Kawartha Land Trust Ballyduff Trails.
Two more properties have been brought under the protection of Kawartha Land Trust (KLT), bringing the total number of nature reserves to fifty, encompassing more than 9,100 acres across the City of Kawartha Lakes and Peterborough County since its founding in 2001.
Donors allow protection to natural spaces in the Kawarthas which are conserved for future generations. Both new nature reserves are home to wetlands that contribute to the health of the waters in their respective regions and each contains a wildlife corridor that allows native species to travel to connected habitats.
KLT’s Penryn Forest was permanently protected through the donations of the MacLean and Rieger families, individual donors and funding from the Government of Ontario’s Greenlands Conservation Partnership program. Additional support for this conservation project was received from the Melissa Spearing Memorial Fund in memory of renowned Seed Biologist Melissa Spearing, who was from Bethany.
Over half of this 213-acre property consists of mixed and deciduous forests and 68% of the land is deep habitat. The protection of this property also preserves habitat that supports several species at risk, including Wood Thrush, Midland Painted Turtle, and Black Ash.
KLT’s Pierce-Vigneux Nature Sanctuary, located in Selwyn Township, was generously donated through the Ecological Gifts Program to Kawartha Land Trust by Penelope Pierce and Paul Vigneux. Additional funding was received from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canada Nature Fund and individual donors.
This 96-acre wildlife haven is home to Black Bear, Moose, Fisher, Coyote, a wide array of birds. There have also been documented sightings or recordings of at-risk species including Western Chorus Frog, Eastern Milk Snake, Evening Grosbeak, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, and Golden-winged Warbler.
Kawartha Land Trust(KLT) is a land conservation charity that protects natural and working lands for future generations. Founded in 2001, KLT protects and cares for thousands of acres of ecologically diverse lands. Their public access nature reserves welcome thousands of residents and visitors each year and their community events provide experiential and educational opportunities in nature. To learn more, visit ww.kawarthalandtrust.org.