Our goal is to raise $10,000 CAD for these two 2024 projects! So far we've raised $5,490.
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Dear Wabakimi friends,
We're asking for your donations for Legacy Debris Removal effort and Park Ranger Added Capacity! Friends of Wabakimi (FOW) is working with Wabakimi Provincial Park to protect and promote this resource as a world class canoeing destination for the benefit of future generations as well as the local economy. Legacy Debris Removal. There’s a big debris pile on Shabuskwia Lake that needs to come out. We’ll fund an Otter float plane trip with its large capacity. ($3,000+ CAD). This builds on our successful 2020 effort. Supporting Park Rangers! Our goal is to raise $7,000 CAD to add capacity to the Park’s 2024 park Ranger season. This year canoe routes were impacted by fires that burned 10% of the park. Those routes need to be cleared and recleared as the forest regenerates. It takes $190 a day to fund these Rangers. Meeting our goal would add 36 ranger working days to their spring and summer 2024 operating season. Friends of Wabakimi (FOW) is working with Wabakimi Provincial Park to protect and promote this resource as a world class canoeing destination for the benefit of future generations as well as the local economy. Only a small part of Ontario Park’s budget comes from provincial taxes. Most of the funds to maintain, manage and protect Wabakimi Provincial Park come from day-use and camping fees, rentals, partnerships and donations. Our Friends donations make a difference! This is our fourth FOW fundraising effort. Your DONATION NOW will help improve the Wabakimi Wilderness paddling experience. Vern Fish, President, FOW Our goal is to raise $10,000 CAD for these two 2024 projects!
Please Donate Now! Large or small it’s all needed and appreciated. Please contribute according to the following table:
Checks may also be sent to: Friends of Wabakimi, c/0 1060 Riverdale Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7J 1N2 or c/o 3488 Kingswood Place,Waterloo, Iowa 50701 Donors can receive a Canadian charitable donation tax receipt by contributing by mail to: Ontario Parks, 300 Water Street, 6th Floor South, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 3C7 * To make a contribution by credit card over the phone call 705-313-2462, 9-4 EST weekdays.* *Specify FOW/Wabakimi Pr0vincial Park projects to be credited towards this FOW/WPP project. (Eligible Canadian donors receive a tax receipt for every donation over $25.) Online Donations for Ontario Parks (and charitable donation tax receipt) can be made online through Canada Helps. *Specify FOW/Wabakimi Pr0vincial Park projects to be credited towards this FOW/WPP project. And please let us know at info@wabakimi.org so we can add this to our running total! 
Next Steps: The Wabakimi Stewardship Initiative
Going forward the FOW (and hopefully others) will support stewardship activities to protect, restore and enhance the ecosystems within Wabakimi Provincial Park. This will help Wabakimi meet the following Ontario Parks objectives: 1. Protection of natural and cultural features 2. Provision of ecologically sustainable outdoor recreation 3. Natural and cultural heritage education 4. Fostering research With over 10,000 lakes, Wabakimi is one of the most expansive protected paddling destinations in all of North America!
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Park Rangers: Portage Clearing and Legacy Debris
Park rangers maintain canoe routes in the park and have worked diligently to clear portages and are active in other duties related to inventory and monitoring in the park. Over the years these crews have documented the debris left on the landscape from a variety of sources in the park. Abandoned items such as damaged equipment or boats that have accumulated on portages and lakeside areas are unsightly and can have a negative impact on the environment or on visitor experience. However, since these crews are travelling by canoe, they have been limited to documenting these sites because removal was not an option at the time. The park has maintained a database which documents more than 100 items and 44 locations where items have been flagged for removal. 
Uncle Phil Cotton with his Wabakimi Project crew hauling out bags of trash.
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Fall 2020: We raised $7,917 CAD/$6,347 U.S. for the debris removal project completed summer 2021! Here's a Detailed Report. Fall 2021: We raised $8,413 CAD for our joint project with W.P.P. to install the new Armstrong kiosk. This will enhance the backcountry experience for visitors to Wabakimi Provincial Park and includes the "Wabakimi" painting and art print produced by Kevin Belmore. Fall 2o22: We raised $9372/$7,028 U.S. to purchase eleven new bird song meters for use by the Park's biologist and rangers; in support of Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas project. Those meters went into the field summer 2023 and thankfully survived the fires. Here's a detailed report of how those are used. Only a small part of Ontario Park’s budget comes from provincial taxes. Most of the funds to maintain, manage and protect Wabakimi Provincial Park come from day-use and camping fees, rentals, partnerships and donations. Our Friends donations make a difference! 
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