How have the environmental realities of the Canadian Shield shaped the rural identity of Muskoka? Muskoka historian Dr. Andrew Watson discusses this and more at the upcoming Muskoka Watershed Council talk “Shaped by the Shield: Environment, Identity, and History in Muskoka”, being held at the Huntsville Public Library on August 9th at 4:00 p.m.
Dr. Watson’s research, which forms the basis for his upcoming book, examines the transformation of Muskoka from a strictly Indigenous place into a settler colonial society and the rise of tourism, and assesses the ways that social, economic, and environmental changes shaped sustainability and rural identity in the past.
Dr. Watson recently appeared on TVO’s “The Agenda” to talk about the long history of Muskoka cottagers’ dependence on year-round residents. He is a long-time Lake Joseph cottager himself, although he currently resides in Saskatchewan where he is a Professor in the Department of History and the School of Environment and Sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan.
Since 2008, Muskoka Watershed Council has hosted a series of environmental talks designed to stimulate discussion on issues important to watershed health. Admittance is by donation and all proceeds support the work of the Muskoka Watershed Council.
For more information or to RSVP, visit www.muskokawatershed.org, call the Muskoka Watershed Council at (705) 645-2100 x387 or email [email protected].
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