Environment Events
Let's Get The Lead Out!
Did you know that it only takes one small piece of lead to kill an adult loon? How does lead tackle end up in a loon? Lead is invisible to wildlife! Lead tackle is ingested by loons and other aquatic birds in different ways. Loons intentionally swallow small stones to help digest their food, and small lead sinkers and split shot, lost by anglers on lake bottoms, look just like natural pebbles, except they’re poisonous. Also, when a fish breaks your line and swims away with tackle attached, it becomes an easy catch for loons, eagles, and ospreys; and sometimes, when a fish dies from swallowing tackle, it is scavenged, literally, “hook, line, and sinker.”
Summer 2024 Campaign
This summer on Kosh we ran a special Get the Lead Out campaign to reduce the threat of lead poisoning. The campaign succeeded in getting 1320 pieces/10 lbs of lead off our lake! With the help of a grant from COVIA. and an environmental grant from HBM township, we prepared educational literature and signs and partnered with Peterborough Pro Tackle who supplied us with new tungsten, lead-free tackle to exchange for old lead tackle. Residents participating at our two tackle exchanges were entered into a lucky draw to win prizes. Thanks for your support Four Seasons on Wellington & Apsley Outdoors.
We thank Wolfe Lake Cottage Association for spearheading the broader province-wide initiative and for sharing their information and encourage you to find out more at https://wolfelake.org/fish-lead-free
Summer 2025 Campaign
Next summer we will continue our Get the Lead Out Campaign. Watch for campaign news in the spring. To get ready, check your cottage tackle box and remove the lead jigs, sinkers, or drop shot lines this fall. How can you tell? Lead is dull and grey and will leave a mark when scratched on paper. It’s a dense soft metal that can be dented with your fingernail or pliers. Is it safe to use coated lead tackle? NO! Coatings are quickly eroded by the grinding in the digestive system and then lead is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Special Waterfront Workshop
Sat. Aug 26th 9 am, 2023
LKRA is very interested in lobbying Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township to implement shoreline protection by-laws. On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 09:00 a.m., NORKLA (North Kawartha Lakes Associations), similar to our HBMLA (Havelock Belmont Methuen Lake Associations), held an informative workshop with two excellent speakers. All lake residents were welcome. CLICK HERE for more information about this meeting.
Declining Loon Population Webinar
Raptors Ruled
Natural Edge Workshop
On Saturday, June 10, 2023 residents attending the free Watersheds Canada Workshop learned firsthand how a naturalized waterfront impacts the water quality on Kosh. Owners' specific concerns were addressed and everyone took home a beautiful native plant to enhance their own waterfront. Thanks to Penny Boyd for her help with this event. Watch for more information to be posted here concerning the workshop. In the meantime, you can visit Watersheds Canada for more information.
As covered in a recent issue of Cottage Life, Canada's Loon population is in decline. In April 2023, a free webinar was hosted by Jack Lake, with Chandos and Kasshabog partners. A Kosh Lake resident who attended the workshop had this to say:
“The webinar on Our Declining Loon Population was full of statistical info and interesting facts about loons & the impact of their environment. The loon population in Canada is definitely going down and the presentation analyzed the reasons for this trend. Acid and mercury levels in our lakes have an impact. But, it was made clear that the biggest killer of loons is lead poisoning. The loons are eating fish that have been released with lead fishing tackle in them – a very upsetting piece of info.” Paula Lockhart
Wolfe Lake has launched an innovative program to try to reduce lead poisoning by fishing tackle. Their website has great background on this issue Fish Lead-Free | Wolfe Lake.
The LKRA is meeting with the HBMLA (Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Lake Associations) to advocate that we have a similar program coordinated with all the lakes in HBM.
Loon surveys play an important role in uncovering what is happening with loon populations. If anyone is interested in a Kasshabog-specific program please contact environment@kasshabog.ca
KoshSmart BINGO Contest
Here’s a fun and easy way for your family and friends to enjoy a game of BINGO this summer and help the environment at the same time. Play KoshSmart BINGO and have a chance to win a bat box to put up around your cottage!
How it Works:
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Simply print off this BINGO Card and mark an X as items are completed.
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Once you have a BINGO (full row of 5 items: horizontal; vertical; diagonal) email your completed card to Environment@Kasshabog.ca to be entered in the prize draw.
Can you play more than one card? Certainly, but you must submit a different horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line than previously claimed. And if a space is overlapped, you’ll have to do redo that activity.
The game will run until the end of August 2023 and is open to all paid-up LKRA Members. The deadline for entry submissions is September 5, 2023. (The draw will be September 7, 2023.)
On Saturday, June 24, 2023 The Eyrie Birds of Prey Centre came to Kasshabog with some of their magnificent Raptors: a Harris Hawk, a great horned owl, a bald eagle, a red-tailed hawk, and finally a lanner falcon! The weather and turnout were great!
Here's what people had to say:
"Thanks for doing this and letting my granddaughter see mighty birds up close."
"Great presentation. Appreciate you bringing this to the lake!"
"It was fantastic!!! To be able to see the birds up close was incredible!!"
Thanks to Cynthia Cole for organizing this amazing event, and to Covia for their sponsorship.
First Nations Teachings and Perspectives
On May 25, 2023, Jack Hogarth, the Cultural Archivist and Engagement officer at the Curve Lake Nation Cultural Centre, presented a brief history of the Mississauga Anishinaabe, an overview of archaeology within the Kawarthas, and steps towards repatriation.
Jack Lake Wildlife Webinar
The February 2023 wildlife webinar, hosted by Jack Lake was interesting and informative. Speaker Dr. Thom Luloff from the Kawartha Wildlife Centre is passionate and knowledgeable about wildlife rehabilitation. Find out more by visiting Kawartha Wildlife Centre