Trent University student from the Applied Biomonitoring class using the kick and sweep method for benthic collection (Joshua Solti, 2021)
Benthic Biomonitoring
Benthic Macroinvertebrates - commonly called "benthics" or "benthos" - are spineless aquatic organisms that inhabit the bottom substrates of lakes, rivers and streams. These organisms are critical biological indicators of water quality due to their prolonged contact with their aquatic environment and their varying sensitivity to environmental stressors such as excess nutrients, organic pollution and habitat disruption.
Since the 1980s, benthic monitoring has been used across North America to assess freshwater ecosystem health, and in Ontario, it has been formally integrated into long-term monitoring programs through the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) since the early 2000s. The presence, absence, and diversity of benthic groups can reveal the cumulative impact of pollution, climate shifts, and shoreline development - making them a powerful tool for citizen science and lake stewardship.
In 2019, U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research, Trent University, and Fleming College launched a pilot project on six Haliburton County lakes to test the feasibility of a regionally coordinated benthic biomonitoring program. The pilot was a success, leading to the genesis of the Woodlands and Waterways EcoWatch (WWEW) program. Prior to 2019, data from OBBN showed a significant under representation of sampling sites in Haliburton County, despite dense coverage across much of southern and central Ontario. This lack of data limited the capacity of lake associations, municipalities, and environmental organizations to assess aquatic ecosystem health or detect emerging concerns.
As of 2025, the program has expanded to include 90 sampling locations across 28 lakes, supported in partnership with 19 Lake, Cottage and Property Owners' Associations across the Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes region. Of these, 10 lakes have now completed a full five-year baseline cycle, establishing robust datasets that contribute to long-term freshwater monitoring and ecosystem protection efforts.
Benthic Macroinvertebrates - commonly called "benthics" or "benthos" - are spineless aquatic organisms that inhabit the bottom substrates of lakes, rivers and streams. These organisms are critical biological indicators of water quality due to their prolonged contact with their aquatic environment and their varying sensitivity to environmental stressors such as excess nutrients, organic pollution and habitat disruption.
Since the 1980s, benthic monitoring has been used across North America to assess freshwater ecosystem health, and in Ontario, it has been formally integrated into long-term monitoring programs through the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN) since the early 2000s. The presence, absence, and diversity of benthic groups can reveal the cumulative impact of pollution, climate shifts, and shoreline development - making them a powerful tool for citizen science and lake stewardship.
In 2019, U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research, Trent University, and Fleming College launched a pilot project on six Haliburton County lakes to test the feasibility of a regionally coordinated benthic biomonitoring program. The pilot was a success, leading to the genesis of the Woodlands and Waterways EcoWatch (WWEW) program. Prior to 2019, data from OBBN showed a significant under representation of sampling sites in Haliburton County, despite dense coverage across much of southern and central Ontario. This lack of data limited the capacity of lake associations, municipalities, and environmental organizations to assess aquatic ecosystem health or detect emerging concerns.
As of 2025, the program has expanded to include 90 sampling locations across 28 lakes, supported in partnership with 19 Lake, Cottage and Property Owners' Associations across the Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes region. Of these, 10 lakes have now completed a full five-year baseline cycle, establishing robust datasets that contribute to long-term freshwater monitoring and ecosystem protection efforts.
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OBBN Locations, 2019 WWEW Locations, 2025
Measuring tree diameter at breast height (DBH) with a DBH tape (Joshua Solti, 2021)
Terrestrial Biomonitoring
The terrestrial landscapes of Haliburton County play a crucial role in supporting the region's biodiversity and sustaining the health of connected aquatic ecosystems. In collaboration with organizations such as the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT), Glebe Park Sculpture Forest and private property owners, U-Links is coordinating long term terrestrial monitoring through the establishment and monitoring of Permanent Sampling Plots (PSPs).
Since this stream of WWEW was launched in 2021, U-Links and Trent University students have established 40 PSPs across 5 properties in Haliburton County. These plots are designed to be resampled every 5 years, creating a long-term dataset that can help assess the ecological impacts of stressors such as climate change, invasive species, and land-use change.
The first PSPs were established in Dahl Forest during the F21 Applied Biomonitoring course at Trent University. Students measured and recorded tree species, composition, height, diameter, and signs of disease or structural defects. From this data, important forest metrics such as basal area and species diversity were calculated, laying the groundwork for future comparisons over time.
The terrestrial landscapes of Haliburton County play a crucial role in supporting the region's biodiversity and sustaining the health of connected aquatic ecosystems. In collaboration with organizations such as the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT), Glebe Park Sculpture Forest and private property owners, U-Links is coordinating long term terrestrial monitoring through the establishment and monitoring of Permanent Sampling Plots (PSPs).
Since this stream of WWEW was launched in 2021, U-Links and Trent University students have established 40 PSPs across 5 properties in Haliburton County. These plots are designed to be resampled every 5 years, creating a long-term dataset that can help assess the ecological impacts of stressors such as climate change, invasive species, and land-use change.
The first PSPs were established in Dahl Forest during the F21 Applied Biomonitoring course at Trent University. Students measured and recorded tree species, composition, height, diameter, and signs of disease or structural defects. From this data, important forest metrics such as basal area and species diversity were calculated, laying the groundwork for future comparisons over time.
Rob Wittman and Anton Davies measuring dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles on Moore Lake (Frank Figuli, 2025)
Testing the Waters
Testing the Waters is a collaborative water quality monitoring initiative led by U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research through our WWEW program. Designed in partnership with local Lake Associations and academic institutions - primarily Trent University, the program trains and equips citizen science volunteers with standardized protocols to collect meaningful data on the health of the lakes across Haliburton County, 3x a year (spring, fall, winter [when ice permits]).
Launched as a pilot in 2022, the program has rapidly grown in response to strong community interest and environmental need. By 2024, the program expanded to include 25 Lake Associations who together support monitoring at 39 mid-lake sampling sites across the region. Sampling focuses on physical and chemical indicators of lake health, including nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen, water clarity and metals.
The programs goal is to establish a comparable, long-term dataset for lakes in Haliburton County, filling historic data gaps, identifying seasonal and spatial trends, and supporting proactive watershed stewardship. All sampling follows science-based protocols developed in consultation with limnology experts and is aligned with provincial water quality objectives.
Through Testing the Waters, lake communities are taking the lead in protecting the freshwater ecosystems they depend on, building both knowledge and capacity for long-term environmental resilience.
Testing the Waters is a collaborative water quality monitoring initiative led by U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research through our WWEW program. Designed in partnership with local Lake Associations and academic institutions - primarily Trent University, the program trains and equips citizen science volunteers with standardized protocols to collect meaningful data on the health of the lakes across Haliburton County, 3x a year (spring, fall, winter [when ice permits]).
Launched as a pilot in 2022, the program has rapidly grown in response to strong community interest and environmental need. By 2024, the program expanded to include 25 Lake Associations who together support monitoring at 39 mid-lake sampling sites across the region. Sampling focuses on physical and chemical indicators of lake health, including nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen, water clarity and metals.
The programs goal is to establish a comparable, long-term dataset for lakes in Haliburton County, filling historic data gaps, identifying seasonal and spatial trends, and supporting proactive watershed stewardship. All sampling follows science-based protocols developed in consultation with limnology experts and is aligned with provincial water quality objectives.
Through Testing the Waters, lake communities are taking the lead in protecting the freshwater ecosystems they depend on, building both knowledge and capacity for long-term environmental resilience.
