Baptiste Lake Plan

Prepared and published by the Baptiste Lake Planning Committee Fall 2009 Baptiste Lake Contents

Acknowledgements 2

Part 1: Our Lake, Our Future 3 Introduction 4 A Vision for Baptiste Lake 6 The Historical Context 7

Part 2: Lake Plan Content 15 2.1 Baptiste Lake Ecosystem 16 2.1.1 Watershed 16 2.1.2 Natural Heritage 18 2.1.3 Soils and Bedrock 21 2.1.4 Water Quality and Quantity 21 2.1.5 Wetlands 23 2.1.6 Streams 24 2.1.7 Fish and Fish Habitat 26 2.1.8 Wildlife Habitat 28 2.1.9 Species at Risk 30 2.1.10 Invasive Species 31 2.2 The Built Environment 32 2.2.1 Current Land Use 32 2.2.2 County Official Plan 34 2.2.3 Municipal Zoning By-laws 34 2.2.4 Residential Occupancy 35 2.2.5 Septic Systems 35 2.2.6 Natural Architecture and Viewscape 36 2.2.7 Physical Constraints – steep slopes, narrow water-bodies 36 2.3 Baptiste Lake Community 38 2.3.1 Community Values 38 2.3.2 Community Activities 39 2.3.3 Private Property Security 41

Part 3: Toward Implementation 43 3.1 Suggestions for Implementation 44 3.2 Taking Action 44 3.2.1 Actions involving the physical lake 44 3.2.2 Actions involving the shoreline around the lake 45 3.2.3 Actions involving the viewscape and watershed around the lake 46 3.2.4 Actions involving the built environment 47 3.2.5 Baptiste Lake community actions 48

Appendix 1: List of Contributors 49 Appendix 2: Members of Baptiste Lake Plan Committee 50 Acknowledgements

The development of a lake plan is a big ronment undertook a detailed study of the job that could not have been done without Baptiste Lake watershed in 2006 in sup - a great deal of help. port of this lake plan. The Baptiste Lake Association initiated The County of Hastings allowed access this project in July 2005. The Municipality of to many files and planning documents, Hastings Highlands supported the project and provided useful advice. from the beginning, and has provided valu - The Ontario Federation of Anglers and able information and advice throughout. Hunters monitored the lake for invasive The interest and support of the Baptiste species and provided annual reports. Lake community was vital. Many individu - Our consultants, French Planning Serv - als and businesses contributed time and ices Inc., were committed and enthusias - money in support of the project (see Ap - tic partners throughout the entire process. pendix A). All Baptiste Lake Plan Committee mem - Birch Cliff Lodge was our “home away bers made huge commitments and contri - from home” throughout the process, and butions. Their names are listed in a welcoming location for committee and Appendix B. stakeholder meetings. Many hands make light work, and to all Michael Moxam, an architect and a Bap - the lake plan contributors, thank you for tiste Lake cottage owner, prepared a com - your help and support. prehensive Architectural Survey of the lake. The Ministry of Natural Resources Menna Weese opened up their files and provided vital Chair, Baptiste Lake Plan Committee data and advice, and the Ministry of Envi-

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the It took five years of hard work, but the Baptiste Lake Association, it is my pleas - pay-off is a Lake Plan that we can all be ure to congratulate Menna Weese and the proud of, and that will set us on the right Baptiste Lake Plan Committee on the com - course as we work towards implementa - pletion of its work on the Lake Plan. tion of its many recommendations . We in - Thanks to all those who have contributed vite and encourage our Baptiste Lake in large or small ways to the process. community to get involved and be part of The undertaking to produce a Lake Plan this great work. was truly a work of great commitment by Congratulations to all who contributed. so many. Their energy and determination has produced an impressive document Diana Gurley that truly reflects the aspirations of our President , Baptiste Lake Association community for the preservation and pro - tection of our wonderful Baptiste Lake.

2 Part 1: Our Lake, Our Future

MILL AT HUGHES SIDING (WHERE MARINA IS NOW) 1.1 Introduction Why a Lake Plan?

The area surrounding Baptiste Lake has What is a Lake Plan? seen many changes over the years – among them easier highway access, A Lake Plan is an action plan to conserve, greater property development, and in - protect and enhance the features that creased demands for recreational oppor - make Baptiste Lake special. The pur - tunities. These changes – and more to poses of a Lake Plan are to: come – pose challenges to the special • Identify and protect lake values character of the lake, and lake residents • Promote community discussion and and visitors are rightly concerned about action the future of the lake. • Educate and communicate In 2005, the all-volunteer Baptiste Lake • Establish environmental and social Association (BLA) initiated a planning objectives process to address these challenges be - • Set measurable indicators of health cause its members care for Baptiste Lake • Recommend land use policy and are concerned about its future. The • Guide stewardship actions Municipality of Hastings Highlands unani - These goals are achieved through a mously supported the idea of a Lake Plan mix of community stewardship, govern - for Baptiste Lake that year, as did the BLA ment policy initiates and land use plan - at its annual general meeting. (A Lake ning. This involves regulatory bodies – Plan encourages community stakeholders governments – clarifying, harmonizing to be responsible stewards of the lake, and modifying existing policies and prac - and to personally contribute to its well- tices, as well as education and promo - being and preservation.) tion of best practices for all A committee of lake residents and busi - stakeholders. The Baptiste Lake Plan is ness owners was formed in 2005 to steer a long range, living document that will the development of the Lake Plan. Their continue to evolve as circumstances and work, which relied heavily on consultations issues change. with the community, began with members The scope of the Baptiste Lake Plan is of the Baptiste Lake community identifying focused on the lake’s watershed, which in - their shared values and qualities – their cludes the lake proper from the York River “vision” of the lake – that makes the lake inflow from Elephant Lake to High Falls special. The Lake Plan committee then Dam, and all the inflowing streams and identified the risks or threats to this vision rivers to the lake and their headwaters and of Baptiste Lake and crafted recommenda - groundwater sources. tions for actions that would mitigate these risks and protect and enhance the stake - How we created the Lake Plan holders’ collective vision of the lake. Fi - nally, we gave some consideration as to It was important to begin by gathering sci - how the Lake Plan should be implemented. entific information about the lake, in order The results of these efforts are set out in to determine its health. In 2005, the the chapters that follow this introduction. Lake Plan committee commissioned a se - ries of studies to accomplish this task.

4 1.1 Introduction • Natural Heritage Inventory (water Completing a lake planning process is quality, streams, wetlands, vegeta - both time-consuming and costly. Initial tion, fish and wildlife, invasive species funding for the Baptiste Lake Plan was ob - and species at risk) tained through a highly successful Lake • Physical Elements Study (water regu - Plan fund-raising dinner and auction – the lation and use, soil and bedrock, BLA GALA – held at Birch Cliff Lodge in Au - floodplains, minerals and aggregates, gust 2006. Additional funding was pro - narrow water vided through the kind donations of cash bodies, natural vistas and forestry). and donations “in kind” from a broad • Land Use Study (current land use, array of people and businesses within the Crown land use regulations and mu - Baptiste Lake community. nicipal land use policy) In the summer of 2007, we held an - • Architectural Survey of Baptiste Lake other stakeholder meeting to report on (natural architecture, development the results of these scientific studies, the density, impact on shoreline) community survey, and the stakeholder Input from the Baptiste Lake community – workshops. Over the subsequent fall and cottagers, permanent residents, busi - spring, this information was used to draft nesses, anglers, governments, and others recommendations for the Lake Plan – an – was vital in building the Lake Plan, since action plan – that we presented to yet an - a successful Lake Plan is a living document other stakeholder meeting during the sum - that reflects the vision of the community. mer of 2008. To that end, the committee commissioned In the months that followed, the commit - a survey of all Baptiste Lake residents – tee finished the report, including finalizing shoreline, village and rural – in May 2006, the history and community values sec - and posted the results on the Baptiste tions and drafting additional recommenda - Lake Association website www.baptiste - tions. A final stakeholder meeting in lake.org . Of 670 surveys sent out, nearly August 2009 was held to review the addi - 40 per cent were returned, an exceptionally tional recommendations. In the fall of high response rate by survey standards. 2009, this final report was published. The committee also held two successful Now, the lake plan moves into the im - stakeholder workshops in the summer of plementation phase, which will require sig - 2006 – one in August for lake residents nificant participation and support from the and one in September for commercial op - municipal council and from all members of erators and governments. the lake community.

5 1.1 Introduction 1.2 A Vision for Baptiste Lake

The collective vision for Baptiste Lake is Threats to this vision were also identi - to protect, preserve and enhance – for fu - fied at that time by lake residents. These ture generations – the qualities that make threats can also take many forms: the lake special to us: the natural beauty, • Water pollution from septic systems, the tranquility, the pristine waters, the nat - garbage, and boats, and the removal of ural ecosystems, the recreational opportu - the vegetative shoreline buffer, which nities, and the vibrant community that degrade the water quality of the lake surrounds it. • Fluctuating water levels and the The vision can take many forms: potential of hydroelectric development, • Watching a loon hunting for fish on which may increase shoreline erosion the dock in the early morning mist and ice damage, as well as damage • Sailing the main channel during a the scenic beauty and fish habitat strong west wind • Nightime noise and light pollution, which • Lying on the dock in the still of the deplete the peace and tranquility of the night watching the Milky Way swim lake and the beauty of the night sky through the night sky • High-speed personal watercraft and • Reading a good book during a rainy increased boat traffic, which endanger day in a warm cabin or sunroom safe swimming and boating, as well • Teaching your children or grandchil - as increase daytime noise, water pollu - dren how to swim, paddle a canoe, tion and shoreline erosion or identify animals and plants • Large-scale development, lot sever - • Catching a 4 0˝ inch muskie where ances and back lot development, a shelf drops into the main basin which diminish the natural beauty of • Cross-country skiing on the forest the lake and further stress the carry - access roads or across the lake ing capacity of the lake during sunny winter days This is the collective vision for Baptiste These are the qualities that residents of Lake. Before moving to our Lake Plan to Baptiste Lake identified in the survey that address these matters, it is useful to place was conducted in the summer of 2006. this discussion in historical perspective.

6 1.2 A Vision for Baptiste Lake 1.3 The Historical Context

Baptiste Lake is located in the granite high - Exploration lands south of Algonquin Provincial Park. The lake gets its name from Algonquin Early European explorers of the area in - Chief Jean Baptiste, believed to be the first clude Lieutenant Walpole, who in 1827 was permanent resident. sent to map a canoe route from Lake Sim - Baptiste Lake and its surroundings are coe through Baptiste Lake, the York and the situated within the Grenville Province of the Madawaska Rivers. The first survey of the Canadian Shield, which is a northeasterly region was completed in the summer of trending belt about 250 miles wide (from 1853, mainly for the construction of the upper New York State to just south of Sud - Hastings Road. In August 1857, John bury) and 1,200 miles long, extending from Snow was instructed to survey a road from Lake Huron to the Labrador coast. A conti - the Mississippi River in the Township of nental collision deformed the crust of the North Sherbrooke in Lanark County to the earth about a billion years ago, pushing up Hastings Road at what is now Bancroft. It a mountain range along a line running is known in Bancroft as the Snow Road. roughly through Parry Sound, Haliburton, In 1864, land surveyor A.B. Perry was Bancroft, Pembroke and on to the Gatineau sent to scout the lake area for potential re - Hills of Quebec. This mountain chain, once sources and habitation. He reported the as high as the Rocky Mountains, has been land quite unsuitable for habitation, but reduced by erosion to what are today the noted the enormous stands of white and highlands around Baptiste Lake. red pine. After traveling the 25-mile stretch of waterway, he named the current Baptiste Aboriginal Peoples Lake as “Long Lake”. His report reached the Bronson and Weston Company, which It is documented that the Mississauga Na - led to industrial logging in the area. tion of the area entered into a provisional treaty in 1819, in Kingston, with John Fer - Logging and Lumbering guson, on behalf of the Crown, through which they “freely and voluntarily surren - The first logging camps of the 1800s had dered” their lands to the Crown for an an - one large windowless building called a nual payment of 642 pounds and ten camboose that housed about 50 men. It shillings, in perpetuity. A confirmatory was made of pine logs, with a floor of flat - treaty was signed in 1822. The Chippewa tened poles and a chimney of black Nation entered a similar provisional treaty spruce poles. Over time, the camps grew in 1818 for a yearly sum of 1,200 pounds, larger, with more buildings able to house which was confirmed in 1832. up to 125 men that were separate from Presently, some land claims in the area the cookhouse and blacksmith shop with remain outstanding, particularly those of stable. A 40-foot pointer boat, designed the Golden Lake Algonquin. Some of the by John Cockburn in the 1850s, could first known Aboriginal families to live on carry 8,500 pounds of groceries to feed Baptiste Lake were the Bernards, 80 men. Larger camps had four cooks, LaVallees and Baptistes. labourers, teamsters to drive the horses,

7 1.3 The Historical Context timekeepers and a doctor, for which each operation in the upper region of Baptiste man paid 50 cents a month. Lake. A second Ottawa firm, Wm. Mason Logging took place only during the winter. & Sons, began a lumbering operation in Logs were skidded by horse onto thousands 1887. Many of the early settlers worked of frozen lakes, including Baptiste Lake, and in logging camps during the winter, from then piled to await spring. After the spring the first snow to the spring thaw, to add thaw, each lake harboured log booms ready to their meager income from question - for river driving. Dams were built by lumber - able farmland. men to hold waters up to their highest lev - When the Bronson & Weston Company els, and once they were open, at the lake first began logging at Baptiste Lake, it op - head, water flowed through the system to erated from the headwaters near the en - carry the timber to the mill. trance to Algonquin Park. In order to be able to drive logs down the river, the com - pany built the first dam at the lower end of the lake in 1866, approximately one kilo - meter above where High Falls dam is today. The rising water connected the upper and lower basins of the lake, creat - ing islands where none before existed, and making the log drive easier. This also had the effect of increasing flooding in Alligator boat, 1930 Bancroft, and in 1932 a second dam, built Later, Alligator boats (small side-wheel - of cement by Ontario Hydro (and still visi - ers) hauled booms of up to 60,000 logs, ble near the current dam), replaced the and could crawl across bogs from one lake old wooden structure. Flooding persisted, to another. They were flat-bottomed scows, and in 1967 the current High Falls dam and they carried about a mile of cable on was built, which has solved the flooding board, which they used to pull themselves problems, for the most part. over land by winding up a cable anchored to a point some distance away. A steam side-wheeler, the Beaver , was on Baptiste Lake since at least 1917, when Sam Bap - tiste was the captain. When Martin ac - quired the vessel in 1930, he replaced the steam engine with a more efficient diesel engine from a bulldozer and the vessel was renamed the Alligator , which contin - Old High Falls logging dam ued to ply the waters of Baptiste Lake until When the Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa the 1950s. It trailed a span of logs 15’ Railway (IB&O) Railway reached Baptiste wide by 1,000’ long, and made its daylong Station, sawmills opened on Baptiste trip from the upper region of the lake to Lake, such as the William Hughes Mill on the mill site, at what is now the Baptiste the lower basin of the lake, which became Lake Marina. High-speed boats and is - the Jennings and King Mill in 1914. Own - sues of liability with large log booms led to ership of the mill changed to Jennings & the retirement of the Alligator and the clos - Bailey, and in 1921 Whitney Martin joined ing of the Martin Mill. the firm. Bailey bought out Jennings, and In 1864, the Bronson and Weston Com - when Bailey moved to start a mill in Hal - pany of Ottawa launched a major logging iburton, Martin and his brother Garfield

8 1.3 The Historical Context purchased the company, forming Martin Road, were built and opened areas for set - Brothers Lumber Company. In 1930, they tlement. On December 8, 1870, “more purchased the Hughes Mill and operated than 100 Freeholders and Resident two mills on Baptiste Lake employing up to Householders” petitioned the County of 200 people. One mill was on the site of Hastings for the right to amalgamate, and the current Baptiste Lake Marina. five communities were consolidated into When his son Grenville bought the upper one Municipal Corporation. mill in 1957, Whitney dismantled the lower The first permanent resident on Bap - mill, and created major cottage develop - tiste Lake is believed to be Chief John ments on new roads named Marina Road, Baptiste, who moved from the Lake of Two McAllister Island, and Golden Shores. Mountains near Montreal in the mid Under the direction of Grenville Martin, the 1800s. He received the first land grant, Harcourt operation expanded, and G.W. believed to be in the area of Lavallee Bay, Martin Company grew to become the and as such the lake was renamed Bap - largest producer of hardwood in Canada. At tiste Lake from Long Lake. His son, John its peak, with annual revenues of $100 mil - Baptiste, also received a land grant and lion, the company employed 1,300 people. settled midway on the channel on the The company closed following the death of north shore of the main basin. One of Grenville Martin, who perished in a private John’s daughters, Mary, married Frank airplane accident in 1984. Lavalley and then built a home in the area that was then known as Lavalley Bay. Settlement William Mulcahey, an Irishman, is be - lieved to be the first non-Aboriginal resi - The earliest settlers to Hasting County were dent on the lake. In the late 1800s, on United Empire Loyalists who were allied with the brow of a hill on the south shore of the British during the American Revolution, Baptiste Lake, he cleared land for farm - but few of them ventured as far north as ing. Further to the east, he built a large Baptiste Lake. It was not until the 1840s and elegant home, which now continues and 1850s that waves of immigrants, many as the main lodge of Birch Cliff Lodge. of them escaping the Irish potato famine, The IB&O Railway reached the south chose to live in the newly surveyed town - shore of Baptiste Lake and his property in ships in northern Hastings County. Names 1900, and by 1904 the first “tourists” such as Wicklow and McClure attest to the were coming to Baptiste Lake. Five of region’s Irish heritage. those initial tourists banded together and Prompted by government advertise - purchased the first cottage lots. Mulca - ments of prosperity and rural serenity, hey built a general store shortly thereafter posted in Britain and Canadian cities, and on the hill overlooking Baptiste Station offers of free land (100 acres, offered below. He provided a dining room for log - under the terms of The Free Grant and gers, trainmen and travelers passing Homestead Act, 1868 ), settlers pushed their way north. Under the terms of the legislation, settlers had to be 18 years of age, build a log house of 20’ by 18’ within four years, and have at least 12 acres under cultivation within four years. Roofs were made of bark and log walls were filled in with clay and whitewashed. Colo - nization roads, such as the Peterson Grant’s Store, 1934

9 1.3 The Historical Context through, in addition to boarding rooms lo - ing the Trent River. From the south, the cated above the store and boxcar cabins COR threaded its way north from Prince located nearby for overflow guests. Later, Edward County to Bancroft and north to he sold the store to Hiram and Elizabeth Maynooth, Lake St. Peter and Wallace. Grant, who with their daughter Mabel ran The line was approved for passenger use the store and post office for many years in 1884, but did not reach Bancroft until before they sold it in turn to Bruce Mont - 1900. gomery in 1984. Under new ownership in 2001 by George and Susan Poulton, the old store was demolished and a new, rail - way-themed facility established (Country Fare Inn), with a general store, a restau - rant, and guest rooms. By 1911, with a store, a school at the top of Station Hill, a church on Bowen Road, and new settlers arriving, Mulca - hey’s vision of a village on Baptiste Lake The IB&O at the Baptiste Station was fulfilled (It should be noted that the The Irondale, Bancroft and Ottawa Rail - church was moved, board by board, from way (IBO) started about 1880 near Kin - its place on the hill and rebuilt on its pres - mount. Owner W.S. Myles built 6.5 miles ent location on land donated by Mrs. Hiram of track made of wood rather than steel to reach his mines. The railway soon went bankrupt, and was purchased by Charles Pusey and Henry Howland, who rebuilt it to serve their mine at Irondale. By 1896 the railway went as far as Mud Creek (the current causeway) on Baptiste Lake. Top speed on the rickety IB&O was 10 to 15 miles an hour, and travel on the COR was - n’t much faster. The IB&O could never United Church in its original location handle heavy loads: its grades were too [Elizabeth] Grant). Mulcahey decided to steep, its rails too light, and its curves too open up cottage lots and extend the road tight. In places like Baptiste Lake, trains to the east of his house. The new develop - had to be hauled over hills in sections. ment became Fell Road. The first person to The grade from Baptiste village to High - build a cottage was John Payne. He and land Grove, along the shore of the lake, is his wife Gertrude established Edenswold, a the steepest and longest grade in Canada business providing dining, boarding and east of the Rockies. The railway carried cottaging. It later became Buckingham the mail until the 1950s. Lodge, Baptiste Chalet and Lydia’s Bistro. When highways 62 and 28 were built, the railways were doomed. The IB&O closed in Railway 1960, and the COR in 1966. The IB&O rail - way bed can still be seen by driving along The Central Ontario Railway (COR) was the south shore of Baptiste Lake. The COR built mainly to access mining resources in right-of-way has become the Hastings Her - North Hastings in the 1880s. The railway, itage Trail, which can be seen from Highway initially called the Prince Edward County 62 in places. Railway, began in Picton in 1879, follow -

10 1.3 The Historical Context Artists store and lounge. Most early guests came from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New At least three famous Canadian painters Jersey. Birch Cliff Lodge was a full serv - have produced works at Baptiste Lake, ice American Plan fishing lodge, with cot - which is a testament to the enduring tage names such as Bide-a-Wee, Linger beauty of the landscape. In 1947, David Long, Restin Up, and Dunworryn. A large Milne came to Baptiste Lake and painted fleet of flat-bottomed wooden boats, many scenes, some of which hang in the painted white with green trim and pow - National Gallery. His cabin, opposite ered by five horsepower motors, took Blueberry Island, has been preserved by guests and their guides fishing. In the his son, David Milne Jr. For three years in 1930s and 1940s, fishing lodges such as the 1950s, A.J. Casson, one of the Group these provided employment for a large of Seven artists, stayed at The Chateau, a number of guides, supplying much-needed resort next to Grant’s Store, where he income for year-round residents. Chief painted “The Blue Heron”, “Backwater” Jean, son Sam and grandson Jack Bap - and “Bay on Lake Baptiste”. A drawing ti - tiste were prominent fishing and hunting tled “Lake Baptiste” is also known. A.Y. guides during this period. Since David Jackson, another member of the Group of Milne purchased the resort in 1983, it Seven, also sketched on Baptiste Lake. has been remodeled and upgraded to a four-star level, so that Birch Cliff Lodge Tourism

Tourism on Baptiste Lake began in earnest in the 1930s, and many lodges and camps flourished on the lake for many years. Only a few examples are cited here. In April 1931, Art Nicoll purchased the site of the current Birch Cliff Lodge from William Mulcahey for $2,000. He and his wife Edythe opened for the 1931 summer Sam Baptiste with fishermen season, and by 1932 most of the present continues to be one of the most attractive Birch Cliff cottages had been built. The and historically representative cottage re - sorts in Ontario. Rangers Lodge also began in 1931. On July 15 of that year, the Wigwassin Post of the Rangers was founded by the first five boys who had been guests that summer. The Post Lodge, completed in June 1932, was constructed of white pine logs. It was 60’ by 60’, including a 20’ verandah that ran the length of the building. Of the 15 rooms, 10 were allotted to the boys, sleep - ing four to a room with two double bunk Birch Cliff Lodge beds, or “lumberjack style”, as they called main lodge, the original Mulcahey home it. Applications were limited to 40 in order built around 1917, contained the dining to ensure that each boy received sufficient room and kitchen, and later an office, attention and instruction.

11 1.3 The Historical Context The Post was organized on a quasi-mili - tary style, and was advertised as a “sum - mer camp in the Canadian North for America’s finest boys”. It was operated under the Command and Direction of Glenn R. Snodgrass, who graduated from the University of Illinois in 1923 and was Director of Physical Training at a large high school in the Philadelphia suburbs. The Post Physician was Dr. W. Vance and Rangers Lodge, 1960s the Quartermaster was C.C. Basnett, an from Birch Cliff Lodge. In the early 1930s, expert camper, woodsman and sports - the island was purchased by Niagara Light man, who also looked after supplies and and Power of Niagara Falls, New York for accounting. Both were from West Virginia. use by its executives as a private fishing Besides learning outdoor skills, the boys club. Guests sometimes arrived by private had access to a photo dark room, a labo - railcar, and the island became known lo - ratory, a taxidermy shop, and woodworking cally as ‘Millionaires’ Island.’ The Herschel equipment. Boys were taught the proper Island Fishing Club accommodated 18 use and handling of a rifle. guests. It had a main lounge room with Parents could send their boys by train to stone fireplace, a dining room, a bar, a Rochester, New York, where the Post Com - kitchen and dining room, and a sunroom. mander personally took charge of their A passenger boat and a luggage scow trip. They boarded a steamer, the “Mon - would take guests to the island, and a tiny treal”, at Genesee, New York in the morn - electric railroad would take them and their ing and arrived in Coburg, Ontario in the bags from the main dock to the main lodge afternoon, and completed the trip by train (these are still visible today on the south to Baptiste Station. The Rangers were en - shore of the island). The island currently couraged to purchase a uniform sold at a belongs to Birch Cliff Lodge owner David cost of $25, consisting of a powder-blue, Milne, who has refurbished the facilities to double-breasted tunic, light buff riding their previous glory. breeches with scarlet braid on the outside Camp Ponacka was initially founded in seam, black leather puttees, white felt hat 1932 by a Pennsylvania high-school patterned after the Northwest Mounted teacher named Lester Bergey, who ran it Police, and a scarlet Sam Browne belt. as a boys camp until 1939, thereafter Rangers also had to bring their own blan - using it as cottage retreat for his family kets, pillows, raincoat, towels, athletic and friends. In the fall of 1946, Bruno equipment, a 22-calibre, single-shot rifle Morawetz – a 29-year-old, second-year phi - of good quality, any musical instrument, losophy student at the University of West - and a Testament or Bible. ern Ontario in London – purchased the Rangers Lodge was subsequently used stretch of shoreline with three buildings as a wilderness “get away” for wealthy for $4,500. In July 1947, the camp’s first Americans, and the final owner was Ron 12 boys (mostly from London) arrived in Schnurpel, who operated the lodge from Baptiste Village by train and traveled over 1958 until 1996, when he closed the lodge to the camp by boat. In the early days, after subdividing the property in 1979. the camp’s facilities were rustic; milk and Herschel Island is a 14-acre island lo - other perishables were kept in an ice - cated in the main basin of Baptiste Lake, house (now the camp’s Lapidary Hut). In and is accessible by a 1.5 mile boat ride 1958, a road was opened to the camp,

12 1.3 The Historical Context 1964 enabled Ponacka to significantly ex - pand its enrollment. In 1985, Bruno and Gwen welcomed their daughter, Anne Morawetz and her husband Don Bocking, who assisted them in running Camp Ponacka, and eventually purchased the camp over time. New programs and activi - ties were added. Ponacka’s adventure programs enable boys to go hiking in the Camp Ponacka Adirondacks in upper New York State, and electricity arrived shortly after. After enjoy biking trips to the Haliburton Forest 35 years, Bruno and his wife Gwen finally Reserve, and white water paddling on the relented and brought telephone service nearby Madawaska River. Today, Camp into the camp. Canoe trips into Algonquin Ponacka is one of Ontario’s most re - Park began in 1949, while horseback rid - spected summer camps for boys, with an ing was added to the program in 1960. enrollment of 155 boys from the ages of The construction of a new dining hall in eight to 15.

13 1.3 The Historical Context SOURCES

Published Unpublished A.F. Burns, Bancroft and District: Old Home “Artists of Baptiste Lake”, typescript, no Week, 1961 . Reprint. Kingston: Lake On - author, no date. tario Regional Library System, 1976. Peter Brown, “Finding Patty Cox”, Baptiste Canada, Indian Treaties and Surrenders Lake Association Newsletter , July (Volume I, Treaties 1 – 138) (originally 2000. published in 1891). Saskatoon: Fifth Chris Chhatwal (nee Irwin), “The Irwin House Publishers, 1992. Family … Baptiste Lake”, typescript, Dan Currie (ed.), Ponacka: The First Fifty no date. Years . Peterborough: Camp Ponacka Lorraine Fell, “History of Baptiste Lake”, Inc., 1996. typescript, 2008. Lorraine Fell, “The Legend of Sam Bap - “Herschel Island”, typescript, no author, tiste”, The Bancroft Times , August 13, no date. 1996. Joseph Kryanowski, “Rangers Lodge”, Orland and Sylvia French (eds.), Bancroft – typescript, no date. North of 7 … and Proud of It . Bancroft: David Milne, “A Short History of Birch Cliff The Bancroft Heritage Book Committee, Lodge”, Baptiste Lake Association 2003. Newsletter , 2003

14 1.3 The Historical Context Part 2: Lake Plan Content 2.1 Lake Ecosystem 2.1.1. Watershed

Baptiste Lake is a headwater reservoir lake The watershed has extensive forest in a chain of lakes connecting the York cover dominated by tolerant hardwood River, which originates in Algonquin Park, to shorelines and mixed upland tree commu - the Madawaska River downstream. Bap - nities containing a number of boreal influ - tiste Lake is a sub-watershed of the ences; permanent and intermittent Madawaska River Drainage System (see wetlands and streams; and other large Figure 1) and lies within the ecological site- and small neighbouring freshwater lakes district 5E-9 – a physiographic region of the and ponds. Algonquin Dome (Highlands) characterized There are also a few islands on Baptiste by a rolling topography. Lake, such as Blueberry and Herschel is - The lake’s watershed is characterized lands, with relatively undisturbed and dis - by protruding Precambrian bedrock, shal - tinctly unique woodland habitats. low glacial till cover, bare rocky outcrops and ridges of varying elevations, and the riverine influences of the York River. Many of the lowland areas (wetlands, ponds and streams) are floored with outwash sand flats and gravel hills, and the soils are generally stony, sandy, acidic and shallow.

16 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Figure 1: Madawaska River Watershed

17 2.1 Lake Ecosystem 2.1.2. Natural Heritage Lake Character

Baptiste Lake (see Figure 2) has an irreg - and intermittent stream corridors, steep ular shaped basin, including several dis - rock ridges, and forested landscapes. tinctly different sections or bays. Many of The remaining shoreline areas are pri - the bays, which appear extensive on maps vately owned, many of which have been or aerial photographs, are merely drowned largely cleared of natural vegetation land with less than 3 feet of water depth and/or altered with grassy lawns and (MNR Lake Files, 2007). In 1932, a Pub - hardened shorelines. lic Works dam was built at the effluence of the York River from Baptiste Lake that flooded surrounding land on Baptiste and Elephant lakes.

Baptiste Lake Physical Characteristics • Surface Area = 2,125 ha • Mean Depth in Shallow Bays = 5.3 m • Maximum Depth in Main Basin = 31.4 m • Shoreline Length = 62 km • York River from Benoir Lake to Baptiste Dam = 29 km

Several bays are speckled with drowned and partly eroded trees and other vegeta - Water quality, scenery, natural shorelines, tion that were not cutover prior to the ele - wildlife, fish and recreational activities were vation of the water. These flooded lands identified by residents in the 2006 survey have created areas of shallow water thick as very important to the quality of life on with aquatic vegetative growth and organic Baptiste Lake. It is evident that human ac - sediments. The flooded land created im - tivities and their associated impacts are al - portant warm-water fish habitat but has tering natural habitats and the ecological negatively impacted cold-water fish habitat integrity of the landscape. Many residents (MNR Lake Files, 2007). In 1988, revised stated that waterfront property should re - dam operating plans were initiated to re - tain natural vegetation along the shoreline duce levels in the fall, before lake trout and that Crown land should remain in public spawning to protect eggs, and indirectly ownership to conserve the natural charac - protect hibernating reptiles. ter and beauty of the area. A large proportion of the shoreline and upland areas is designated Crown land, in - Understanding our Natural Heritage cluding areas around Hamilton, Grassy, Dog and Lavalley Bays, and remains Our watershed is very rich in natural her - undisturbed and naturally vegetated. itage. Large, intact, forested habitats and These shoreline areas incorporate a mix natural area corridors exist within the Ban - of rocky and sandy-soiled shores and croft District area, particularly within the beaches, wetland vegetation, permanent townships abutting the Algonquin Provincial

18 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Figure 2: Baptiste Lake Physical Environment

19 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Park boundary. Many provincially or locally tection designation includes lands that rare mammals inhabit these areas (see de - play an important role in the preservation tails later in this chapter). of the County’s natural heritage systems Baptiste Lake’s sub-watershed is com - and that may be sensitive to proposed de - posed of a matrix of mixed and coniferous velopment. There is a requirement for a forests, deciduous forests, open wood - Lake Capacity Study and/or an Environ - lands, grassland, rock land, rock cliffs, mental Impact Assessment to be com - treed and aquatic wetlands, beaches and pleted for all development or site lawns, and hardened shorelines. The alterations on lands within 300 metres of lake is predominantly shallow and defined Baptiste Lake, which is a designated cold- by a riverine system, except for deeper water fishery. water in the Main Basin and West, Dog Environmental Protection (EP) designa - and Lavalley Bays. tion applies to sensitive water bodies and permanent watercourses including flood - plains, erosion hazards, poor drainage, or - ganic soils and other wetlands of regional or local significance. Provincial policy des - ignates selected environmentally pro - tected wetland areas as “Provincially Significant Wetlands” (PSW). A PSW des - ignation prohibits the construction of buildings and structures on or adjacent to the PSW area, except for those used for conservation, flood or erosion control. The county official plan also requires that Historically, the watershed was covered any development within 30 metres of criti - with old-growth eastern white pine, eastern cal fish habitat, as identified on the land hemloc k and yellow birch tree species. In - use schedules, will require an Environ - tensive logging in the late 1800s and early mental Impact Statement (EIS) to demon - 1900s removed these stands, replacing strate no negative impacts. them with younger, mixed forests, domi - There was no optimal lake trout habitat nated by white pine, yellow birch, red and available at the time of the July 2006 sam - sugar maple, oak, poplar and balsam fir pling period, and there was no lake trout tree species. All of the varied species of habitat (optimal or usable) available during plants and animals and their habitats are the critical late summer period in Lavalley considered to be part of the natural her - Bay. As a result, Baptiste Lake west of itage. This biodiversity of plants and ani - the former Herschel Township lots 16 and mals and their habitat is a valuable 17 (West Basin) is considered, according resource and a legacy left for future gener - to a recent MOE Water Quality Report ations. Biodiversity provides land and (2006), to be “at capacity.” The official water protection, recreational opportuni - plan for the county states that “no new de - ties, and sustains our quality of life. velopment shall be permitted within 300 meters of ‘at capacity’ lakes, except for Natural Heritage Protection Policies of the development of lots of record and in the Province, County, and Municipality accordance with existing zoning”. In addition to the Provincial Policy State - In the current County of Hastings Official ment (2005) and the Official Plan and Plan, dated 2002, the Environmental Pro - Zoning By-laws, there are other regula -

20 2.1 Lake Ecosystem tions under provincial and federal legisla - stone in the rock provides natural buffer - tion for the management and conservation ing from the effects of acid rain. Some of of natural heritage. the soil types in this area may contain These include: higher concentrations of iron, which is • The Federal Fisheries Act and Species known to bind phosphorous and limit its at Risk Act migration to the lake. • Ontario’s Endangered Species Act While there are no active mining claims • Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act on Crown Lands within the sub-watershed • Crown Forest Sustainability Act of Baptiste Lake, there continue to be hun - • Planning Act dreds of active land dispositions for sur - • Public Lands Act face and mining rights on private lands. • Aggregate Act • Environmental Protection Act Recommendations – Soils and Bedrock • The BLA should encourage the County, Recommendations – Natural Heritage Municipality, and Ministry of Natural • The BLA should encourage lakefront Resources to amend their official owners to restore the shoreline areas plans and policies in order to prohibit back to a natural state wherever pos - the creation of new pits, quarries, or sible, and to protect and retain native mining sites within the “viewscape” vegetation, in order to reconstitute (site horizon) of Baptiste Lake, which lost shoreline landscape. Municipal would harm tourism and the quality of planning documents should continue life of lake residents and visitors. to require the mandatory protection of shoreline buffer areas (15 meters 2.1.4. Water Quality depth for existing lots). and Quantity • Programs such as The Shoreline Advi - sor Program, Dock Talk and the Stew - Water Quality ardship Council (which provide free advice, shrubs and trees) should be Baptiste Lake was historically a small cold- supported to educate, assist and en - water lake, most likely oligotrophic in na - courage landowner stewardship, and ture. However, flooding by a series of to encourage the “naturalization” of dams modified the lake’s basin by increas - degraded shorelines. ing its surface area, which created large • The BLA should encourage the Munici - basins with shallow water, drowned vegeta - pality to develop a tree cutting or tree tion, warmer surface water, as well as preservation forestry by-law to ensure land-use changes. These conditions have that lots retain a percentage of their artificially aged and modified the lake to - natural vegetation, and thereby re - wards the mesotrophic and eutrophic con - duce storm water runoff. ditions that are observed today. The main body continues to be relatively deep and 2.1.3. Soils and Bedrock only moderately productive, as demon - strated by moderate concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen. These concen - The Baptiste Lake Watershed is primarily trations elevate during late summer and composed of bedrock. There are a few may subject the shallow easterly and west - areas with well-drained and infertile soils, erly bays to eutrophic conditions leading to which were the glacial meltwater spill - algal blooms in late summer (MNR, 2004 ways. The presence of crystalline lime - and MNR Lake Files, 2007).

21 2.1 Lake Ecosystem A water-quality report was provided by the The BLA has been collecting this type of in - Ministry of the Environment ( Water Quality formation for over 30 years. Continued Report : Mark Phillips, February 2006) that and expanded monitoring programs and concentrated on results from recent water- activities aimed at assessing water quality, quality data collections conducted in 2000 aquatic habitat and sensitive aquatic and 2006. Sampling was conducted to species are important so that we can con - monitor general water-quality parameters tinue to analyze the data and postulate pertaining to nutrient enrichment and tur - trends with a view to water quality lake bidity, as well as to specifically monitor the protection and enhancement. status of oxygen levels as it relates to lake trout population health. Water Quantity All parameters, except for dissolved oxy - gen, met or were better than the Provincial Water levels on Baptiste Lake have been Water Quality Objectives’ standards, and altered by humans for the past 100 years were concurrent with results for lakes in for forestry and hydroelectricity generation the Algonquin-Haliburton region. The purposes. In 1931–1933, a dam was lake’s water quality did not change sub - built at the east end of the lake along the stantially between 1997 and 2006, or York River by the Ontario Department of from historical measurements dating back Public Works and the Ontario Hydro Elec - to the 1960s. Baptiste Lake appears to tric Power Commission. The purpose of the be generally quite clear except for a slight dam was to regulate flows at hydroelectric decrease in water clarity (as measured by generating facilities on the Madawaska Secchi depth) over the period of record River system. The present dam is owned (MOE, 2006). and operated by the MNR , which balances Phosphorus and nitrogen levels in Bap - the needs of the Bancroft Public Utilities tiste Lake are at moderate concentrations Commission, the Municipality of Hastings that could allow for the formation of some Highlands, the Town of Bancroft, the prop - nuisance algal populations mostly limited to erty owners of Baptiste, Elephant and the shallow bays. There is a significant in - Benoir Lakes and other stakeholders up - crease in phosphorus concentrations for stream and downstream, and is governed the August and September sampling period. by a jointly developed 1988 operating man - Based on the 2000 dissolved oxygen ual managed by the MNR. profiles, which show sharply reduced oxy - gen levels in late summer, Baptiste Lake is considered to be highly sensitive to the loss of lake trout habitat and is therefore considered to be ‘at capacity,’ particu - larly surrounding the main basin and up - stream, with regard to shoreline development. As a result, it was con - cluded that new or additional develop - ment would result in a net increase in phosphorus loading and should not be permitted. Data collection over time will provide the necessary information to identify trends in The current dam was constructed in water quality and to identify which water 1967 in “order to provide a more stable quality parameters need to be addressed. structure which would be better at con -

22 2.1 Lake Ecosystem trolling the release of water.” The new posal for a hydroelectric generating fa - dam increased the water level by one cility affecting Baptiste Lake, and en - foot and increased the storage capacity sure that the proponent conducts to reduce the severity of the summer assessments and develops proactive draw-down . There have been some pro - strategies to demonstrate there will be posals over the years to turn the existing no negative impact on lake levels and dam into a hydroelectric generating facil - surrounding environments, including ity. The provincial government has in - lake trout and their spawning activity. creased interest in this area through its “Standard Offer Program” and proposed 2.1.5. Wetlands “Green Energy Act” of 2009 for green en - ergy development in Ontario. Swamps, marshes, fens or bogs may Fluctuating water levels in Baptiste Lake occur along waterbodies or in lowland may cause property damage and shoreline areas that have shallow ground water ta - erosion during high water floods or dimin - bles and are subjected to periodic flooding ish water quality due to stagnant water. during spring ( see Figure 3. ) These fluctuations can impact fall and Wetland ecosystems contribute consider - spring fish spawning and egg incubation, able ecological, social and economical as well as wildlife habitat during low value to any watershed because of water- water, while creating strong currents dur - filtering and holding capabilities, including ing high flows. pollution control and detention of rain and runoff to prevent flooding and erosion. A Recommendations – Water Quality variety of plants and animals as well as and Quantity many rare and unique species reside in • The BLA should encourage more vol - wetlands. When wetlands are drained or unteers to continue to collect water cleared for development, the habitats, the quality information through annual ecosystem functionality, and local biodiver - spot-checking, as well as initiate, with sity are altered or eliminated forever. Inva - Ministry of Natural Resources staff, sive species, climate change, air and the monitoring of tributary streams, water pollution, and water level manipula - and continue to inform residents of tions will also impact wetlands. the results (including trends over There are many wetlands in Baptiste time) in an easily readable manner. Lake, and their role in purifying water, sus - • The BLA should work to educate resi - taining fish and wildlife production, and pro - dents about shoreline preservation viding protection against shoreline erosion and stewardship, and about the is important, especially in shallow riverine shoreline threats to water quality, systems. Therefore, the protection and such as manicured lawns and paved conservation of these wetland and lowland driveways, which threaten water qual - areas is considered to be a priority. ity by increasing erosion and runoff, and the use of pesticides and herbi - Provincially Significant Wetlands cides, which degrade water quality. • The BLA should continue to take an Baptiste Lake’s watershed has one large active and ongoing role in land-use identified ‘Provincially Significant Wetland’ policies at the municipal and county (PSW): the Baptiste-Elephant Wetland Com - levels, from the waterfront to the wa - plex located at the inflow from Elephant tershed that feeds Baptiste Lake. Lake. It is designated as ‘provincially signifi - • The BLA should be involved in any pro - cant’ because of several significant natural

23 2.1 Lake Ecosystem heritage features, including a large number are regarded as locally significant natural of vegetative community types and habitats, heritage features because of their contri - valuable wood products, fish production, bution to water quality and biodiversity. the presence of migratory bird breeding The main threat to the viability of these sites and species at risk, and its role in wetlands may be from increased shoreline recreational activities such as nature appre - development, water level fluctuations, or ciation, fishing and hunting. impending impacts from unprecedented This PSW is comprised of 59 individual climate changes. Conservation of these wetlands, which range in size from 0.5 to wetlands is important to the water quality 362.0 hectares. Sixty-six percent of the and health of the Madawaska River water - wetland complex area is classified as shed, including Baptiste Lake. swamp and 29 per cent as marsh, three per cent as fen, and two percent as bog Recommendations – Wetlands (oldest wetland type), which makes this • A wetland evaluation should be initi - complex quite biologically diverse (Biota ated to inventory the wetlands around Environmental Contractors, 1994). The Baptiste Lake and to determine if Provincial Policy Statement (PPS – 2005) these qualify as Provincially Signifi - stipulates that development is not permit - cant Wetlands. Funding from govern - ted in Provincially Significant Wetlands. ment agencies should be sought for this purpose. Unevaluated Wetlands • Official plans and zoning by-laws should continue to identify the loca - There are several smaller patches of wet - tion and size of wetlands, and to pro - lands distributed throughout Baptiste vide appropriate policy to ensure their Lake’s shorelines, including a large wet - protection. land in Lavalley Bay and several smaller ones in McGarry Creek and Redmond Bay 2.1.6. Streams (MNR wetland digital data, 2006 and Boat Survey, 2006). Streams are important features of any landscape and define the boundary of all watersheds by transporting water from at - mospheric, surface and ground sources towards lowland areas, filling in lakes and wetlands. Streams interact with the valley in which they flow, connecting riparian areas, flood plains and other lakes, pro - viding important water storage and re - lease functions, and nutrient and sediment transport. Baptiste Lake has an identified total of 43 streams – 27 permanent and 16 inter - The Provincially Significant Wetland evalu - mittent streams – and two river corridors ation system recognizes the critical role of that include one inflow and one outflow via wetlands in maintaining healthy ecosys - the York River. There are 13 inflowing tribu - tems (MNR, 1994). tary streams in Lavalley Bay, including the These wetlands and others adjacent to larger McGarry Creek and along the out - the lake’s shorelines have not yet been flow; six in Redmond Bay; three in Dog Bay; evaluated for provincial significance, but eight in the main basin, including West Bay

24 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Figure 3: Wetland Types Common to the Baptiste Lake Sub-watershed Wetland Habitat Characteristics Type

Marsh • Wet areas of standing or flowing water • Along shores or rivers, and bordered by peripheral band of trees and shrubs (swamps) • Common species – emergents ( grasses, sedges, rushes, cattails and reeds), low shrubs (sweetgale, red osier, leatherleaf, winterberry), sub - mergents (water milfoil, waterweed, pondweeds), or floating plants (water lilies, water plantain, pickerel weed and arrowhead) • Nesting and foraging habitat for colonial birds, waterfowl, turtles and amphibians

Swamp • Treed wetlands (25% tree cover) formed during snowmelt or flooding • Isolated or found along rivers, streams and lakes, or areas with satu - rated soil Common species – black spruce, tamarack, black ash, silver maple, and speckled alder • Swamps may dry up completely during summer months

Fen • Located in low-lying areas and develop at ground water seepage areas (cold water areas) • Develop in areas of restricted drainage, with peat deposits • Receive nutrients from ground water • Fens may dry up completely (like swamps) during summer months • Common species – sedges, grasses, reeds, buckbean (indicator species), bog rosemary, bog willow, shrubs and stunted trees (cedar, black spruce and tamarack)

Bog • Hummocky (hills and depressions) wetlands with peat-filled depressions and a high water table • Isolated from mineral soil and relies solely on atmospheric deposition for nutrients and water • Bogs isolation creates low biodiversity (<12 different plant species) Commonly found in northern parts of the province • Common species – sphagnum moss, shrubs (bog laurel, swamp blue - berry), cotton grasses and sedges, and treed (<25% cover) or treeless (black spruce or tamarack dominate) • Extremely rare in southern Ontario

Source: MNR, 1994 and the creek connecting Baptiste Lake to searched, identified by name or inventoried Diamond Lake; two in Hay and Rangers extensively. Often, new intermittent streams Bays; and 11 throughout Grassy and Hamil - are created during spring runoff from shore - ton Bays, which include the York River pas - line floodplains, wetlands or rock crevices sage through a Provincially Significant that have accumulated snow and rain. Wetland. The streams occur both on Therefore, there may be more streams patented/private and Crown land. unidentifiable from maps or aerial photogra - These streams have not been re - phy that flow into Baptiste Lake. There is a

25 2.1 Lake Ecosystem need for data, including fish inventories and ulations of lake trout and other native cold- environmental parameters, and a need for water species. Due to the continued pres - site-specific information to be able to prop - ence of deep-water habitats, Baptiste Lake erly classify the streams that flow into Bap - continues to maintain a cold-water fishery tiste Lake. Currently, the classification of of wild, self-sustaining lake trout as well as these streams is unknown, but is assumed other cold-water fish including lake white - to be a mix of warm, cool or coldwater fish, lake herring and burbot populations. types as evidenced by the lake’s fish com - The lake is managed as a cold-water lake, munity (lake trout, walleye, muskellunge, which includes development restrictions on bass) and thermal regime (mixture of warm, portions of the lake (MNR Lake Files, 2007 cool and cold water fish habitat). and MNR, 2004). The connectivity of lakes via rivers and their tributaries contributes to the impor - Baptiste Lake Fish Community tance and benefits of protecting Baptiste • Lake Trout Lake’s ecological health. Disturbances • Lake Whitefish that remove vegetation and increase the • Lake Herring number of impermeable surfaces in the • Burbot watershed contribute to nutrient and pollu - • Walleye tant runoff, erosion, sedimentation, infill - • Northern Pike ing and changes to water flow in streams, • Smallmouth Bass which negatively impact water quality and • Largemouth Bass fish habitat. • Rock Bass • Pumpkinseed Recommendations – Streams • Black Crappie • Streams flowing into Baptiste Lake • Yellow Perch should be inventoried and water • White Sucker tested. • Brown Bullhead The BLA should design a “name that • Minnows stream” program to name all unnamed • Darters streams flowing into Baptiste Lake. Source: MNR Lake Files, 2007 and • Official plans and zoning by-laws should ROM, 2007 continue to recognize the location of all permanent and intermittent streams, Baptiste Lake has been periodically and include a policy to protect these stocked with native and introduced fish against development impacts, espe - species including lake trout, walleye, cially cold water streams that protect muskellunge, smallmouth and largemouth water quality and fish habitat. bass in order to supplement existing popu - lations and to enhance sport angling op - 2.1.7. Fish and Fish Habitat portunities on the lake. Fish introductions have created more complex interactions Fish Community such as increased competition for re - sources and predation at various life Baptiste Lake has a complex fish commu - stages among the existing native fish com - nity that is comprised of cold, cool and munity. Rock bass and northern pike have warm water fish species. Prior to natural re - also appeared among the aquatic fauna, source extraction, logging dams and settle - and it is suspected that the rock bass was ment of the lake area, Baptiste Lake was a introduced inadvertently during small - smaller, cold-water basin with resident pop - mouth bass plantings (MNR Lake Files,

26 2.1 Lake Ecosystem 2007). Provincial supplemental stocking ing the lake’s basin by nearly twice its no longer occurs in Baptiste Lake since original size. When flooded, two-thirds of lake trout and walleye are supported via the land around the original basin of Bap - natural reproduction. tiste Lake and the York River created a Fishing pressure has increased substan - large volume of shallow, weedy bays and tially over the past decades because of in - shorelines with lots of submerged terres - creased access to Baptiste Lake, which trial plants, trees and logs. These means that the average angler is catching changes created optimum habitat for fewer and smaller fish. Over-harvest prob - warm-water fishes but negatively impacted lems cannot be addressed by simply the cold-water fishes. stocking more fish. Stocking cannot in - Rotting and decomposing plant and crease the natural carrying capacity of a woody debris creates a rapid influx of nutri - water body. Overexploitation is best con - ents into the water column that negatively trolled by limiting fishing opportunities, impacts deep, cold-water fish habitat limiting harvest, or by restricting access to through the reduction of dissolved oxygen the resource. Fishing regulations on lake concentrations. Large shallow and weedy trout and walleye lakes now limit anglers areas (<10 m depth) trap more sunlight, to seasonal and slot size limits to protect which increases water temperatures and spawning stock and promote variable year metabolic rates of aquatic organisms and classes. other biogeochemical processes that also consume dissolved oxygen. The dissolved Fish Habitat oxygen and temperature levels in Baptiste Lake are extremely restrictive for lake trout Loss of fish habitat has occurred in Bap - (MNR 1987, 1991 and 2004, MOE 2006). tiste Lake due to heavy occupied shore - Post-stocking surveys of lake trout pop - line use, and low water levels that occur ulations have determined that the ecolog - during hot/dry summers, causing oxygen ical change brought about by raising the depletion in the deep basins (MNR Lake Baptiste Lake water level, the successful Files, 2007). These changes to the lake’s introduction of competitive and predatory fish habitat and fish population began fish (e.g., walleye and rock bass), land when the existing dam at the outlet on the use changes, and climate change have York River was upgraded and rebuilt by the had some bearing on the reduced popula - Ontario government in the 1930s. The tion and poor recruitment success of lake trout in Baptiste Lake and changes in the overall quality of the fishery. Degradation of spawning habitat through siltation or ‘burying’ of spawning shoals, fluctuating water levels, pollution, in - creased angling pressure, and stresses associated with a complex fish commu - nity (e.g., egg and fry predation) have negatively impacted both lake trout and the other fish populations (walleye, muskellunge and smallmouth bass). Despite concentrated habitat-protection dam flooded the uncleared land causing a efforts, habitat rehabilitation, and extensive significant increase in lake levels, increas - fish-stocking efforts, there are still con -

27 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Figure 4: Fish Species in Baptiste Lake

Common Name Scientific Name Fish Family Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis Trouts, Salmons, Char and Whitefishes Lake Herring (Cisco) Coregonus artedi Trouts, Salmons, Char and Whitefishes Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush Trouts, Salmons, Char and Whitefishes Brook Trout* Salvelinus fontinalis Trouts, Salmons, Char and Whitefishes Northern Pike Esox lucius Pikes Muskellunge Esox masquinongy Pikes White Sucker Catostomus commersoni Suckers Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas Minnows Blacknose Shiner Notropis heterolepis Minnows Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus Bullhead Catfishes Burbot Lota lota (cod) Cod Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris Sunfishes and Bass Black Crappie** Pomoxis nigromaculatus Sunfishes and Bass Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides Sunfishes and Bass Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu Sunfishes and Bass Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus Sunfishes and Bass Walleye Sander vitreus Darters, Perches, Walleye and Sauger Yellow Perch Perca flavescens Darters, Perches, Walleye and Sauger Source: Rivers and Streams Source: MNR Lake Files, 2007 and BLA, 2007 cerns regarding the health of complex fish - should encourage the provincial govern - eries, especially lake trout populations in ment to ensure that measures are taken the Minden-Haliburton area. Creel survey to sustain and enhance the Baptiste Lake results indicate poor angler success, as an - trout fishery. glers continue to report poor catches, and a preponderance of small fish. Requests for 2.1.8. Wildlife Habitat increases in stocking rates persist despite evidence that stocking of hatchery fish over The Baptiste Lake sub-watershed is home native populations can have serious nega - to a diverse community of mammal, reptile, tive consequences on the community. Fur - amphibian, bird and insect species. In thermore, a reluctance to accept harvest many cases, the life cycle of these species controls leaves few options (MNR, 1995). is directly related to the lake, river, No rehabilitation has been implemented streams, and the land-water shoreline inter - for lake trout in Baptiste Lake to date. face. Riparian vegetation along the shore - line and abutting upland areas is important Recommendations– Fish and Fish Habitat to all wildlife in the watershed. • Until an analysis is completed on the impacts of fish derbies on tourism and the AREA MAMMALS local economy, the BLA would not oppose • White-tailed Deer a maximum of two fishing derbies per year • Moose – one in July and one in August – outside • Lynx* of fish spawning seasons. • Bobcat* • The BLA should work with the Ministry • Striped Skunk of Natural Resources on rehabilitation of • American Marten* the fishery. • Fisher • Since the presence of lake trout is the • Weasel species* sign of a healthy cold-water lake, BLA • Mink

28 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Figure 5: Examples of Baptiste Lake Wildlife

Black Bear

Moose Deer • Northern River Otter* • Northern and Southern* Flying Squirrels • Raccoon • Snowshoe Hare • Black Bear • Eastern Cottontail • Coyote • Bats* • Grey and Eastern* Wolf • Moles* • Red Fox • Shrews • Porcupine * denotes species are rare or at risk • Mice • Voles* The Terrestrial Conservation Blueprint, a • Muskrat province-wide conservation initiative, iden - • Lemming tified several large patches of critical core • Beaver wildlife habitat and important natural • Eastern Chipmunk cover (woodlands, grasslands, fields) and • Red and Grey Squirrels corridors in the watershed. These areas

29 2.1 Lake Ecosystem have been identified as significant and Recommendations – Wildlife Habitat suitable wetland, upland and shoreline • The BLA should continue to promote habitat for migratory stopover, feeding, Loon Watch, and to encourage lake breeding, staging and moulting areas for users to respect loon habitat when waterfowl, colonial water birds, songbirds, boating, in order to prevent excessive shorebirds and raptors. wake damage or harm to young loons. Particular species of interest are the • Residents should be encouraged to Great Blue Heron, American Black Duck, identify and protect important wildlife Common Loon, the Bald Eagle, Golden habitat areas, to create and protect Eagle, Osprey and Red-shouldered Hawk. sites for turtle nesting, and to inform The upland and shoreline mixed and conif - the BLA of their efforts. erous forests also provide significant pre - ferred and optimal wintering habitat for the 2.1.9. Species at Risk white-tailed deer, moose, black bear, fisher, northern river otter and other mammals. There are several pockets of deer winter - Species at Risk (SAR) include animals and ing areas in the watershed. One very large plants that are rare, threatened or endan - deeryard along the northern shoreline and gered. Their existence depends on the uplands of Baptiste Lake forms a contigu - protection and maintenance of their breed - ous corridor with Algonquin Provincial Park’s ing habitats, including foraging and migra - protected wildlife habitat, and the eastern tion corridors. and southern upland and shoreline areas of There are currently three reptile and Baptiste and Diamond lakes. These deer - three bird species listed at risk in the Bap - yards overlap with moose wintering and tiste Lake watershed, and several other summer habitat and black bear potential rare species communities as identified by habitat sites and regulated hunting areas. MNR’s Natural Heritage Information Centre Great Blue Heron colonies and several that may be found in the Baptiste Lake- raptors’ nests are present in Baptiste Madawaska River watershed. Locating Lake’s sub-watershed. The raptors’ nests were inventoried in 2006 to prevent en - croachment during forest extraction, but heronry colony locations have not been re - cently mapped or verified by the MNR. Common Loon adult pairs, young and nest sights have also been observed in many quieter bays and islands of Baptiste Lake, but current nest location verification and digital mapping has not occurred. The sidebar on mammals identifies some of the animals found in our area that have suitable and preferred breed - ing and wintering habitats within the wa - tershed boundary of Baptiste Lake and Madawaska River watersheds. The MNR Bancroft District has a black bear population index program, which is conducted each year, and a public advi - sory program about nuisance bears.

30 2.1 Lake Ecosystem and identifying rare species helps to pro - • Red-shouldered Hawk tect their habitat, local biodiversity, and • Horned Clubtail the lake’s natural heritage. • Elfin Skipper Individuals can be involved in recovery • Boreal Snaketail efforts including identifying and reporting • Ebony Boghunter species observed on their property, restor - • Auricled Twayblade ing degraded habitats, or being stewards • Northern Woodsia of small or large portions of their land. • Water Awlwort Ontario’s Land Stewardship program provides opportunities for landowners to Other Species at Risk for the Baptiste- help wildlife by providing financial incen - Madawaska Watershed tives to enhance or maintain critical habi - • Wood Turtle tat, protect nesting sites, conduct surveys • Least Bittern of species on their property, and provide • Great Gray Owl special population data to the Natural Her - • Eastern Milksnake itage Information Centre (Federation of On - • Black Tern tario Naturalists, 2005). • Cerulean Warbler For more information concerning • Red-headed Woodpecker species at risk, including protection policy, • Eastern Ribbon Snake designation status (i.e., threatened, en - • Monarch Butterfly dangered, etc.), or distribution in your • West Virginia White area, please consult the following web - • Eastern Cougar sites: • Southern Flying Squirrel • Species at Risk Act Registry (SARA) at • Eastern Wolf www.sararegistry.gc.ca/ Source: Bancroft MNR and NHIC, • Committee on the Status of Endan- 2007 gered Wildlife in Canada at www.cosewic.gc.ca/ Recommendations – Species at Risk • MNR’s Committee on the Status of • The BLA should inform lake residents Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) of provincial and federal legislation re - at www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/ garding rare species and species at speciesatrisk/status.html risk, including the incentives that are • Natural Heritage Information Centre at available for private stewardship initia - http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/nhic_.cfm . tives. An inventory of such species in and around Baptiste Lake should be Rare species can be among the most conducted. sensitive species in a region, acting as an early warning or indicator of changing 2.1.10. Invasive Species environmental conditions such as dis - ease outbreak, pollution, species competition (invasive species), or Invasive species are one of the greatest climate change. threats to the biodiversity of the natural en - vironment. At present, the only documented Rare Species Inhabitants for the ‘invasive’ species in Baptiste Lake’s water - Baptiste- Madawaska Watershed shed are the historical introductions by hu - • Eastern Pipistrelle Bat mans of non-resident fish species, including • Small-footed Bat rock bass and northern pike. However, • Northern Long-eared Bat more than 160 known non-native species of

31 2.1 Lake Ecosystem Baptiste Lake Invasive Species fish, invertebrates, plants, parasites, algae social and economic stability of the com - and pathogens are found within the Great munity; they out-compete local, native Lakes drainage basin, and many other intro - species and threaten already stressed rare duced species may have likely gone unno - and species at risk, which can ultimately ticed. These invasive species may pose a reduce local biodiversity. threat to Baptiste Lake, in particular the wetland areas, because of its close proxim - Recommendations – Invasive Species ity and connectivity to other recreational • The BLA should focus activities prima - lakes via the York, Madawaska and Ottawa rily on education and awareness for Rivers and the Rideau Canal. lake residents and visitors, to prevent For further information regarding inva - the introduction of new invasive sive species or to download the new species into Baptiste Lake and its wa - aquatic invasive species identification tershed. guide, visit the Ontario Federation of An - • A washout station should be estab - glers and Hunters’ Invasive Species Pro - lished on the lake (site to be deter - gram at www.invadingspecies.com. mined), and the municipality should As of 2008, Baptiste Lake is free of establish a bylaw making washouts zebra mussels and Spiney Water-fleas. mandatory for incoming boats. In ad - Zebra mussels are the most well-known of dition, signage regarding the washout all invasive species. Their filter-feeding be - station and invasive species should haviour increases water clarity and their be mandatory at all boat launch loca - excrement increases the level of phospho - tions for incoming boats to Baptiste rus (P) in lakes, rivers and streams, which Lake and its watershed. encourages algal and other plant growth. • Residents should be encouraged to Zebra mussels especially encourage the identify invasive species, including pur - growth of nuisance algae, including ple loosestrife, and to report their loca - Cladophora. Cladophora looks like long tion to the local MNR and the BLA. green hair and it attaches itself to rocks and sediments along the shoreline. 2.2 The Built Environment 2.2.1. Current Land Use

The watershed of Baptiste Lake encom - passes both private and public lands. Zebra Mussels Purple Loosestrife However, about 50 per cent of the shore - Purple Loosestrife is a probable resi - line of Baptiste Lake is comprised of dent of wetlands and shoreline areas in Crown land (MOE 2006). Provincial regu - Baptiste Lake watershed, but verified ob - lations and guidelines will, therefore, play servations are necessary (OFAH Invasive a significant role in the management and Species Program data). future development of the lands surround - Further investigation of aquatic plant ing Baptiste Lake . species and other invasive species is nec - There are 13 known active commercial op - essary for Baptiste Lake due to a suspi - erations on the lake. Ten provide accommo - cious water-milfoil species observed in dation to the traveling public, one is the Dog Bay during the 2006 survey. local store with associated tourist accom - Invasive species pose a serious threat to modation, one is a private camp, and one the lake’s health, as well as the ecological, provides the only marina service on the

32 2.2 The Built Environment Presently, the Province’s Policy Report ber of new lots created, boathouse size, G340 prohibits the sale of Crown lands and shoreline alterations. for new cottage lots, or for new seasonal Most of the lake’s residences are tradi - or recreational camps on designated tional-style cottages, being relatively small lakes with a “cold water fishery” (lake in nature, comprised of one or two levels. trout lake). However, newer development contrasts with earlier styles, being larger in floor lake. There are several properties that con - area, often with more than two levels, and tinue to be zoned commercial but are no constructed of brick and siding. According longer used commercially. to the Ministry of Environment (MOE), there Tourist resorts and rural commercial op - erations have a major financial investment in the sustained health of Baptiste Lake, simply by the fact that they earn their liv - ing from occupations in and around the lake. The tourism industry makes a sub - stantial contribution to the Baptiste Lake community, and its sustainable growth are 15 commercial properties, 114 perma - should be encouraged. nent residences, 640 seasonal residences Lake residents, according to the Bap - and 164 vacant lots on the Baptiste Lake tiste Lake Summer Survey (2006), would shoreline. General land use in 2007 was prefer to see new regulations pertaining much the same as it was described in the to new development and redevelopment “Position Paper” by Ainley and Associates on the lake, including limits on the num - in 1990; the only notable change is an

33 2.2 The Built Environment increase in permanent shoreline residents 12, 2002, prepared by the Ainley Group in from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. Belleville. A considerable amount of undeveloped The Official Plan (OP) provides guidance property exists on the lake and contributes for the physical development and planning greatly to the natural beauty of the lake. decisions of the municipality while having Some of these properties have the poten - regard for social, economic and environ - tial to be sub-divided into a large number of mental matters to ensure that the specific residential lots. needs of the community are met. The County is currently undertaking a review of Recommendations – Land Use the Official Plan, which provides a good • Buildings on the lake should be built opportunity to update current policy. on a scale that allows the landscape The “rural” designation covers about 90 to remain dominant. Developments percent of Baptiste Lake’s watershed, in - that substantially change geographic cluding about 95 percent of the shoreline. or landscape profiles – the language The rural designation permits a number of of the lake – should be discouraged. land uses that may not be compatible with • The BLA should work with the Federa - the residential and commercial character tion of Ontario Cottage Associations of the lake. For example, it provides very (FOCA) and MNR to continue lobbying little policy direction on the maintenance the provincial government to continue of natural buffers. with the “no development” policy on Many other rural/lake municipalities Crown Land. have created a separate waterfront desig - • The BLA should support the Munici - nation that separates the rural policies pality of Hastings Highlands and Hast - from those that apply to the waterfront. ings County in the practice of The Hastings County OP policies that per - discouraging the development of back mit development in Provincially Significant lots – that is, lots behind lakefront Wetlands (PSW) are outdated, and must lots – that would place further stress now be revised to be consistent with the on Baptiste Lake. Provincial Policy Statement (2005), which • The BLA should work with the Munici - prohibits new development on PSW lo - pality of Hastings Highlands to update cated on the Canadian Shield. the official plan and zoning bylaws, No maps are provided in the OP to and to prepare a communications and identify development constraints, such regulatory program regarding the reha - as steep slopes, narrow water-bodies or bilitation and protection of shoreline critical fish habitat. This information areas. It is recognized that the main - should be in the Official Plan so that tenance of natural shoreline buffers is people will understand the development an ecologically sound practice that restrictions. prevents erosion, maintains water quality, protects wildlife and the fish - 2.2.3. Municipal Zoning ery, and enhances the viewscape. By-laws

2.2.2. County Official Plan The Municipality of Hastings Highlands regulates land use, as well as the loca - The current official plan providing direc - tion and construction of new buildings tion for Baptiste Lake is the “Official Plan and structures through Comprehensive of the County of Hastings” dated January Zoning By-law 35-2004.

34 2.2 The Built Environment Zoning by-laws must conform to the poli - According to the 2006 resident survey, cies of the Official Plan and be consistent the average household size during the sum - with the Provincial Policy Statement (2005). mer was 4.93 people, which is almost twice Zoning by-laws provide specific classes of the average household size for permanent land use and associated standards to en - residences in the municipality, and about sure that new construction or changes to 27 per cent of seasonal residents on the existing land uses are undertaken with re - lake intend to convert from seasonal resi - gard for safety, privacy, the peaceful enjoy - dency to permanent. Seasonal households ment of neighbouring land, and the represent about 85 per cent of all built resi - protection of ratepayers from undue ex - dential properties on the lake. penses related to development. Any new development proposal that Recommendations – Residential does not conform to the zoning by-law will Occupancy require a consent application. • BLA should work with the Municipality to update land use information and Recommendation – Zoning By-laws residential occupancy rates, which in • The BLA should work with the Munici - turn can assist the Ministry of the En - pality to update zoning by-laws con - vironment and other agencies involved cerning the following: set lot in assessing the carrying capacity of requirements so as to achieve a built Baptiste Lake, which is stressed by in - scale that allows the landscape to re - creased seasonal use and increased main dominant; review the list of land conversion to permanent residency. use issues to ensure that they are • The provincial government should compatible with the lake and sur - maintain current development regula - rounding land uses; and update the tions until there is a solid basis in sci - Environmental Protection Zones for ence – documented in a series of Provincially Significant Wetlands. longitudinal studies – concerning which new technologies will assist in 2.2.4. Residential accommodating increased develop - ment without an adverse impact on Occupancy the cold-water fishery.

The number of people living on and using 2.2.5. Septic Systems the lake has a direct impact on water quality. Longer visits to the cottage as The Municipality of Hastings Highlands is well as conversion from seasonal to per - responsible for reviewing and approving the manent residence can increase the location and type of new septic systems. amount of phosphorus generated from All development in the Baptiste Lake wa - human waste and sewage. tershed depends on some form of a sep - Current water quality models often refer tic system or holding tank for the disposal to “estimates” of “phosphorus loading” of sewage. There are no municipal based on the total number of shoreline sewage treatment plants, and there is cur - lots regardless of whether the lot is used rently no program established to re-in - permanently or seasonally. Better residen - spect septic systems. tial occupancy data is required to provide Of those residents surveyed in 2006, accurate predictions of future water qual - 57 percent indicated that they pump their ity, based on known information on the septic systems out every one to three amount of time people stay on the lake. years, whereas 10 percent indicated they

35 2.2 The Built Environment did not know the last time their septic was Recommendations – Natural Architecture pumped-out. and Viewscape • The natural architecture of the lake Recommendations – Septic Systems should remain untouched. • The BLA should work with the Munici - • The BLA should work with the County pality and lake residents to promote and Municipality to recognize the im - the proper use of septic systems portance – both visual and economic (e.g., Shoreline Advisor Program), and – of the viewscape and natural vistas encourage a mandatory septic re-in - of Baptiste Lake. The viewscape spection program of septic systems should be delineated in the official around Baptiste Lake. plan, and proposed developments within the viewscape should be com - 2.2.6. Natural Architecture patible with the natural character of and Viewscape the lake. 2.2.7. Physical Constraints The many beautiful and rugged rock out - croppings provide a character unique to – steep slopes, narrow Baptiste Lake, and the treed shorelines water-bodies and the punctuating rock and cliffs cre - ate yet another signature of the Lake. The County of Hastings Official Plan pro - Landmarks, shoreline, edges, pathways vides one very limited policy for residential and nodes all work together to define the development in areas of steep slopes. language the lake speaks to us, making Policy 3.3.5 ii) (page 28) of the Official it both unique and understandable. Plan states that “buildings should be set The naturalness of the landscape and back far enough from the crest or toe of shoreline is one of the four top values steep slopes to ensure structural stability treasured by the people of Baptiste Lake. and to avoid natural hazards and visual in - Maintaining the natural landscape is en - trusion into the landscape.” hanced when development on steep The more common approach to reduce slopes ( see Figure 8 ) or narrow water-bod - visual impact that is used by many munici - ies is sympathetic to the general charac - palities across southern Ontario is to re - teristics of their surrounding landscape. quire increased lot frontages of up to 400 Development, vegetation removal, and ft for new lots in areas of steep slopes, resource extraction on steep slopes can and to require well managed vegetation result in substantial alteration of the natu - buffer zones as well as lot setbacks. ral landscape and visual impact due to the There are numerous narrow channels, prominence and location of development bays and rivers on Baptiste Lake, which or resource extraction activities. Indirect adds to the naturalness of the lake and its environmental impacts associated with shorelines. Development on narrow water- development or forestry operations on bodies at the same density as open areas steep slopes include increased erosion, of the lake can create problems for naviga - slope instability, a significant increase in tion , resulting in congestion that creates a storm water runoff and the resulting po - hazard with respect to water users and tential damage to fish and wildlife habitat. recreational activities. Similarly, when too Indirect impacts include an altered land - many docks and boathouses protrude into a scape and development that dominates narrow bay or portion of a river, it decreases the landscape. the aesthetic beauty of the immediate area.

36 2.2 The Built Environment Figure 8: Steep Slopes

37 2.2 The Built Environment The Official Plan for the County of Hast - The process of building this Lake Plan is ings defines narrow water-bodies as a an outstanding example of Baptiste Lake physical constraint to property develop - community effort. ment. “A narrow water-body is an area where the minimum average distance from 2.3.1 Community Values shoreline to shoreline is 150 metres (492 ft) for a lake and 50 metres (164 ft) for a In terms of recreational activities valued by river” (policy 3.3.5.b, page 29) . lake residents, swimming ranked number The difficulty in applying this policy is the one in the survey (90 per cent of respon - lack of a map showing the location of all dents), followed by nature appreciation narrow water-bodies on the lake. The Offi - and reading (over 80 per cent). This high - cial Plan contains policy that requires lot lights the importance of peace and tran - frontages on narrow water bodies of 100 quility to lake residents. metres (328 feet), as compared to 150 Power boating and socializing (over 70 feet required in open areas, for new lots per cent), and canoeing and fishing (over being created. 60 per cent), and hiking (over 50 per cent) were next on the list, highlighting the value Recommendations – Physical Constraints of “on-the-water” activity of lake residents. • The BLA should work with the This was also the case for waterskiing, County and Municipality to include a map kayaking, snowmobiling, winter skiing, and in the Official Plan of all narrow water-bod - ice skating, which were choices of be - ies on Baptiste Lake, and to amend zon - tween 20 and 50 per cent of the respon - ing by-laws by adding a new zone that dents. In contrast, driving personal recognizes the location of these areas and watercraft and scuba-diving were reported requires a minimum lot frontage for new by five per cent or less of lake residents. lots (e.g., of 100 metres), thus preventing A number of safety issues were raised in the appearance of overcrowding. regard to recreation – threats to peace and • Consideration should be given to post - tranquility, boat and personal watercraft ing speed limits for boats in narrow water speed and night-lights, swimming in safety, bodies (river channels and some bays) the need for a nautical map of the lake, and/or environmentally sensitive areas. the lack of a public beach or walking trails.

Recommendation – Light and Noise 2.3 Baptiste Lake Pollution Community • Further information should be pro - vided to inform lake residents and vis - Thus far, the focus of the Lake Plan has itors of the damage of light pollution been on the natural elements – the lake, to the night sky, and of the damage of the land, the animals and the vegetation – noise pollution to the tranquility of the as well as the built environment. It is now lake environment. The municipality time to turn our attention to the people has a bylaw against excessive noise and the community of Baptiste Lake. after 11:00 p.m., which is triggered by Our vision is premised on a vibrant Bap - a formal complaint process. There is tiste Lake community, one where we come no municipal bylaw on light pollution. together to meet one another, socialize and have fun, discuss matters of common Recommendation – Water Safety concern, and take collective action where • Further awareness should be encour - we think it is necessary. aged on safety issues related to

38 2.3 Baptiste Lake Community swimming, boating and personal wa - Community places are also important to tercraft (e.g., speed limits in certain lake residents, since they link us to the land areas). and the history of the area. If these places are to be protected for future generations, it Recommendation – Public Amenities is important for the community to develop • The lack of public amenities on Bap - an awareness and appreciation of these tiste Lake – such as a public beach, unique features of Baptiste Lake. public walking trails and a community The following list highlights some of the centre – should be investigated with a community places and activities identified view to providing greater public and as important through the survey: community access to the lake. • High Falls Dam • Old Dam snorkeling Recommendation – Nautical Map • Blueberry Island • An accurate nautical map of greater • Diving Rock Baptiste Lake should be available to • wetlands of Dog Bay all lake residents and visiting boaters, • Baptiste Village (store and church) including markers for shoals. • Camp Ponacka • Birch Cliff Lodge 2.3.2 Community Activities • Scott’s Cottages • Marina Many residents value the various social • Chief Sam Baptiste’s cabin events that are held on Baptiste Lake, in - • David Milne’s painting cabin cluding: • municipal dock • Victoria Day Weekend welcoming party • railroad bed and fireworks at Camp Ponacka • pirate ship boathouse • Dog Bay summer party • Herschel Island Fishing Club • BLA Annual General Meeting • public boat launches • Baptiste Lake Regatta • Fishing Derby There were some concerns expressed • BLA corn roast on Labour Day Weekend about community places. It was noted in • Thanksgiving dinner at Birch Cliff Lodge the stakeholder workshops that resort own - • Vetter family bowl on Thanksgiving ers need to have the flexibility to renew, ex - Sunday pand and develop their businesses. A concern was expressed, however, that Concerns were also expressed about the youth in the Baptiste Lake community signage, with suggestions that signs for lack social opportunities, which leads to house-painters, real-estate brokers, dry - the question of whether or not there is a wall installers, picture framers and other need for a community centre for Baptiste tradespeople not be permitted, since they Lake (see recommendation above), or detract from the natural beauty of the lake. other initiatives that would meet this need. Lake residents also identified other Recommendation – Signage community-supported activities – such as • The municipality should review its by - Dock Talk, Welcome Wagon, stream identi - laws with regard to commercial sig - fication and maintenance, and Neighbour - nage and its effects on the natural hood Watch – as valuable, and some beauty of the lake. Hastings High - advocated the idea of monthly public talks lands Municipality is considering such on topics related to the lake and our envi - a bylaw, as it is the only area munici - ronment. pality without one.

39 2.3 Baptiste Lake Community 2.3.3 Private Property Security

The neighbourhood issue of greatest im - portance to residents in the survey was security of their property. Almost 85 per cent of lake residents expressed this con - cern, while a third of all respondents re - ported a break-in or loss of items or damage to their property. An overwhelming 97 per cent were in favour of the Cottage Watch program. The vast majority of those surveyed were in favour of increased police surveillance and increased boat patrolling on the lake.

40 2.3 Baptiste Lake Community Part 3: Toward Implementation 3.1 Suggestions for vided into shoreline and viewscape/water - Implementation shed); the built environment; and the Bap - tiste Lake community. Following each recommendation is an in - The many important actions identified in dication of the various stakeholders – lake the Baptiste Lake Plan will not be imple - residents and businesses; the BLA; the mented on their own. Many different indi - municipality of Hastings Highlands; the viduals and organizations (such as lake county of Hastings; or the provincial or residents; boaters; lake users; local busi - federal governments – that are most re - nesses; municipal, county, provincial and sponsible for implementing each recom - federal governments; the Baptiste Lake mendation. Association, often working in partnership with such organizations as the Federation 3.2.1 Actions involving the of Ontario Cottage Associations or the On - tario Federation of Anglers and Hunters) physical lake will need to play a part in making these recommendations a reality. Water Quality Some recommendations involve lake • Encourage more volunteers to continue residents and the BLA fostering improving to collect water quality information awareness and stewardship. Others, such through annual or more frequent spot- as those relating to municipal bylaws and checking, as well as initiate, with Ministry official plans, involve facilitation by the of Natural Resources staff, the monitoring BLA and official action by county and mu - of tributary streams, and continue to in - nicipal governments. form residents of the results of this re - It is suggested that the Baptiste Lake search (including trends over time) in a Association assume a coordinating role to timely fashion. (Natural Heritage Inven - oversee the implementation of the lake tory) – BLA plan, perhaps through the development of a five-year implementation plan. The BLA Water Levels and Regulation would provide its members and others • Get involved in any proposal for a hydro - with annual progress reports. electric generating facility affecting Bap - Some program elements, such as Dock tiste Lake, and ensure that the proponent Talk and Neighbourhood Watch, already conducts an assessment to demonstrate exist, and can be expanded. New initia - that there will be no negative impact on tives, such as stream identification and lake levels and surrounding environments, Welcome Wagon, are in the process of including lake trout and their spawning ac - being developed. tivity. (Physical Elements Report) – lake To ensure that our shared vision re - residents, BLA mains intact, we need to come together to secure the future of our cherished lake. Fish and Fish Habitat • Not oppose a maximum of two fishing 3.2 Taking Action derbies per year, one in July and one in August, outside of fish spawning sea - All the recommendations included in Part sons, until an analysis is completed on 2 are repeated here, but organized in the the impacts of fish derbies on tourism following manner: recommended actions and the local economy. (Natural Heritage pertaining to the lake itself; those relating Inventory) – BLA to the land around the lake (further subdi - • Work with the Ministry of Natural Re -

42 3.1 Suggestions for Implementation sources on rehabilitation of the fishery. 3.2.2 Actions involving the (Natural Heritage Inventory) – lake resi - shoreline around the lake dents, BLA • Encourage the provincial government to take measures that will sustain and Water Quality enhance the Baptiste Lake trout fishery, • Work to educate lake residents about since the presence of lake trout is the shoreline preservation and stewardship, sign of a healthy deep water lake (Stake - and about the shoreline threats to water holders Meeting) – BLA quality, such as manicured lawns and paved driveways, which threaten water Boating quality by increasing erosion and runoff, • Consider posting speed limits for boats in and the use of fertilizers, pesticides and narrow water bodies (rivers, channels and herbicides, which degrade water quality. some bays) or environmentally sensitive (Natural Heritage Inventory) – BLA, munic - areas. (Stakeholders Meeting August 2008) ipality, province – lake residents, BLA • Establish a washout station on the lake Land Use (site to be determined), and establish a • Work with the Municipality of Hasting bylaw making washouts mandatory for in - Highlands to update the official plan and coming boats. In addition, signage regard - zoning bylaws, and to prepare a communi - ing the washout station and invasive cations and regulatory program regarding species should be mandatory at all boat the rehabilitation and protection of shore - launch locations for incoming boats to Bap - line areas (shoreline buffers prevent ero - tiste Lake and its watershed. (Stakeholders sion and detract Canada geese). (Land Meeting August 2008) – municipality Use Study) – BLA, county, province

Wildlife and Habitat Development • Continue to promote Loon Watch, and to • Retain the shoreline landscape on any encourage lake users to respect loon habi - site development on the lake. (Architec - tat when boating, in order to prevent ex - tural Survey) – lake residents, municipal - cessive wake damage or harm to young ity, county loons. (Natural Heritage Inventory) – lake residents, BLA Natural Areas of Vegetation • Encourage lakefront owners to restore Invasive Species the shoreline areas back to a natural • Focus activities primarily on education state wherever possible, and protect and and awareness for lake residents and visi - retain native vegetation, in order to recon - tors, to prevent the introduction of new in - stitute lost shoreline landscape. Municipal vasive species into Baptiste Lake and its planning documents should continue to re - watershed. (Natural Heritage Inventory) – quire the mandatory protection of shore - lake residents, BLA line buffer areas (e.g., 15 meters for • Continue to work with the Ontario Federa - existing lots). (Natural Heritage Inventory tion of Anglers and Hunters on monitoring and Architectural Survey) – lake resi - the water quality of Baptiste Lake, and sup - dents, BLA, municipality, province port programs regarding the prevention of • Support programs, such as Dock Talk invasive water species. (Natural Heritage and the Stewardship Council (which pro - Inventory) – BLA, local businesses vide free advice, shrubs and trees), to ed - ucate, assist and encourage landowner

43 3.2 Taking Action stewardship, and to encourage the ‘natu - water streams that protect water quality ralization’ of degraded shorelines. (Natural and fish habitat. (Natural Heritage Inven - Heritage Inventory ) – lake residents, BLA, tory) – municipality, county, province province Wetlands 3.2.3 Actions involving the • Initiate a wetland evaluation to inventory the wetlands around Baptiste Lake and to viewscape and watershed determine if these wetlands qualify as around the lake Provincially Significant Wetlands. Funding from government agencies should be Natural Architecture sought for this purpose. (Natural Heritage • Maintain the natural and landscape ar - Inventory) – BLA, province chitecture of the lake in its current status. • Continue to identify the location and size (Architectural Survey) – lake residents, of wetlands in official plans and zoning by - municipality, county, province laws, and provide appropriate policy to en - sure their protection. (Natural Heritage Viewscapes Inventory) – BLA, municipality, county • Work with the County and Municipality to recognize the importance – both visual Wildlife and Habitat and economic – of the viewscape and nat - • Encourage lake residents to identify and ural vistas of Baptiste Lake. The views - protect important wildlife habitat areas cape should be delineated in the official (e.g., sites for turtle nesting) and to inform plan, and proposed developments within BLA of their efforts. (Natural Heritage In - the viewscape should be compatible with ventory) – lake residents, BLA, province the natural character of the lake. (Physical Elements Report) – lake residents, BLA Invasive Species • Encourage lake residents to identify inva - Natural Areas and Vegetation sive plant species, including purple looses - • Encourage the Municipality to develop a trife, and to report their location to the tree-cutting or tree-preservation forestry local MNR and the BLA. (Natural History In - bylaw to ensure that lots retain a percent - ventory) – lake residents, BLA, province age of their natural vegetation, and thereby reduce storm water runoff. (Natural Her - Rare Species and Species at Risk itage Inventory) – lake residents, BLA • Inform lake residents of provincial and federal legislation regarding rare species Streams and species at risk, including the incen - •Inventory and water-test streams flowing tives that are available for private steward - into Baptiste Lake. (Natural Heritage Inven - ship initiatives. An inventory of such tory) – BLA, Ministry of Natural Resources species in and around Baptiste Lake • Design a ‘name that stream’ program to should be conducted. (Natural Heritage In - name all unnamed streams flowing into ventory) – BLA, province Baptiste Lake. (Natural Heritage Inventory) – BLA Minerals and Aggregates • Continue to recognize the location of all • Review all new or expanded existing permanent and intermittent streams in of - mineral and aggregate sites and quarry ficial plans and zoning by-laws, and in - expansions, as well as asphalt plants, to clude a policy to protect these against prevent negative impacts on streams development impacts, especially cold feeding the Baptiste Lake watershed.

44 3.2 Taking Action (Physical Elements Report) – municipality, mandatory septic re-inspection program of county, province septic systems around Baptiste Lake. • Encourage the County, Municipality, and (Land Use Study) – lake residents, BLA, Ministry of Natural Resources to amend municipality their official plans and policies in order to prohibit the creation of new pits, quarries, Back Lots or mining sites within the ‘viewscape’ (site • Support the Municipality of Hastings horizon) of Baptiste Lake, which would Highlands and Hastings County in the harm tourism and the quality of life of lake practice of discouraging the development residents and visitors. (Physical Elements of back lots (i.e., lots behind lakefront Report) – lake residents, BLA lots) that would place further stress on Baptiste Lake. (Stakeholders Meeting Au - 3.2.4 Actions involving the gust 2008) – BLA, lake residents built environment Crown Land Use Regulations • Continue lobbying the provincial govern - Built Scale ment, together with the Federation of On - • Recommend that buildings on the lake tario Cottage Associations (FOCA), to keep should be built on a scale that allows the the ‘no development’ policy on Crown land. landscape to remain dominant. Develop - (Land Use Study) – lake residents, BLA ments that substantially change geographic or landscape profiles – the language of the County Official Plan lake – should be avoided. (Architectural • Work with the Municipality in updating Survey) – lake residents, municipality, BLA the official plan, and offer specific recom - mendations for the maintenance of a Residential Occupancy healthy Baptiste Lake. (Land Use Study) – • Work with the Municipality to update lake residents, BLA, municipality land-use information and residential occu - pancy rates, which in turn can assist the Municipal Zoning Bylaws Ministry of the Environment and other • Work with the Municipality to update agencies involved in assessing the carry - zoning bylaws in areas such as: setting lot ing capacity of Baptiste Lake, which is requirements so as to achieve a built stressed by increased seasonal use and scale that allows the landscape to remain increased conversion to permanent resi - dominant; reviewing the list of land-use is - dency. (Land Use Study) – BLA, province sues to ensure that they are compatible • Maintain current development regula - with the lake and surrounding land uses; tions until there is a solid basis in science and updating the Environmental Protection – documented in a series of longitudinal Zones for Provincially Significant Wet - studies – that new waste-disposal tech - lands. (Land Use Study) – lake residents, nologies will accommodate increased de - BLA, municipality velopment without an adverse impact on the cold-water fishery. (BLA Lake Planning Narrow Water Bodies Committee) – BLA, province (rivers, channels, some bays) • Work with the County and Municipality to Septic include a map in the Official Plan indicat - • Work with residents and the Municipality ing all narrow water bodies on Baptiste to promote the proper use of septic sys - Lake, and to amend zoning bylaws by tems (e.g., Dock Talk), and encourage a adding a new zone that recognizes the lo -

45 3.2 Taking Action cation of these areas and requires a mini - Public Amenities mum lot frontage for new lots (e.g., of • Investigate the lack of public amenities 100 metres), thus preventing the appear - on Baptiste Lake – such as a public ance of overcrowding. (Physical Elements beach, public walking trails and a commu - Report) – BLA nity centre – with a view to providing greater public and community access to 3.2.5 Baptiste Lake the lake. (Stakeholders Meeting August community actions 2008) – lake residents, BLA, municipality Nautical Map Light and Noise Pollution • Make available to all lake residents and • Provide further information to lake resi - visiting boaters an accurate nautical map dents and visitors concerning the damage of greater Baptiste Lake. (Stakeholders of light pollution to the night sky and of Meeting August 2008) – BLA, local busi - noise pollution to the tranquility of the nesses, federal government lake environment. The municipality has a bylaw against excessive noise after 11:00 Signage p.m., which is triggered by a formal com - • Review municipal bylaws with regard to plaint process. The municipality has no commercial signage and its effects on the light pollution bylaw. (Lake Residents Sur - natural beauty of the lake. The municipal - vey) – lake residents, BLA, municipality ity is in the process of considering this ac - tion, since it is the only local area Water Safety municipality without such a bylaw. (Stake - • Encourage further awareness on safety holders Meeting August 2008) – lake resi - issues related to swimming, boating and dents, municipality personal watercraft. (Lake Residents Sur - vey 2006) – lake residents, BLA, local businesses, province

46 3.2 Taking Action Appendix 1: List of Keating, Richard & Margaret Kirsh, Kris Ann Contributors Jewellers, Joseph & Stella Kryzanowski, John & Dian Kuder Greg Latremoille, Susan Latremoille, Thank you to the following individuals and Laugh Lines Theatre, Tracy Leach, Lock organizations who made financial dona - Stock and Barrel Sports Centre, Rod & tions, offered services, donated goods, and Kevin Loftus, Hansjuergen Lubeseder helped us fund the Baptiste Lake Plan at Carol Maclennan, Madawaska Kanu Cen - the 2006 Gala, and in fundraising activities tre, Market Café and Fudge Factory, Joseph in 2007 and 2008: Marshall, Marie Maschke, David Milne & A. J. Family Footwear, Brad Allison and Pam Gibb-Carsley, Gwen Morawetz, Tim Maria Batten, Marla Allison, Robert & Pene - Morawetz, John Morson, Mike & Ineke lope Anderson, Ashlie’s Books Moxam, McCaskie T.V. & Stereo, Wally & Bancroft Furniture & Appliances, Bancroft Pat McColl, Bob & Maureen McWhirter Golf Course, Bancroft Just Wine and Beer, Nan’s Bulk and Basic Food, Bruce Nichol - Bancroft Sport and Marine, Baptiste Lake son, Northern Comfort Association, Baptiste Lake Marina, Baptiste Office Extra, Oliver Bocancini Restau - Station Restaurant, Bare Naked Ladies, rants, Peter & Maureen Oliver Beauty Escape Day Spa, Kim Benn and Paddlers Co-Op, Allan & Darlene Pater - Frank Walker, Birch Cliff Lodge, Mark & son, Peller Estate Winery, Pepin’s No Karen Bonokoski, Joan Brent, John & Gillian Frills, Shelley Pichard, Pop’s Malt Shop, Bill Broere, Barbara Burbidge & Wendy Porritt, Posie’s Flowers and Gifts Camp Ponacka, Canadian Tire, Kan & Bob & Ann Redford, Andrew & Regina Chris Chhatwal, Norman & Freida Cogh - Robinson, Jerry Revenberg, Vic & Noella lan, Paul & Anne Coleman, Richard & Rice, Roger & Marguerite Rivard, Riverside Carol Coulter Casuals, Mike & David & Donna Robertson, John and Dorothy Davies, Al Davis, Paul Ed Robertson & Natalie Herbert, Andrew & Dennis, Julia Daubaras, Susan & David Regina Robinson, Michael Rudanycz Daubaras, Double Fish Designs Nathan & Kathy Schactman, Monica J. Douglas & Evelyn Ellis, Ron & Sonia Schnurpel, Horst Seidel, Richard & Leslie Emond, Robert & Beverley Everett, Ever - Sheriff, Robert & Donna Stanistreet, Susan green Farm and Garden Stechly, Bernice & John Steinmann, Hugh & Marshall Rex Farrell, Linda & Brian Fell, Catherine Stephens, Ron & Helen Storey, Lorraine Fell, Floral Traditions Switzer’s Auction & Appraisal Service General Electric Co., Dagmar Gontard- Tana’s Frames ‘n Things, TD Bank, Terra Zelinkova, Doug & Nancy Gordon, Chris & Sun, The Bancroft Times, The Cottage, The Joan Grant (Bowes & Cocks), Melanie & Cottage Rentals, The Grail Springs Spa, The David Grindley, Diana Gurley Granny Flat, The Old Tin Shed, The Pant Beth & Leonard Harvey, Friederich Haun, Hanger, The Secret Gardener, The Shed, David & Pauline Hawkes, Home Hardware, The Stone Kitchen, The York River Co., Tim Marlin Horst Horton’s, Trailhead I.D.A., John & Jeanne Irwin, Katherine Jack & Judy Vance, Max & Cathy Vander - Irwin, Mavis Irwin voet, Jim & Patti Vetter John & Pat Jared, Paul Jenkins, Alan & Bob & Menna Weese, Bryn Weese, West Dale Jones, Cathy & Dewey Jordan, Norm Wind Gallery, Marilyn Wilson Jull, Jungle Imports Ya Ya Gallery, Richard & Eleanor Yip-Chuck Josie & Roelof Kattouw, Glenn & Nancy Karl & Isabel Zakss, Zihua Boutique

47 Appendix 1 Photos from the August 2006 Gala at Birch Cliff Lodge

Appendix 2: Members of Baptiste Lake Plan Committee

Don Bocking David Hawkes Joan Brent Laura Mason Chris Chhatwal David Milne Kan Chhatwal Tim Morawetz Lorraine Fell Michael Moxam Elaine Fournier Bob Redford Pam Gibb-Carsley Craig Walton Dagmar Gontard-Zelinkova Menna Weese (Chair) Diana Gurley

48 Appendix 2