Volunteers Making A Difference!
Current
Phase 4: Implementation
We are currently in the fourth and final phase of Lake Sustainability Planning. Implementation of the Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Plan, (which was approved unanimously at the 2016 AGM), began in 2017. KLA members received a Lake Sustainability package in June 2017 which included: a printed copy of the plan along with key Lake Sustainability information, (Boating Etiquette, Protecting our Loons) and an important flyer and information on Septic Systems). The KLA’s hope is that this information will sit on every coffee table on the lake and garner good discussion!
Additional printed copies of the Lake Sustainability Plan are available for $10 a copy. Please contact Judy McIntyre, 613-336-2882 or email
The final, approved Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Plan is also available online.
Let’s Get Tracking!
Flora & Fauna Sightings on Kashwakamak Lake
Get Started Here:
Background
Phase 1: Research
The proposal to begin a lake sustainability planning process, (also known as “lake planning”), was approved at the July 2011 KLA Annual General Meeting, (AGM) with the understanding that the plan would need to be approved by the KLA membership once it was completed.
Following the July 2011 AGM, the volunteer Lake Sustainability Planning committee was set up. This dedicated group of volunteers started the process of gathering information from the community to understand the key values and concerns. They drafted and conducted surveys with the KLA members and the surrounding lake community, as well as a separate survey with local businesses. The key purpose of the surveys was to find out what people valued about the lake community and what their issues were. The survey ran from late summer to the end of 2011. The results of this research was presented and discussed at the 2012 KLA AGM.
Following the survey, the Lake Sustainability Planning Committee began the endeavour of capturing what we know about the lake in a “State of the Lake Report.” The purpose of this report is to let us know where we are at a given time and place – a benchmark that can be used for reference moving forward.
Highlights of the ‘State of the Lake Report’ were then presented at the July 13th 2013 AGM. The full State of the Lake Report as well as a summary of the report are available on line. This was the first step in preparing a lake sustainability plan.
Phase 2: Analysis
During the next two years, 2014 – 2015, the committee got to work analysing all the feedback and themes that emerged from the research phase. Many committee meetings were held throughout the off-season to discuss the direction of the lake sustainability plan, experiences from other nearby lakes etc. This information and observations were shared with KLA members and the community via emails, articles in the association newsletter, The Kash Kourier, as well as on the KLA’s website. In the spring of 2014 the KLA conducted a second survey with the Kashwakamak Lake community. People were asked to read the State of the Lake Report as the questions in this survey related specifically to the information compiled in the report.
Phase 3: Planning
Early in 2015, The Lake Sustainability Planning committee met to begin the next phase of the process: drafting the Lake Plan. Over the summer months, a draft was compiled building off the 2013 State of the Lake Report. The draft lake sustainability plan was circulated in the fall of 2015 asking for community feedback and questions.
Based on comments and feedback, the final draft of the Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Plan was formally presented at the July 9th, 2016 AGM. Following the presentation by Scott Bennett, KLA members and others in the community discussed the issues and recommendations. KLA members then voted unanimously to approve the plan in principle.
Phase 4: Implement & Monitor
Following the vote at the July 2016 AGM volunteers were also recruited to help implement the plan. The “Planning” committee became the “Implementation” committee and three broad implementation sub-committees were set up in the fall of 2016. These sub-committees are good umbrellas to begin implementing key parts of the plan where volunteer interest was expressed. There are now volunteers who have come forward to help with implementing some aspects of the plan. As a living plan, implementing the Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability plan will be on-going for many years. New volunteers will emerge as issues they are passionate about come forward for implementation. Updates will be provided at every AGM and the plan will be revisited and updated every five years.
Volunteers making a difference
The Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Implementation Committee has evolved over the years. Its current members include: Judy McIntyre, Peter Burbidge, Sue MacGregor, Darryl Simpson, Fred Perry and Kevin Phillips. Alyson Simon, (MVCA) and Scott Bennett both serve as advisors to the committee.
The current Implementation Sub-Committees are:
1. Water Quality and Shoreline Protection and Health
Focus is on water quality monitoring, development pressures, shoreline erosion.
Members: Peter Burbidge, Jane Latimer, Heather Nowlan and Wes Plant. Advisors – Pete Johnson, KLA Lake Steward and Alyson Symon, MVCA.
Information: Boating Etiquette
2. Flora, Fauna, Wildlife & Forestry
Focus is on fire prevention and wild life protection.
Members: Darryl Simpson, Judy McIntyre, Kim Howson, Trisha Hedges and Jeannie Brejak.
Information: Protecting our Loons
Loon Watch – Darryl Simpson 613-336-1409 – Email
3. Communications
Focus is on developing a welcome package, grant writing, and communicating the priorities of the other sub-committees via current KLA communication vehicles including: social media, member emails, KLA newsletter, education/outreach and presentations.
Members: Sue MacGregor, Heather Nowlan, Meaghan Craven and Chris Winney.
Scott Bennett is now serving as an advisor to the Implementation committee for planning purposes.
Want to get involved?
We’ve had quite a number of people express interest in getting involved in the implementation of the plan, but we can always use more. We know that our KLA members have a diverse set of talents, areas of expertise and interest that could support our implementation efforts. As you can see from our first 3 committees, there are many ways and areas to get involved.
People want to be part of the implementation, (however much time you might have), are asked to Email
Lake Sustainability Research
Below is the research involved in the Lake Planning process since 2011:
2011 – Proposal – http://www.slideshare.net/Scott_A_Bennett/kashwakamak-lake-sustainability-plan-proposal-july-2011
2012 – Research – http://www.slideshare.net/Scott_A_Bennett/kaswakamak-lake-sustainability-plan-july-2012
2013 – State-of-the-Lake – http://www.slideshare.net/Scott_A_Bennett/kaswakamak-lake-sustainability-update-july-2013
kashwakamak-lake-sustainability-plan-october-2016_final-online
2016 Lake Sustainability Plan AGM presentation – http://www.slideshare.net/Scott_A_Bennett/approved-kashwakamak-lake-sustainability-plan-july-2016
https://www.slideshare.net/Scott_A_Bennett/approved-kashwakamak-lake-sustainability-plan-july-2016 made during the July 2016 AGM
Lake Sustainability Documents:
Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Plan
State of the Lake Report Summary