The Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust is thrilled to be awarded the Healthy Land Conservation Award by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority for our Grassland Restoration project at our MapleCross Nature Reserve. The Healthy Land award celebrates improvement projects that help to support and protect natural heritage features​ including woodlands, wetlands and their functions; wildlife habitat; biodiversity and ecological restoration; soil erosion; and trail development. We want to share this with all of our wonderful supporters and volunteers.  Thank you!

The <ORMLT> restored a 2.4 hectare grassland in the MapleCross Nature Reserve, a reserve of over 32 hectares located in the Township of King. This grassland restoration project provides breeding habitat for the Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark bird species, who require this rare type of ecosystem to breed in, which has led to their decline. The work involved removing fences and invasive trees, using large tarps to solarize areas of the grassland, planting native plants and prescribed burns. We’re happy to report that the Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink have been seen on the property for the first time.”

 We were part of a larger group of conservation award recipients, all of whom have done amazing things to help protect the environment around Lake Simcoe. Our own staff member Aileen Barclay also received an award for her work outside of the Trust in educating people about importance of our natural world and how to conserve it though social media.  We never leave our “work” at the office… we can’t help it, we love what we do!

Watch the project video for the grassland restoration we received the conservation award for here.

Controlled Burn