‘Nature’s mosaic’ near Wiarton now protected from development ‘in perpetuity’

A substantial private donation has saved land near Wiarton from development. CTV London’s Scott Miller has the details.

Forty-six hectares of deciduous forest, wetlands, and even an inland lake near Wiarton, are now protected from development forever.

“We’re in the business of conservation and, in perpetuity, absolutely. So, no development,” says Jacob Kloeze, from the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Thanks to a donation from a Bruce County family, 46 hectares (113 acres) of land between Owen Sound and Wiarton, is now in the hands of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, which protects 15 million hectares of land across the country from development, including 2,000 hectares along the diverse, and environmentally sensitive, Bruce Peninsula.

“The conservation of 46 hectares in the Wiarton area demonstrates how land donations through the Ecological Gifts Program can contribute to long-term environmental protection. Thanks to the VanDorp family for their generous contribution and the Nature Conservancy of Canada for their role in securing this ecologically sensitive land. As we mark 30 years of the Ecological Gifts Program, we recognize the impact of Canadians who choose to protect nature for future generations,” says Nathalie Provost, the federal secretary of state for nature.

“The peninsula is renowned in terms of being a biodiversity hotspot, amongst the Great Lakes, and this property allows a lot of different species to thrive there,” says Kloeze.

The Bruce Peninsula is home to more than 50 species of fern, and is an international haven for orchids, of all things.

“We’ve got 42 native orchid species, which is a lot. It’s the highest density of orchid species anywhere north of the Everglades in Florida, which is pretty remarkable when you think about the different habitat types between the two,” says Kloeze.

The donated land, known as the “Mountain Lake” property, for it’s inland lake, builds on a recent purchase by Nature Conservancy, of 29 hectares of land near Tobermory that was facing development pressures. The region is well known for it’s importance for migrating mammals and birds.

“This property is great in that it provides a bit of a stepping stone for species as they’re moving, to northern Canada, and then back down to the United States, and even farther into South America.

So it’s really creating a more resilient landscape across the country as a whole,” says Kloeze.

“The conservation of 46 hectares of forests, wetlands, and regenerating fields in the Wiarton area marks a meaningful step in strengthening ecological connectivity on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula in Ontario. This generous donation to the Nature Conservancy of Canada under the Ecological Gifts Program will help protect ecologically sensitive lands and leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” says Julie Dabrusin, Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change.