AGM, & Director's Reports

Above is attached the complete Treasurer's Report for 2024. This was voted on at the AGM on August 9th at Four Loons Marina.

Updates from the Municipality: 

1. Re Cottage numbering By-law—The township has been following up with the County and the MNRF but no updates have been provided. They are still trying to decide what to do.
2. Re Emergency Landing Site at South End—no update, nothing done
3. Re Boating Speed limit By-law—none exists—they leave it to the OPP to enforce rules—really only deals with speeds close to shore.
4. Re Floating House Accommodations—no municipal by-laws exist—still in discussion phase—possibly part of O.P. and Housing policy discussion to be set up in the near future—Aug or Sept
5. Re Airbnb’s—no municipal restrictions exists specific to this—just existing by-laws—could be part of the O.P. and Housing policy discussions as noted above
6. Re O.P. review and Housing policy—nothing much since last submissions—it has languished for a bit—they want to convene a public discussion re same in either Aug or Sept—date to be confirmed

The Municipality has created a “ Cottage Kit” that can be provided to renters. The kit costs $5.00 and includes all sorts of helpful information for renters.

Facebook

• we have 400 members in our LWCA Facebook group (all have required approval to join
• the chat #takingcare hasn't gained much traction yet  
• Please send any content that you wish us to share 

Instagram 

• we have 210 followers
• if you take photos at the lake and would like to post, send to info@weslemkoon.com or if you’re on instagram and come across a post that would be interesting to our members, send it to @lwca_ontario

Mail Chimp (communiques)

• open rate of approximately 72% on most posts
• if you are not receiving emails, or would like to receive your email communications at another email address, please let us know info@weslemkoon.com

Website

• thanks for the feedback - we try to respond to suggestions info@weslemkoon.com

Newsletter 

• This September will mark 3 years of the Newsletter - lots of good feedback, thank you
• Send ideas and requests for content via info@weslemkoon.com 

Membership numbers as of July 18, 2025

Members  203 (6 new)

Friends    20  

Total =     223 

Of note: 

- registration is up this year compared to 206 in 2024 and 219 in 2023

- 166 members got the early bird pricing ($55), 37 paid full price ($60)

- 27 Members not renewed as of July 18, 2025 (24 members and 3 Friends)

The Water Quality portfolio is completing a transition to a new Director. This means there is a back-log of data to work through from the previous season. As such, we’re unable to share results from the 2024 sampling season at this time. We anticipate having this back-log cleared by the end of the calendar year, and will complete an analysis of both the 2024 and 2025 data. Members are welcome to consult past Directors reports (linked here) for previous data. We appreciate the patience of both Members and the Board as we complete the transition.

The 2025 Water Quality report, which includes map and many details about testing as well as Considerations for Cottagers, can be found above in the section Downloadable Files (Water Quality 2025). The following is some key information taken from the report: 

2025 Sampling Program

The Spring and early Summer round of deep water sampling was completed in June. August sampling will be completed the weekend of August second, in advance of the AGM. September sampling will occur the week following labour day, with October sampling scheduled to be completed over Thanksgiving. The chemistry sampling will occur during September, with results returned and entered into the database by the end of the calendar year. 

2025 Lake Partner Program

This year marks the third year of our participation in the Lake Partner Program. This program is a province - wide water quality initiative to monitor water quality status of Canadian Shield lakes. In mid - June, we collected samples from our deep water sites and sent them into the Lake Partner Program. We are also collecting Secchi depths during our regular deep water sampling for the duration of the year and submitting that data to the program. The data will be uploaded to a public site, and past years data can be found at the following link: https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/ontario-lake-partner . 

A Note on Current & Past Data

Comprehensive data analysis for the 2025 season has not yet been completed as the field season is still ongoing. Following the completion of the field season, data related to deep water sampling and chemistry results will be processed and uploaded to the database. Thus far, the 2025 season has shown similar trends in dissolved oxygen and temperature in comparison to historical data sets. Upon completion of the sampling, any significant deviations from trends will be highlighted in the analysis.

Custodial Visits 

All cottage visits took place in late March of this year. There were no major damage incidents. For the few small issues encountered, I contacted the cottage owners.

Shoal Markers 

We have replaced six of the old floating markers with new ones. 

As in all previous years, we will be buying two new flashing lights to replace the two oldest.

Trails

Mink and Canoe lake trails have been clear. We are investigating removing one canoe from Mink Lake which is not salvageable. We have had reports that the thunderbox there needs some attention, so these things are on our “To Do” list. 

If anyone goes out and explores any of the other trails and notices any issues, please email us at info@weslemkoon.com

Forestry

By Wesley Magee 

Overview

Within the Little Mississippi River Watershed sits Lake Weslemkoon and multiple other surrounding lakes and rivers which feed into the Madawaska River, and eventually the Ottawa River. The Little Mississippi River Watershed is at a higher elevation than all of its bordering watersheds and is therefore termed a “headwater” to the Madawaska. Our shared “headwater” watershed is situated within three separate Forest Management Units, two of which are in areas that contain headwaters which flow into Weslemkoon: the Mazinaw-Lanark Forest Inc. (MLFI) and the Bancroft Minden Forest Company (BMFC). MLFI and BMFC hold the Sustainable Forest Licences (SFL) issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources for Crown Lands.

The LWCA has advocated for the protection of Lake Weslemkoon during the preparation and issuance of the ongoing current 10-year Forestry Management Plan (FMP) and thus now aims at maintaining the protection of our lake during the 10-year term from 2021-2031. Both MLFI and BMFC are currently responsible for monitoring all harvest and renewal operations to ensure compliance with the FMP, other legislated requirements, and reporting observations to the MNR which includes:

1. All silviculture activities including tree marking, tree planting and tending.
2. Preparing annual reports for approval by MNR which describe the progress in implementing the FMP.
3. Training and educating forest workers in conjunction with shareholder/partners plan.

Current FMP Block Activities

Harvesting is currently planned for 2025 east of McKennzie/Arnott Lake (block 16-187) with the appropriate setback from the lake and avoiding the old forest Hemlock stand on the north side of the lake.

Planting and Site Preparation is currently taking place in block 21-149 along the lake road, SW of the Weslemkoon Lake Marina. No other harvesting is scheduled for this year south of the lake in this block other than South and SW of Effingham Lake.

Salvage and standard harvesting is still ongoing South and SE of Mink (Shiner) Lake in block 21-172 (with majority of the harvesting being salvage until NE of Dog Lake).

Invasive Species

Invasive species—both plant and insect—continue to pose risks to the forests and shorelines around Lake Weslemkoon. These species threaten tree health, reduce biodiversity, and can alter our forest ecosystems. Early detection, proper identification, and rapid response are critical to slowing their spread.

Current Concerns at Lake Weslemkoon

1. Brown Spot Needle Blight

• Fungal disease affecting evergreens, observed spreading from the west/southwest areas of the lake.
• Causes browning and shedding of needles, reducing tree health and growth.
• Early pruning of infected branches is important—remove and destroy affected material to slow spread.
• Members are encouraged to monitor understory evergreens and report cases to LWCA.

2. Other Notable Tree Diseases

• Needle Cast Disease – fungal, similar symptoms to brown spot; reduces tree vitality over time.
• Oak Wilt – lethal to oak trees, spread by beetles and root grafts; not confirmed locally but present in Ontario.
• Beech Bark Disease – fungus and scale insect combination killing beech trees across the province.

3. Invasive Insect Pests

• Spongy Moth – present in southern Ontario; caterpillars defoliate oak, maple, birch. Control by scraping egg masses into soapy water and using burlap traps.
• Spotted Lanternfly – not yet in Ontario but high risk due to US outbreaks; targets Tree-of-Heaven, grapes, apples, hops. Report any sightings immediately to CFIA.
• Hemlock Woolly Adelgid – not confirmed locally; produces white wool at base of hemlock needles; kills trees in 4–10 years if untreated.

4. Invasive Plants in Our Area

• Garlic Mustard – displaces native groundcover, spreads quickly in shaded areas.
• Giant Hogweed & Wild Parsnip – cause severe skin irritation; handle with protective gear, never compost.
• King Devil Hawkweed – highly dominant; releases chemicals into soil (allelopathy) that suppress native plants such as Canada Mayflower and Blue Violet.

Identification & Reporting

• Use the iNaturalist or Seek apps to photograph and identify unknown plants, insects, or fungi.
• Report confirmed or suspected invasives to:
  • EDDMapS (Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System)
  • Ontario Invasive Plant Council
  • Invasive Species Centre
  • CFIA for regulated pests (Spotted Lanternfly, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid).

Management Best Practices

• Pruning: Remove infected evergreen branches early; burn or dispose of material in landfill (do not compost).
• Manual removal of plants: Pull garlic mustard before seed set; cut hogweed/parsnip before flowering. Wear gloves and protective clothing.
• Egg mass control: For Spongy Moth, scrape egg masses into soapy water and dispose after 24 hours

Actions from Members

• Monitor your property regularly for signs of unusual plant, insect, or tree health changes.
• Report sightings to LWCA and the appropriate provincial or federal agencies.
• Follow FireSmart advice on the FireSmart website and app which gives guidelines such as maintaining defensible space around structures, reducing brush, and managing vegetation to improve fire resilience.

By staying alert and working together, we can limit the impact of invasive species on Lake Weslemkoon’s forests and protect our natural heritage for future generations.

A HUGE shout-out to Pat Bothwell for her graphic talents in making the newsletter look amazing once again! Thank you to the contributors, authors and photographers who have helped make the Loon Call shine. 

Each edition relies on content from our community. Please share stories, story ideas, announcements, fun facts or simply story ideas and we can take it from there, in hopes to make the Spring 2026 edition full! Send ideas along to info@weslemkoon.com or get in touch through social media, and we will follow-up.

Alison would love to have a lead editor or/ co-editor step up to help with the Spring 2026 edition. Fresh eyes are fun in offering new perspectives and experiences. Alison has the process documented to make things as smooth as possible. It is a fun role to engage within the member community. If you are interested in helping with The Loon Call Annual Newsletter, please email Alison info@weslemkoon.com

Lake Weslemkoon Water Level Report - Summer 2025

Lake Weslemkoon experienced a generally stable spring run-off this year, with no reported flooding. However, unusual fluctuations in water levels were observed in late spring.

Specifically, June saw an uncharacteristically low water level, which was then followed by a rapid increase due to subsequent rainfall. This period coincided with a malfunction of the lake's water level gauge in May, necessitating manual evaluations by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF). Fortunately, the gauge has since been repaired or replaced and is now functioning normally, providing accurate readings.

During the period of concern, local residents and LWCA contacted the MNRF regarding the fluctuating levels were reassured to learn that the ministry was already aware of the situation and had taken proactive measures, including adjusting the dam, to manage water flow. While June's water levels appeared visually somewhat outside typical seasonal norms, they remained within the established guidelines set by the MNRF.

How it is affecting our lake and cottage experience:

• More extreme heat days warm our lake and reduce the oxygen fish need
• Longer droughts weaken our trees, making them vulnerable to pests. 
• The pine trees can’t survive in a warming climate, nor do they have the ability to move north on their own to survive. Dr. Suzanne Simard thinks that we might have to physically move pine trees north to ensure their survival. 
• Dangerous pm 2.5 laden smoke from the wildfires reaches us
• Our insurance rates are increasing
• If our trees all die, or burn down, then our investments in our properties will be worthless.
• It is harming our human health. Extreme heat can kill, rising temperatures worsen air quality and increase the incidence of water borne and vector borne diseases.

The main cause of global warming which causes climate change is pollution from burning fossil fuels. 

The solution — stop burning stuff.

Electrify your life: Choose electric appliances, electric heat pumps for heating and cooling, electric transport, battery power back up, induction stoves, heat pump pool heaters, everything! We could even make our cottage community energy-independent — using local solar, battery storage, and heat pumps — creating resilience against power outages and extreme weather disasters.

Talk about it: Share what you’re learning and wondering about global warming and pollution with friends, neighbours, and family. 

Push for policy: Demand implementation of endless sources of clean renewable energy from provincial and federal government combined with emission cuts from all levels of government — including ending subsidies for fossil fuels, and stopping the export of oil, gas and LNG.

Every bit of warming we prevent matters.
Every action we take matters.
Every choice we make matters.

Let’s take bold and adventurous action to protect what we love— this lake, this land, and each other, not next week or next year, but now. 

Climate Change Director role - to learn about how climate change is affecting our lake ecosystem, and our waterfront residences, what we need to do to adapt to the changes, and actions that we should be taking as individuals and as a community to help create a strong and resilient future for our community and ecosystem. This will be communicated through our social media channels and the website but I also recommend you subscribe to independent journalism such as Canada’s National Observer or The Narwhal. 

I hope to see all of you on the street on September 20 for Draw the Line - a National Day of Action for People and the Planet