An additional 224 acres of land in the Kawarthas is now protected from development as a result of donors and grants.
Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) has announced the conservation of five new properties in Douro-Dummer Township, Selwyn Township, and in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Through the support of individual donors and funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Wildlife Habitat Canada, KLT has protected an additional five properties: Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary in Douro-Dummer Township, O’Leary Family Wetland in Kawartha Lakes, Wittek Property in Selwyn Township, Found Property in Kawartha Lakes, and Roscarrock Conservation Easement near Lakefield.
“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,” said John Kintare, KLT executive director.
“The conservation of these lands is the result of the incredible investments made by our donors, partners, and volunteers over the past 20 years.”
The protection of the new nature reserves and conservation easement contributes to KLT’s commitments to conserve land and biodiversity in the Kawarthas and engage in focused climate action, the organization noted.
VIDEO: Learn About Kawartha Land Trust (KLT)
“Ontarians value their natural surroundings greatly. Working together with partners like (KLT) and generous landowners, we are dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing wildlife habitats,” said Steven Guilbeault, federal minister of the environment and climate change, in a media release.
“This effort strengthens ecosystems and helps them absorb and store carbon while helping to protect species at risk, like the monarch butterfly and the western chorus frog. With support from the Government of Canada through programs like the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, the Ecological Gifts Program, the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, and the Habitat Stewardship Program, we are actively helping Canada reach its goal of conserving 30 per cent of land and water by 2030.”
KLT now protects nearly four dozen properties, which encompass more than 6,500 acres of land.
The land trust said it’s grateful “for the trust and vision of the land donors who have ensured their lands will be protected for future generations.”
Founded in 2001 by a group of volunteers concerned about the rapid loss of natural spaces in the Kawarthas region, KLT is a non-profit charitable organization that protects 39 properties that include more than 6,950 acres of ecologically diverse lands, some of which include hiking trails that introduce thousands of people to nature in the Kawarthas every year.
KLT works within the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig Territory and strives to continue to create meaningful connections and relationships with First Nations communities in the region.
Landowners who care about the conservation legacy of their property, are looking to find a use for the unproductive land they own, or who care about their surrounding environment, can reach out to KLT for a variety of conservation solutions.
For questions about conservation opportunities and how to generally support conservation in the Kawarthas, e-mail protectland@kawarthalandtrust.org or call 705-743-5599.
To learn more about KLT’s protected properties and volunteer opportunities with the organization, visit kawarthalandtrust.org.
