Land trust adds wetland

Kawartha Land Trust has agreed to protect a property north of Peterborough that includes a provincially significant wetland.

The 34-acre property, located between Highway 28 and Coon Lake Road near Big Cedar north of Peterborough, belongs to Scott Wootton and Catherine Kirk. It includes the wetland, and roughly half is mixed forest. It's home to deer and several species at risk.

The land will become part of a natural corridor between Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park and the Fraser Wetland Complex.

KLT reports that the wetland, already bisected by Highway 28, and its buffering woodland must be protected from future development something this land acquisition will do.

“The forest around the wetland is really the icing on the cake,” stated Thom Unrau. KLT's stewardship manager.

Wootton, owner of Kawartha Lakes Construction, said he and Kirk turned the property over to KLT because they wanted to see the land preserved.

“Cath and I have lived in the Burleigh area long enough to see firsthand many species of animals that call the Fraser wetland area home. Some of which are endangered which speaks to the importance of helping preserve this sensitive environment,” stated Wootton in a press release.

Other KLT lands include Boyd Island near Bobcaygeon, the Stoney Lake Trails area, Emily Creek, Ayotte's Point Woods and more.