Please bring your cold, clean ash.
The Friends of the Muskoka Watershed (FOTMW) are holding the first ash collection of 2026 on Saturday, January 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1062 Rosewarne Drive, the Bracebridge landfill/transfer station.
Since 2019, the organization has collected over 36,000 kg of woodstove and fireplace ash to help protect Muskoka’s watershed.
FOTMW uses the ash to conduct research with Trent University and to restore Muskoka forests. Lab studies indicate that Muskoka ash is 25-30% calcium and has appreciable amounts of other key plant nutrients including potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
Thousands of kilograms of processed wood ash have been applied to sugar maple bushes and research forests, and they’ve discovered that wood ash neutralizes the acidity of Muskoka soils damaged by decades of acid rain. Research suggests that ash application to the soil increases tree vitality and growth, making trees more storm-resistant and potentially more able to capture carbon! Healthier trees can also pump more water, with a positive impact on flood mitigation.
If you’d like to know more, contact [email protected] or visit them on Saturday to talk to them about the research and future projects, or visit their website at fotmw.org.
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We learn something new every day!! Thanks for this.