Mattatall Lake Stewardship Association (MLSA)

Mattatall Lake is located in rural west-central Nova Scotia, Canada on the border between Cumberland and Colchester counties, approximately 10 km WSW of the historic village of Tatamagouche. The family name of Mattatall refers to French speaking immigrants from the principality of Montbéliard, now in eastern France, near the border with Switzerland, who settled in the Tatamagouche area in 1771. This group originally came to Nova Scotia in 1750-52 as part of the ‘the Foreign Protestants’, including other German speaking groups that founded the town of Lunnenberg. The lake covers approximately 120 hectares (300 acres) in three connected lobes and is now primarily used for both summer and winter cottage recreation. It is also known as a primary spot for bass fishing (see recreational information under Links).

The Mattatall Lake Stewardship Association (MLSA) is a registered non-profit organization with its mission to support all measures of protecting the water quality of Mattatall Lake and its surrounding watershed. The MLSA was formed in 2015 in response to evidence of a severe threat to its water quality. Harmful blue-green algal blooms have occurred in the lake in 2014-16, but were absent in 2017.

The MLSA has a paid membership of approximately 50 members and is led by a rotating board of 9 volunteers. An annual general meeting (AGM) is held each summer to elect new board members and endorse its yearly operations and budget. Newsletters are sent to members on a biannual basis or as required. The organization has collaborated with research groups at the Agricultural College and Department of Civil & Resource Engineering at Dalhousie University, and with the Nova Scotia Department of the Environment. Local volunteers have worked in the lake to support research activities, reduce motorboat disturbance, educate lake shore residents about best environmental practices and raise awareness among watershed stakeholders on the downstream impacts of land use. Further details are given in the Projects & Research section.

The Association also advocates through its work to help foster water quality in other Nova Scotia lakes. The Association extends its awareness of lake management issues through membership in the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS).

Loons

One of the joys of living on the lake is the presence of nesting loon families during summer months, although sometimes their nightly calls can be quite loud! However, in recent years and similarly to other areas of Nova Scotia, they have had limited success with the hatching and survival of their young. To help reduce some of the many risks that they face, the MLSA has supported the building of a floating nesting platforms similar to ones that Bob Crowell had built in years past. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any nesting action in a few years now.

Another one of the major reasons to reduce the incidents of algae blooms is to help the loons feed their young, if Mattatall in lucky enought to have a nesting pair again soon. The murky water greatly limits their ability to fish successfully. If you are a boater at Mattatall, we kindly ask you to slow down and keep a safe distance from the loons, particularly during nesting season.

Recreation

Boating, fishing and swimming are major pastimes on the lake. Canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, jet skis, outboard and pontoon boats crisscross the water on any summer’s day. Fishing in the early morning, water skiing and tubing in the afternoon and leisurely evening cruises around the lake’s lobes keep residents busy on the water during the warmer months. On hot days swimmers cool off with a dip from docks dotted around the lakefront. Summer campfires and holiday fireworks flicker at the lake edges as families and friends get together. In winter, skaters, skiers and snowshoers leave their tracks on the frozen lake surface. The views from lake to shore are novel and the sounds of winter ice can be startling for first timers. Trails in the area also offer miles of rides to ATV and snowmobile enthusiasts. All these activities depend on good water quality and a healthy watershed for safe and enjoyable recreation today and tomorrow.

Wildlife

Another joy of living on Lake Mattatall is interacting with the area’s rich wildlife. Everyone has their own favourite story about bears and raccoons and yearly observations of other animals from eagles to squirrels. There is a rich community of birds from the nesting of waterfowl and arrival of hungry hummingbirds in spring, to the flights of eagles and hootings of owls in summer. Long-term residents will also note changes in species over the years, such as the reduction in frogs (but they are increasing again), extinction of bats, and general ups and downs of the hare and coyote populations. One animal that is ubiquitous throughout the watershed is the beaver with their many dams and tree fellings. These activities are sometimes a nuisance to us but also important to the health of the lake in restricting the sudden input of runoff during heavy rains. It is unclear what recent changes to the landscape such as clear-cutting have on these important inhabitants of the watershed, but the success of wildlife is certainly important to the continuation of a healthy environment for all.