5,142

ACRES OF
LAND

Our Nature Reserves and Conservation Easements are located throughout Muskoka, helping to protect the watershed. Our conservation lands are found near Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph, Lake of Bays, Skeleton Lake, Lake Vernon, Fairy Lake, Pen Lake and more!

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60

PROTECTED

AREAS

At Muskoka Conservancy, nature conservation is our core business. Since 1987, we have helped conserve 60 areas throughout Muskoka. We are constantly working towards our next nature reserve.

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67,599



FEET OF

RIPARIAN AREA

We know Muskoka would not be Muskoka without beautiful lakes! That’s why we work hard to protect natural shoreline on our big lakes. Muskoka Conservancy protects long stretches of unspoiled shoreline on Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph, Lake of Bays, Lake Vernon and more!

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 NATURE CONSERVATION

Protecting and caring for Muskoka's natural space.

Nature conservation is our mission at Muskoka Conservancy and we'd like your help. Together we can engage more community partners and private landowners to keep Muskoka natural. Not only that, we offer outdoor experiences and informative programming that inspires caring for nature in Muskoka.

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We acknowledge Indigenous Peoples and their cultures as stewards of this land. For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have inhabited, used and cared for these lands and waters, applying historical Indigenous knowledge. We acknowledge the traditional territories of the Anishnaabeg - The Ojibway, Chippewa, Algonquin and Odawa peoples. Today, Muskoka is home to three sovereign nations: Wahta Mohawks First Nations, Moose Deer Point First Nation and the Moon River Métis. These lands are covered by the Robinson Huron Treaty (1850), the Williams Treaty (1923), and the J. Collins land purchase (1785).

We will honour our ongoing commitment to learn about our shared history and engage in real truth and reconciliation by strengthening relations with all Indigenous Peoples on whose treaty and ancestral territories we live and work. We honour the Anishnaabeg teaching of the Creator giving humans seven sacred gifts for guidance: Love, Truth, Respect, Wisdom, Humility, Honesty and Bravery, and the ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy that the decisions we make today are reflections of 3 prior generations and the obligation to be good current stewards that will benefit 3 generations into the future.

NATURE PROGRAMS

We offer a selection of community conservation activities that inspire and educate people about the value of Muskoka wilderness. From guided hikes to workshops, from webinars to field work, please contact us now to learn more.

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ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

Have a question about the Muskoka Conservancy or nature conservation in general? Check here! Below are resources available to help inform you about us and some of the work we do. If you can’t find an answer here, feel free to call the office at 705-645-7393 ext 200.

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EVENTS & NEWS

poster describing detail of nature quest

August Paddle Quest

By General Admin • August 7, 2025
Join us for our August Paddle Quest at one of Muskoka Conservancy's newest Protected Areas, Buck Lake Nature Reserve in Huntsville.

Marvelous Mosses

By General Admin • July 24, 2025
Marvelous Mosses of Muskoka Nature Quest w/ Special Guest Adam Storey Date – Saturday, August 9 th , 2025 Time – 9:30AM – 3:30PM (approx.) Where – Upjohn Nature Reserve, Bracebridge What – Muskoka is host to a wide variety of mosses and liverworts, two of the three types of bryophytes. Small but mighty, bryophytes grow in every corner of the globe and have adapted to some of the world's harshest conditions. Many species are critical components of ecosystems across Muskoka. From wetlands to forests to rock outcrops, Muskoka's characteristic landscape would not be the same without expansive carpets of soft mosses and liverworts. The UpJohn Nature Reserve near Bracebridge contains around 80 species of mosses and liverworts, including 10 species of peat mosses! Adam Storey Bio : Recent Lakehead University graduate Adam Storey has been studying bryophyte diversity across Canada for the past 3 years, including a year and a half working on the bryophytes of the Hudson Bay Lowlands at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Adam grew up in Simcoe-Muskoka and has taken a special interest in the bryophytes of this region. He returns to the region each year and hopes you will join him to learn more about the mosses and liverworts that call Muskoka home. What to bring Good shoes for hiking bug spray sunscreen water, snacks & lunch hand lens/loupe medications (if applicable)

July Paddle Quest

By General Admin • July 9, 2025
Our upcoming Paddle Quest will take place at Pen Lake in Huntsville. We will explore the lake by paddle, before arriving at our Wolf Mountain conservation easement. Followed by a hike up the mountain to get a birds eye view of Pen Lake. Location: Pen Lake, Huntsville Date: Tuesday July 22nd (Back up date is July 24th) Time: Meet at 9:30am and will go until 12:30pm This event is BYOC- Bring your own Canoe (or kayak). This event Is not suitable for stand-up paddleboards. More info will be provided after registration.
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