The Blue Lakes Project uses an eco-label system where participants select yearly goals within at least 4 of 7 specific "Performance Areas" to work towards.  The board has selected the following 5 goals:

1.     Nutrient Management.   Monitor nutrient levels against provincial water quality objectives and promote best practices to prevent excess nutrient loading and protect overall lake water quality.

2.     Social Outreach & Education.   Foster community awareness, engagement, and inclusivity in lake stewardship through consistent communication, education, and shared learning opportunities.

3.     Habitat Conservation & Biodiversity.  Encourage hands-on engagement with the lake ecosystem through volunteer monitoring initiatives and activities that strengthen community connection to nature — especially among youth on the lake.

4.     Invasive Species.  Monitor, manage, and reduce the presence of invasive aquatic and shoreline species to protect native biodiversity and overall lake ecosystem health.

5.     Community Science & Nature Connectedness.  Foster awareness of community science / nature monitoring programs around the lake.

By participating in these objectives, the program aims to promote stewardship, foster collective action, and ultimately ensure the long-term health and integrity of the sensitive lake ecosystems.  The program goals are well aligned with objectives outlined in our Lake Plan.  We are hoping to become the first lake in the area to receive the Blue Lakes flag ecolabel.

You can help by volunteering to get involved with activities around the lake:  

•         Wildlife monitoring: iNaturalist   

•         Invasive species reporting EDDMapS  

•         Habitat creation: build or install bird boxes, bee boxes,  bat boxes    

•         Plant a native pollinator garden: Guidebook link   

•         Get involved with water testing: volunteer with the LLA

•         Join the Natural Edge program

We are challenging all LLA members to get involved this year and join iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/  and record at least 5 observations of flora or fauna around the lake. We have created a project in iNaturalist: Lovesick Lake Association Biodiversity Challenge.  When you log in, join our project and log your observations.  It’s a great opportunity to get the kids involved over the summer.  Visit the following link for help on getting started with iNaturalist:  https://inaturalist.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/folders/151000552105

Stay tuned for more information about prizes for the Most Species and Most Observations! 

Loon and Lake Conservation Tips from the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey

The Canadian Lakes Loon Survey (CLLS) delivered by Birds Canada monitors the health of Common Loons and the lakes they depend on. Participants spend time observing loons at their favourite lake throughout the summer. For more information visit birdscanada.org/loons or call 1-888-448-2473 ext. 124.

Why Loons? Loons are excellent indicators of the environmental conditions in a lake. Survival of loon chicks is influenced by lake acidification, mercury contamination, and other factors. In addition, nearly all of the world’s Common Loons nest in Canada and over half breed in Ontario and Quebec, making the Common Loon a big responsibility for us to conserve.

Help Create a Loon-Friendly Lake:

Keep it calm but boat on: Slow down near wetlands and shorelines and keep your wake to a minimum. Wakes can wash out nests or separate young loons from their parents, which makes chicks easy pickings for predators.

Play smart: Operate play / wake boats only in water that is at least 8 m (24 feet) deep, which helps prevent sedimentation, protects wildlife, and makes for a better wake.

Steer clear: Steer clear of loons, waterbirds, and other wildlife. They may not be able to escape your path. Adults can’t protect their young if they are separated. Remember that paddlers and anglers can also panic loon parents. Ideally, you should stay a minimum of 64m from loons and nests.

Keep it wild: Let native wetland plants grow along your shore. Natural shorelines provide shelter and food for both fish and loons while protecting your property from erosion.

Be lead-free: Loons usually ingest lead fishing gear by easting a fish that has swallowed a jig or sinker or has broken the line, or by striking at tackle or fish being retrieved by an angler. Lead poisoning and death typically result. Request leadfree alternatives at your local tackle shop.

Don’t discard: Loons and other wildlife can die from starvation when they become entangled in fishing line. Return plastics, metals, fishing line, tackle and other refuse to shore and dispose of it in appropriate containers.

Don’t mess with the food chain: Don’t feed nest predators such as raccoons or gulls. Dispose of your waste properly.

Be level-headed: Work to reduce large water level changes during the loon breeding season (May - July). High water floods eggs; low water prevents adults from returning; both result in nests failing to hatch. Talk to your local officials.

Lobby for loons and lakes: Get involved in preventing air pollution and water quality issues.

Spread the word: Place loon and lake conservation messages on websites and in papers and newsletters.

Simple Actions to Ensure You Have a Wildlife-Friendly Waterfront

Evaluate your shoreline using resources such as Love Your Lake (https://loveyourlake.ca/about/).

Keep the lot well-treed: never clear-cut. Start a buffer strip by leaving some grass uncut near the water.

Keep a natural edge: replant areas lacking shrubs and trees with native species (naturaledge.watersheds.ca/; https://birdgardens.ca/); leave a buffer strip near the water.

Build at least 30 m (100 feet) away from the shore.

Give clear instructions to your contractors and monitor their work.

Avoid spilling fuels, antifreeze, paint thinner, or other chemicals on land or water; clean up fast!

Don’t use fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides near the water.

Use environmentally friendly soaps, detergents, and cleaners in your home.

Pump out your septic tank regularly, every two to three years.

Extend the life of your septic system by avoiding tank additives and minimizing water consumption.

Refuel your boat with care: don’t spill a drop.

Watch your boat’s wake: it causes erosion

Are you causing harm?

You can harass and stress loons without even being aware you are doing so. While on the lake or shoreline, keep an eye out for the following and, if seen, move away:

o A loon splashing across the water, appearing to stand up. The loon is alarmed and probably defending its chicks.

o A loon vocalizing near you. The loon may be concerned about you being to close.

o A loon lying very flat on the shoreline with its head down. The loon is hiding on its nest, and if approached, may slide into the water, leaving the eggs exposed to predators.

Watch your pets; please keep them away from wildlife.

www.birdscanada.org/loons

Top 10 Invasive Species List

#1 Starry Stonewort

A grass-like macro-algae with star-shaped white bulbils. Forms dense mats and competes aggressively with native plants. These mats can impede movement of fish, spawning activity, water flow, and recreational activities, such as swimming, boating, and fishing. Once introduced to an area, Starry Stonewort can establish and spread very quickly. The species is spread primarily by boating.  In Stoney lake, it is suspected that it has been inadvertently spread due to weed harvesting operations.   So far, Starry Stonewort has not been detected in Lovesick, but has been recorded in Stoney and Lower Buckhorn.   If not detected early and irradicated, it can literally render an area unusable.

 #2 Quagga Mussel 

Quagga mussels are roughly 2 cm long with a pale colour near the hinge.  They have concentric rings compared to the more zig-zag lines of the zebra mussel. The Quagga Mussel is considered worse than the zebra mussel because they can colonize soft, muddy surfaces in addition to the hard surfaces preferred by zebra mussels, allowing them to take over entire lake bottoms.   Quagga mussels can spawn in cooler temperatures and feed year-round, allowing them to grow faster and dominate ecosystems.  They filter more nutrients out of the water, disrupting food chains, causing toxic algae blooms, and producing more waste, which lowers oxygen levels and lowers the pH to an acidic level.   While there has only been one confirmed sighting on the Stoney side of Burleigh Falls, in Lake Simcoe, the Quagga Mussel has already taken over from the Zebra Mussel as the dominant species.

#3 Zebra Mussel

Zebra Mussels have been recorded in the lake since 1996, and as most of you know are common throughout the lake.  They are highly prolific and outcompete native species.  They can clog water intakes, disrupt fish spawning areas, foul boat hulls and are a hazard for swimming if not wearing water shoes.

#4 Round Goby 

Round gobies range from 6-18 cm long and have a black spot on the first dorsal fin. They eat eggs and young of native species, such as bass, and compete for food with indigenous bottom-feeders like sculpins and darters. It is also suggested that round goby can pass a strain of botulism to the birds and fish that eat them.  The Government of Ontario has banned the possession of live round goby and their use as baitfish to limit their spread. If caught, they should be destroyed immediately. The Round Goby has been found in Lower Buckhorn, but has not yet been reported in Lovesick.  

#5  European Frog-bit

Frog-bit resembles a loonie-sized lily pad.  Similar to Starry Stonewort, Frog-bit forms dense, floating mats, severely impacting ecosystems by crowding out native species, reducing light penetration, and creating low-oxygen "dead zones" during decomposition. It hinders recreation (boating, swimming, fishing).   Frog-bit has been reported in the lake since 2024, but so far its distribution seems limited to around Wolf Island and one small bay on the north shore.  

#6 Eurasian Watermilfoil 

This highly invasive aquatic plant forms dense, thick mats, displacing native vegetation and drastically reduces biodiversity, impedes boating and swimming, and lowers shoreline property values.  When large stands begin to die off in the fall, the decaying plants can reduce oxygen levels in the water. Milfoil is easily spread when boat propellers cut off pieces which drift in the current and form new plants.  Eurasian Watermilfoil has been present in Lovesick and surrounding lakes for many years and we continue to track its presence.   

#7 Chinese Mystery Snail 

Growing up to 6cm long, these snails are a significant invasive threat in Ontario, causing ecological and economic damage by outcompeting native mollusks, altering nutrient cycles, and clogging water intake pipes. Their dense populations reduce biodiversity, transmit parasites to waterfowl, and interfere with recreation.  If spotted, they should be removed, frozen, and disposed of in the trash, not back into the water.  To date, there has only been a single report of this snail in 2025 at the boat launch, but it is believed that it has established a significant population. 

#8 Rusty Crayfish

These crayfish grow up to 13cms long and can be identified by rusty red patches on the side of the shell. They are larger and more aggressive than native crayfish, outcompeting them for resources and habitat while reducing biodiversity. These crayfish destroy aquatic vegetation, reducing fish spawning habitat, and eat small invertebrates, reducing food for fish.  The Rusty Crayfish has been recorded in Lower Buckhorn as early as 1975 and also Stoney Lake, but it has yet to be recorded in Lovesick.  Let’s keep our eyes open for this one!

#9 Spiny Waterflea   

The spiny waterflea is an invasive zooplankton which can form jelly-like masses and outcompete native zooplankton, reducing food for young fish, while their sharp tail spines injure or hinder fish feeding, severely affecting native fish populations.  By reducing herbivorous zooplankton, they can indirectly cause increased microscopic algae, leading to an increase in algal blooms.  The Spiny Waterflea has been recorded in Stoney and Lower Buckhorn, but there has only been a single sighting recorded in Lovesick from 2001.  

#10 European Common Reed (Phragmites) 

Phragmites is a highly aggressive perennial grass recognized as Ontario’s worst invasive plant, severely damaging wetland ecosystems. It spreads rapidly via seeds and roots (rhizomes), forming dense stands that destroy biodiversity, create fire hazards, and hinder recreation. While phragmites has been a major problem across Ontario, there are no recorded sightings on Lovesick.  Early detection and removal is key. Let’s be on the lookout for this one.

OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES KNOWN TO BE AROUND THE LAKE

• YELLOW IRIS

• PURPLE LOOSTRIFE

• SPONGY (GYPSY) MOTH

• EMERALD ASH BORER

• MUTE SWAN

• BANDED MYSTERY SNAIL

Invasive species reporting - 4 ways: 

1.       Call the invasive species hotline 1-800-563-7711 monitored by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

2.       Log your sighting on EDDmapS (Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System) at https://www.eddmaps.org/

3.       If you are a signed up for iNaturalist, you can report to the invasive species project at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/invasive-species-in-ontario  Note that the data are shared with EDDmapS.

4.       Send the relevant info (photo, location, description) to us at lovesick.lake.association@gmail.com and we can log it for you.

ADDITIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES RESOURCES:

• Invasive Species Cottager's Action Plan PDF Download

• FOCA's Invasive Species Guide PDF Download

Things you can do to help our Species at Risk:

• Plant a Pollinator Garden - LINK

• Build  a Bee Box - LINK

• Plant Milk Weed to help Monarchs - LINK

• Join the Turtle Tally Project on iNaturalist to log turtle sightings 

• Join the Whip-poor-will project HERE

• Build a Bat Box  - PLANS

• Naturalize your shoreline - Watersheds Canada Guidebook PDF

• Make a turtle basking area  - LINK

• Build a Bird Box - LINK