1) What invasive species have been sighted on or in lands adjacent to the HHLT properties: Fred and Pearl Barry Wetland, Barnum Creek Nature Reserve, Dahl Forest, Smith Forest, and Norah’s Island.
2) What invasive species could exist on or in lands adjacent to any of the above-mentioned properties?
3) What monitoring protocols are used by similar organizations and could be implemented by the HHLT to monitor their properties for invasive species?

The purpose of this project is to answer each of the HHLT research questions in order to better inform the land trust of the threat of invasive plants and potential ways to approach monitoring them in the future.]]>
Examining the Natural and Cultural Significance of the Eastern Moose (Alces alces americana) in Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park
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Environmental Science/Studies]]>
The range of eastern moose includes eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. In Ontario, they can be found in northern and central Ontario. Their habitat requirements include areas for foraging, travelling, and for shelter and calving. For their diet they need year-round access to both evergreen and deciduous trees, as well as to aquatic ecosystems such as lakes, rivers, and wetlands in the warmer months. Moose populations in the area have been in decline since the 1990s. The primary factors in moose mortality are climate change, parasites, vehicle collisions, habitat loss, and hunting. Management opportunities include remote sensing, evaluating the need for rut season closures and/or buffers around critical habitat features, opportunities for co-management with local Indigenous communities, and exploring adaptive measure to reduce the climate vulnerability of the eastern moose.]]>
]]> Forestry
Natural Resource Management]]>
Forestry]]> Valuing Fishing in the Southern Canadian Shield: Associated Monetary Values of Ecological Services in Ecoregion 5E and Muskoka]]> Canada’s abundance of freshwater systems allows for the abundance of fish, one of Canada’s most essential natural resources and greatest exports. In fact, fish are one of the most heavily monitored resources in Canada to ensure that population numbers are not decimated. To properly manage its water bodies and fish populations, Ontario is divided into twenty fishery management zones of different sizes according to the number of water bodies and the human population density – Muskoka is in zone 15. This beauty and abundance of water systems has made it a popular destination for tourism and recreational fishing - one of the larger industries in the area and a significant source of income. Placing an exact dollar value on the economic impacts of recreational fishing in an area is an incredibly difficult task. There are numerous factors that must be considered when trying to come up with an approximate figure as the fishing industry encompasses much more than the cost of a rod and reel. This report will attempt to place an approximate figure off the economic significance of recreational fishing in Muskoka. To do so, the economic factors and values of recreational fishing, the benefits of healthy waterways, native aquatic biodiversity and healthy habitats for the key fish species in the area will all be examined.

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Judi Brouse]]> Ecoregion 5e]]>