David Pearson, the co-chair for the province’s new panel on climate change, spoke to more than 100 people about the phenomenon’s effects, causes, and the forecast for this region specifically.

The lecture was the newest in an environmental series put on by the Muskoka Watershed Council and the Muskoka Heritage Foundation.

Past president of the latter, Ken Black said the packed house didn’t surprise him because climate change is happening right now, right here.

“Most people read about the changes happening in Arizona or the Arctic, but this guy knows about Muskoka and what’s here, what’s changing in our backyard,” he said. “When it starts to happen on your lake, you have real proof that things need to change.”

Professor Pearson opened his lecture with a history of the Earth’s temperature and painted a picture of our current climate conditions — conditions haven’t been experienced in 300 million years.

He pointed out that the near record-breaking snowfall this winter is a blessing in disguise as far as the region’s lakes are concerned.

As temperatures increase, lakes typically evaporate and damage the shoreline, Pearson explained. But the spring thaw in this region replenished lakes with fresh water and reduced the concentration of contaminants.

The climate is quite fragile right now, he said, with just a small increase in temperature affecting the overall environment drastically.

“And an increase in temperature affects more than just the weather,” he said, pointing to its effects on wildlife.

He noted that Muskoka residents should be particularly concerned about the potential arrival of the pine beetle to this region. Cold winter nights once killed the tree-eating pest, making it impossible for the species to spread eastward over the Rockies. But increasing temperatures have allowed it to come this way.

Although the pine beetle is tiny, he said its carbon footprint will be huge.

“Not only will there be fewer trees to absorb the carbon, but now you have thousands of decaying tree carcasses emitting all this carbon dioxide into the air.”

While he encouraged individuals to take all the steps they can to reduce carbon emissions, he said “It won’t happen without the policy makers getting on board.”

“If it’s five to 10 degrees hotter when our grandkids are sitting here in this church hall, that’s just not tolerable,” he said. “We can’t do that to them.”

He said that voluntary reductions just won’t work and that a carbon tax needs to be implemented immediately, and things like dual flushing toilets should be in every home.

“If every home in the GTA had the option of big flush or small flush, about two billion litres of water could be saved every day.”

Some audience members said they learned a lot from the lecture but they left feeling hopeless.

Leaving the church, Muskoka Lakes mayor Susan Pryke said the situation in her eyes now seems insurmountable.

“Sure, we can all go out and replace our light bulbs, maybe walk to work . . . but that won’t do anything,” she said. “It’s just not enough. It’s going to take big change, and as a politician, I know how hard that can be.”