Land trust adding new properties
Charity now responsible for protecting 39 Kawartha lands
Kawartha Land Trust, the region’s charitable land trust, is thrilled to head into spring with more positive conservation news for the Kawarthas — the protection of five new properties.
Kawartha Land Trust has added the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary, O’Leary Family Wetland, Wittek Property, Found Property and Roscarrock Conservation Easement, to its growing roster of protected properties.
The Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary project was made possible by the Government of Canada through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund.
The O’Leary Family Wetland, Wittek Property, and Found Property were secured with funding from Environment Canada and Climate Change’s (ECCC) Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, while Roscarrock Conservation Easement was secured with funding from ECCC’s Habitat Stewardship Program.
Combined, Kawartha Land Trust’s newest nature reserves and conservation easement comprise 90 hectares, bringing the charity’s total protected properties to 39 and protected lands to close to more than 2,800 hectares.
The newly announced properties feature a variety of habitats that contribute to the biodiversity of the Kawarthas, including natural shoreline, wetlands, forests, fields, and meadows.
For example, the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary’s 102 acres in Douro-Dummer Township is home to coniferous and deciduous swamps, forests, fields, and a meadow.
The property is a haven for wildlife, including at-risk species like western chorus frog, wood thrush, eastern meadowlark, and monarch butterfly, whose at-risk status was recently upgraded from special concern to endangered on Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
“It’s always exciting to be able to announce the protection of more of the land we love in the Kawarthas and even more so when we’re able to share the news of five newly protected areas at the same time,” stated Kawartha Land Trust executive director John Kintare in a press release.
“The conservation of these lands is the result of the incredible investments made by our donors, partners, and volunteers over the past 20 years.”
His sentiments were echoed by Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault.
“Ontarians value their natural surroundings greatly. Working together with partners like the Kawartha Land Trust and generous landowners, we are dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing wildlife habitats,” stated Guilbeault.
He added that the effort “strengthens ecosystems” and takes a major step forward in reaching Canada’s goal of conserving 30 per cent of land and water by 2030.
The dedication of Kawartha Land Trust’s individual donors, funding partners, supporters, and volunteers has expanded KLT’s protected lands to more than 6,950 acres, providing additional safe havens for wildlife in the Kawarthas and securing important ecological landscapes to help combat climate change.
For more information on Kawartha Land Trust’s newest nature reserves, visit kawarthalandtrust.org.
The RousselSteffler Memorial Sanctuary is a haven for wildlife, including at-risk species like western chorus frog, wood thrush, eastern meadowlark, and monarch butterfly