Westwind’s Forest Manager, Barry Davidson, attended the Muskoka Watershed Council’s Stewardship Conference entitled Our Watershed: Connecting the Drops.  This was a well attended event held at the Active Living Centre in Huntsville where both professionals and the public came to discuss concerns relative to the health of the watersheds in Muskoka.  A diverse range of topics were presented including defining healthy watersheds, understanding the relationship between Muskoka’s landforms and resulting patterns and functions of the watersheds, how watersheds should be considered as ecological units, how placing a value on watersheds may be a key to protecting them, understanding the cumulative effects of multiple stressors to our watersheds and understanding how our watersheds may have clogged arteries thus degrading their function.  Barry participated in a You Asked, We Answered session with a review of beech bark disease and what options may be available to landowners. Others described how turtles can be helped off roads properly, why you should get involved in the Lake Partner Program, what  microfibers are and how they are impacting the watersheds, and finally how carbon footprints may be reduced.  While it was an informative session for generally like-minded individuals, it was recognized that many of the important messages need to be heard throughout our communities.