Access digital copies of FOCA’s newsletters, reports, brochures and video productions below. Also get up-to-date on current events by reading our monthly e-news, the FOCA Elert. Please share these resources with others!
Latest Releases:
FOCA Guide: Understanding the Underwater World of Plants (PDF, 92 pages, 9 MB download) – Do you know what’s living in your lake? FOCA is often asked “What’s this ‘weed’ in my water?” This guide was created to help you answer that question on your own Ontario waterfront. It includes chapters on:
- plant ecology and their role in the ecosystem
- plant IDs including descriptions, photos and illustrations of common aquatic plants in Ontario; we included a section on algae which are not plants but rather microscopic organisms that can have a plant-like appearance in the water
- plant control options and regulations
Download your digital copy of the NEW 2024 Ontario Lake Stewards Magazine (PDF, 7 MB, 28 pages) – this edition of FOCA’s annual newsletter is brimming with articles about wildland fire safety, lifejackets and PFD regulations for boaters, lake management theory, lake planning for associations, preventing the spread of invasive Phragmites and carp, woodstove safety, healthy shoreline tips, and more hot topics!
> MEMBERS: jump to the bottom of this page & login to access past editions of our annual newsletter, with articles on forestry, Phragmites, Lyme disease, septic systems … and so much more.
Be #WakeAware (YouTube; 1:00 minute; 2021) This campaign to take wake fun to the appropriate part of the lake – away from shorelines – is a joint effort of FOCA, the Muskoka Lakes Association, and Safe Quiet Lakes. Click the video for sound, or to watch it on YouTube.
Annual Reports & Strategic Plans:
Download your digital copy of the 2023 FOCA Year in Review (PDF, 5.5 MB, 16 pages)
Download a digital copy of the 2022 FOCA Year in Review (PDF, 12 pages)
2021 FOCA Year in Review (PDF, 1.4 MB, 8 pages)
2020 FOCA Year in Review (PDF, 3.6 MB, 12 pages)
FOCA: Strategic Plan 2020-2023 (PDF, 1.4 MB, 8 pages)
2019 FOCA Year in Review (PDF, 2.4 MB, 12 pages)
Videos, Reports & Guides:
FOCA Video: Understanding your Cottage Country Septic System (YouTube, 10 min, 2018)
FOCA Video: Welcome to Cottage Country! Thinking about buying a cottage? Start here. (YouTube, 6 min, 2021)
Have you read FOCA’s economic impact report yet?
The Economic Impacts of Waterfront Property Households in Ontario. This is a digital-only FOCA publication.
The Role of Waterfront Property Owners in Rural Economic Development in Eastern Ontario (PDF, 1.2 MB, 56 pages; FOCA 2018) and related Infographic (PDF, 0.5 MB, 1 page).
This is a digital-only publication.
A Shoreline Owner’s Guide to Healthy Waterfronts (PDF, 2.4 MB, 28 pages) Essential reading!
Members: contact FOCA for print copies of this Guide, while supplies last.
A Guide to Municipal Engagement for Ontario Lake Associations (PDF, 1 MB, 20 pages) – how & why to engage with your municipal partners, year-round.
This is a digital-only publication.
A Shoreline Owner’s Guide to Invasive Species (PDF, 1 MB, 16 pages)
Members: contact FOCA for print copies while supplies last.
Septic Re-inspection Programs in Ontario – A Guide for Community Groups (PDF, 9 MB, 37 pages) and related Infographic (PDF, 0.7 MB, 1 page – pictured above).
This is a digital-only publication.
A FOCA Guide to Citizen Science at the Lake (PDF, 1.5 MB, 52 pages) – what kinds of water monitoring can be done, how and why.
This is a digital-only publication.
Managing Your Waterfront Property in a Changing Climate (PDF, 3.5 MB, 20 pages)
Members: contact FOCA for print copies while supplies last.
About the Lake Partner Program (PDF, 7 MB, pages; FOCA 2020) – the history of the program, what is monitored, who uses the results, why it matters.
This is a digital-only publication.
Take the Plunge: A Guide to Stewardship of Ontario’s Waters has been a staple since 1998! Click to open a PDF of the Table of Contents.
Members: contact FOCA for print copies; there is no digital version of this guide.
The Lake Planning Handbook for Community Groups is your association’s step-by-step guide to engage your lake community in strategic planning and stewardship initiatives!
Out of print, but members can contact FOCA for access to the digital edition including a full resource kit, sample materials, and example lake plans.
FOCA Video: Why Citizen Science Matters (YouTube, 2 min, 2018)
FOCA Video: Lake Associations (YouTube, 6 min, 2017) – why do lake associations matter? find out in this beautiful short film.
FOCA Video: Lake Associations in Action (YouTube, 2 min, 2018) – what do lake associations do for the waterfront community?
Lake Stewards Newsletter Archives:
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