33 Acres of Wetland Protected Forever!

Through the generosity of a caring landowner, another 13.67 Ha (33 acres) in the Township of King has been donated to the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust to be protected forever as a Nature Reserve.

This property is located approximately ~950m west of the northern face of the Oak Ridges Moraine boundary and is 13 hectares (33 acres) of protected ecological haven. The landowner chose to donate this land through a Fee Simple donation agreement and ensure their well-loved land would be protected forever by the Land Trust.

While surrounding areas are under development pressure, this wetland property will stay protected forever as a reminder of the area’s natural beauty. As part of the Pottageville Swamp Wetland Complex, this property contains woodlands and provincially significant wetlands, making it an ecological haven for many different species including Black Ash (threatened), Wood Thrush (threatened) and Eastern Wood Pewee (special concern), all species at risk.

The Land Trust wishes to thank the land donor for their generosity in donating this wonderful wetland property to ensure it’s protection.

This project was also supported by the Government of Canada through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund. This property was generously donated to the Land Trust under the Government of Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program. This program provides enhanced tax incentives for individuals or corporations who donate ecologically significant land.

“Biodiversity loss and climate change are twin crises that we, as Canadians, must address together. By working with partners like the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust and generous landowners, we are helping to protect the natural environment in Ontario and across the country. Protecting wetlands plays a vital role in helping to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and contributes to the recovery of species at risk. Through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program and the Ecological Gifts Program, the Government of Canada is making progress toward its goal of conserving a quarter of land and water in Canada by 2025, working toward 30 percent of each by 2030.”

– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Protecting wetlands and swamps such as this Nature Reserve, is essential for preserving resiliency against climate change. The values that these ecosystems provide are as rich as the life that resides there. The donor of this property saw this value and stepped up to ensure this property would be protected forever so those values can continue for many generations to come. We are thrilled that this donor trusted us to protect this ecological gem in perpetuity.”

– Susan Walmer, Chief Executive Officer, Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust

ABOUT:

The Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust, a registered charitable organization, was formed in 2000 by citizens interested in protecting the Moraine.

The Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust works to ensure a healthy and thriving ecosystem in and surrounding the Moraine. The Land Trust ensures significant Moraine, Greenbelt and Simcoe properties are protected for future generations through agreements with landowners, protection of lands and on-going stewardship. To date, the Trust has secured over 2053 ha (5,073 acres) of land on 66 properties.

The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique partnership that supports the creation and recognition of protected and conserved areas through the acquisition of private land and private interest in land. To date, the Government of Canada has invested more than $440 million in the Program, which has been matched with more than $870 million in contributions raised by Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community leading to the protection and conservation of more than 700,000 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands.

LEARN MORE:

Visit: http://oakridgesmoraine.org/

Become a fan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oakridgesmoraine.org/

To learn more about the Ecological Gifts Program, please visit https://www.canada.ca/ecological-gifts.

CONTACT:

Susan Walmer Chief Executive Officer Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust

5595 17^th Sideroad, Schomberg, ON L0G 1T0

Telephone – 905-939-3333 x32