Central Algoma Land Trust

06/13/2026

Our Fishing Line Recycling Station Program is officially up and running! Help keep our waterways tangle free by properly disposing of used fishing line in our new recycling stations. Discarded fishing line can pose a serious threat to turtles, birds, fish, and other wildlife, so every piece recycled makes a difference.

Thanks to Kensington Point Marina, Inc., Town of Thessalon, Municipality of Huron Shores, Village of Hilton Beach, The Township of St. Joseph Community Notices, and Johnson Township Recreation for hosting our initial batch of stations! Your support, collaboration, and commitment to conservation are helping create a cleaner and safer environment for both people and wildlife.

Learn more and find a station near you here: www.calt.ca/fishing-line-recycling-station-program

06/12/2026

June marks the beginning of turtle nesting season, and you may start seeing turtles laying their eggs in sandy and gravel areas. Help protect these important nests by using a turtle nest cover.

We have turtle nest covers available to be borrowed from the Little Rapids General Store and from our conservation centre in Desbarats for community members who discover nesting turtles and want to help keep eggs safe from predators and disturbances.

If you spot a nesting turtle, please give plenty of space and contact us to learn more about protecting the nest. Together, we can help give the next generation of turtles a better chance to hatch safely!

06/11/2026

Keep an eye out for Widow Skimmers! This striking dragonfly was documented in Central Algoma for the first time back in 2024, with multiple sightings along the southern shores of St. Joseph Island. However, after zero reports in 2025, we need your help this summer to find out if they’ve truly made our region their home.

They are easy to spot: males feature a unique "dark-white-clear" wing pattern, while females have a bright yellow stripe running down each side of their bodies. If you see one, try to snap a photo and report your sighting to iNaturalist or directly to us!

Read more in our latest Nature Notes entry here: www.calt.ca/news-updates/nature-notes-searching-for-widow-skimmers

06/11/2026

🌊♻️ Exciting News for Huron Shores Anglers! ♻️🌊

Next time you're heading out on the water, keep an eye out for something new!

We're excited to announce that Fishing Line Recycling Stations have now been installed at:

📍 Roe Park
📍 Little Basswood Park & Boat Launch

These stations are part of an incredible conservation initiative led by the Central Algoma Land Trust in partnership with Lake Huron North, helping keep fishing line out of our lakes, shorelines, and natural areas.

Did you know?

🎣 Fishing line can remain in the environment for up to 600 years.
🦅 Lost and discarded line is a major cause of wildlife entanglement.
♻️ Collected line is recycled into products such as tackle boxes, fishing line spools, and even artificial fish habitat structures.

This is a simple way for anglers to make a big difference. Instead of tossing old fishing line into the bush, parking lot, or garbage, simply drop it into one of these stations and it will be properly recycled.

A huge thank you to the Central Algoma Land Trust and Lake Huron North for bringing this innovative program to our community. We're proud to support efforts that help protect the lakes, wildlife, and outdoor spaces we all enjoy.

💙 Every line recycled helps keep our waterways cleaner and safer.

Learn more and view all station locations:
https://www.calt.ca/fishing-line-recycling-station-program

06/09/2026

Tickets are now on sale for our 25th Anniversary Celebration! Join us on July 28th in Richards Landing as we celebrate the first 25 years of our organization and our conservation successes. We look forward to seeing you there!

Buy your tickets now: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/centralalgomalandtrust/event/25thanniversarycelebration/

06/02/2026

Thank you so much to The Hedge Witch Horse for being a part of our Water Quality Monitoring Program! Volunteers like you are the backbone of this work, helping us establish a crucial baseline dataset on the health of our local waters.

We still have a few kits available for this summer. If you're interested in getting involved, you can learn more on our website: www.calt.ca/water-quality-monitoring-program

This past weekend, I became a citizen scientist!

Through a water monitoring program overseen by Central Algoma Land Trust, I collect, analyze and record data gleaned from samples to better understand the health of our local waterways.

The time spent on the river bank water testing was immeasurably enjoyable.

Learning how to process the water sample, what the results of the analysis meant, how to work the data entry app from Water Rangers (because I love to learn!), and knowing I was doing my small part in protecting our beautiful district enhanced that enjoyment.

So, whether you recycle, compost (we do a lot of composting at Hedge Witch Horse 😊), pick that discarded Timmie's cup up from the side of the road, hustle a turtle off the yellow line, plant a tree or buy from a local farmer to minimize your carbon footprint, every little bit you do helps! Thank you!

06/01/2026

After deep snow and a long winter, spring has finally arrived for Central Algoma Land Trust’s protected areas. We are pleased to announce that spring ephemerals are slowly waking up from their long winter naps and beginning to bloom along our hiking trails and monitored properties!

Read more about these beautiful flowers in our latest Nature Notes entry: www.calt.ca/news-updates/spring-has-finally-sprung-watch-for-the-wildflowers-of-central-algoma

05/22/2026

Thanks to the Village of Hilton Beach for hosting one of our first fishing line recycling stations! We have now installed a few of them within the Central Algoma region and hope to continue adding more in the future.

This program is made possible with support from Lake Huron North!

Located at the Hilton Beach Marina.
Due to increasing instances of people, property, and wildlife becoming entangled in fishing lines that have been left behind or lost, there is a need to act on this problem. Fishing line can last in the environment for up to 600 years and there is no way to properly recycle it in household bins as recycling facilities here do not accept it. Disposing of old, used, and broken fishing lines in the trash is also not effective as there is still a risk of it escaping into the environment by blowing out of garbage cans or landfills, or being removed by wildlife who may try to ingest it.
In an attempt to take preventative measures on these issues, the Central Algoma Land Trust began the Fishing Line Recycling Station Program in 2025 as a partnership with Lake Huron North. Since receiving funding through Lake Huron North, the Central Algoma Land Trust has made ten fishing line recycling stations to deploy throughout the Central Algoma region. From these stations, CALT staff will empty and sort the contents, and then ship the fishing line to the Berkley Conservation Institute who has developed technology that can recycle old fishing line into artificial fish habitat structures, tackle boxes and fishing line spools.

05/21/2026

We have teamed up with SK Group Inc. to offer a wide variety of official Central Algoma Land Trust merchandise! A diverse selection of shirts, hoodies, jackets, and hats are available in many different colours. Shop now: https://store.skgroupinc.com/central_algoma_land_trust/shop/home

All proceeds from these purchases will directly support our ongoing conservation work. This includes stewarding our existing protected areas, exploring the protection of new lands, and supporting our various community projects and programs, such as our Bat Monitoring and Education Program, the Desbarats Christmas Bird Count, and our Explorer Summer Day Camp.

Limited Time Opportunity: In celebration of our 25th anniversary this year, most merchandise options can be ordered with special branding to commemorate this milestone. Please note that these anniversary designs are available for a limited time only, and you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the online shop page to view and select these celebratory items.

For your convenience, pickup options are available at SK Group Inc. in Sault Ste. Marie or at the Central Algoma Land Trust Conservation Centre in Desbarats. Shipping is also available to any location within Canada.