– impact significantly on water quality.
Comprehensive approaches to ensuring watershed health are essential.
The Muskoka Envirocredits program offers a comprehensive approach, based on “no regrets” strategies that enhance watershed health, protect wilderness and wetlands, build community stewardship and an environmental ethic, promote sustainable forestry practices and mitigate the impact of climate change.
These "no regrets" strategies deliver benefits regardless of anticipated change. Together they strengthen nature’s capacity to cope with change, in preparation for an uncertain future.
What Makes Muskoka Envirocredits Unique?
Who Can Give and How Will Proceeds be Used?
What Special Advantages Does the Program
Offer?
How Do I Donate?
What Makes Muskoka Envirocredits Unique?
The program is delivered by an alliance of local non-profit organizations. Each has earned the public trust with a solid record of developing and implementing local environmentally responsible programs and services. Each has a proven record of successful participation in partnerships involving public and private sector organizations and agencies.
Who Can Give and How Will Proceeds be Used?
The program offers individuals, small business and corporations the opportunity to promote watershed health while offsetting carbon emissions through investment in local initiatives. A tax receipt will be provided for contribution to the ME program.
Allocation of Funds
§ A maximum of 5% of the funds raised will be used
for administration
costs with the balance used for programs.
§ 60% to add to the stock of new growth forests and
promote
sustainable forests.
§ 25% to acquire, manage and protect: large forested
areas that
already sequester significant amounts of carbon; lands
suitable for
reforestation; and wetlands; and to support sustainable
Muskoka
initiatives, including: promoting energy
conservation initiatives,
energy-efficient buildings and the development
of green energy
sources.
§ 10% for the promotion of stewardship and a
conservation ethic among private landowners and
the general public.
What Special Advantages Does the Program Offer?
§ Donations will be invested through the Muskoka
Heritage Foundation,
a registered charitable foundation with over 20 years of
success in
caring for lands held in trust and protection of watershed
health and
natural heritage.
§ No-regrets strategies will improve watershed health
while reducing
the impact of carbon emissions, promoting biodiversity, and
protecting wetlands, scenic vistas and the natural heritage
of on of
Canada’s most special places.
§ Program results are clearly visible and will be
documented and
reported regularly via our web site and through newsletters.
§ Ontario’s only community-based non-profit forest
authority, Westwind
Forest Stewardship Inc. will provide forest management.
§ Muskoka Envirocredits provides environmentally
responsible
investment opportunities for individuals and business, as
well as
sponsorship opportunities for corporations.
Envirocredits are purchased through the Muskoka Heritage Foundation. Visit the Buying Envirocredits page for more details.