Greetings!
A few weeks ago, I spent the morning with some wonderful CC Ambassadors at Grant’s Woods. We welcomed visitors to the Reserve and talked about our wonderful organization to people as they began their hikes. We were impressed by how many of these folks have made Grant’s Woods their weekly visit and they are so grateful for a place such as this to do what I would call “Shinyun Yoku”. Whether it be a physical or mental forest bath, The Couchiching Conservancy’s Reserves are incredible places to relieve our stress, especially from the difficult journey of the past year.
We were also there for the purpose of the Passport to Nature Kids’ Activity: Nature Journal Hike and we were delighted to spend time with children who were excited to be out with their families. On that particular day, the forest was alive with fungi of many colours. While many of us are looking forward to getting back to group activities, for now the Passport to Nature committee has two more sets of Kids’ activities; Tree ID and Nature Detective amongst our many cool offerings. For older kids and the curious, you won’t want to miss my favourite “Batty for Bats” coming up in August and if, like me, the pandemic has got you digging in your garden more, then we also have “Planting a Native Garden”.
As a newly minted board member, I’m so impressed by the staff and volunteers who continue to make so many good things happen for what many are now realizing are the ‘ports in the climate change storms’- the acres of habitat protected for years to come. The work of the Heartwood Fund and the Corridors Campaign are important examples of this. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to my four year old friend who, as we walked into the Grant’s Woods forest said, ‘it’s cooler in here’.
Here’s a photo of him and his sister looking at some interesting tree bark (photo above).
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Janet Machan
Board Member
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Protecting Nature for Future Generations |
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The land on which we operate is the territory of the Anishnaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Wendat and Metis Peoples with whom we share the Upper Canada Treaties. |
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Ling & Frenette-Ling Family Helps Protect and Connect People to Nature |
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This month’s Supporter Spotlight is on the Ling & Frenette-Ling family – Philip & Linda, and Tristan, Coral, Desmond, and Sidney (pictured right).
The family lives in Markham, just an hour from their 400 acre property in the Kawartha Lakes. In 2015, Philip and Linda signed a conservation easement agreement with the Conservancy after getting connected through the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “It is an amazing place where we can escape to be surrounded by nature”, the family shared. “Conservation easements are a very under-appreciated way of protecting nature and leaving a natural legacy forever. It lets people own and use their property, while ensuring that when it gets sold or passed on through the family, the conservation values don’t go off the rails.”
As long-time supporters of the Conservancy as monthly donors, members and sponsors of the Passport to Nature program, the family made a special gift in support of the Corridors Campaign in June, after seeing the Challenge set out by the Conservancy Board, Development Committee and Advisory Council. The purpose of the Campaign is to increase the number of connected protected areas throughout the Black River Wildlands and Carden Alvar. Donations to the Campaign enable the Conservancy to act quickly when an opportunity for habitat protection arises. To date, almost $900,000 has been contributed, and 1,829 acres have been protected. When asked about their connection to nature, Philip shared,
“I’ve felt deeply connected to nature my whole life, wanting all the creatures and their habitat to be able to live their lives without the unrelenting pressure from humans as we expand around the world, wiping out so many species and their habitat without caring (occasionally without knowing).”
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Welcome John and Jamie to the Advisory Council |
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John began his Financial Services career in 1981 with Coopers and Lybrand where he obtained his Chartered Accounting designation (1983). Early in his career he held a number of Senior Executive positions in the Financial Services industry including Chief Financial Officer and President of a Canadian Chartered Bank. In 1999 he returned to Orillia to open the BMO Nesbitt Burns office and for the last 22 years he has been providing Investment and Financial Advice to a wide range of Individual and Corporate clients. John has been an active participant in the Orillia community as a member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Orillia and a volunteer with Orillia Big Brothers Big Sisters. |
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Jamie Laidlaw has great passion for the environment, history, effective philanthropy and urban renewal, and has been actively involved in all four areas for over three decades! He is a former member of the Laidlaw Foundation Board and founder of the Environmental Committee. Jamie’s previous board memberships include the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network, the Ontario Nature Trust Alliance and the Rideau Waterway Land Trust. Jamie also founded and sat on the Vancouver Community Foundations’ Environmental Advisory Board. |
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It's thanks to your support that we get to celebrate Nature Reserve anniversaries. It's a big deal! When a Reserve turns one year older that means it's another year protected from development and another year of providing clean air and water to our local communities. These Nature Reserves will continue to grow old, and unlike us, the older they get the more resilient they become . Not only will future generations be able to benefit and enjoy their beauty, but they too will celebrate the amazing work we have done together to protect these places now.
Thank you- to our supporters, partners, and landowners for your kind donations to help protect important wild places in the region for current and future generations and for the species that call these places home.
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What Legacy are you Leaving? |
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As a Conservancy supporter, you make big goals possible. Protecting vast areas of wilderness over the years, caring for the homes of thousands of species like Monarch Butterflies. Every year, you help increase the number of protected acres which helps mitigate the impacts of our climate breakdown.
All of these Reserves are promises for the future. We will protect them - together, forever.
When we think about ‘forever’, also comes the opportunity to think about our own legacies. That was the focus of a presentation we hosted in May with two certified gift planners – legacy gifts.
Candice Jay and Vlad Solokhine shared valuable insights and ideas about the significant impact you can have for the causes you care about, and also help your loved ones at the same time. They also busted some misconceptions and talked about how different giving tools can help you.
You can watch the recording of the presentation by clicking the video above. The Heartwood Fund is the Conservancy’s answer to fortifying our collective efforts into the future. As a protected endowment, it ensures the work to protect nature endures, no matter the ups and downs of our world. Contact Tanya Clark at tanya@couchconservancy.ca for a confidential discussion.
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One of the most asked questions we get at the Conservancy is what do when you find injured wildlife.
As a land trust, our work focuses on protecting habitat for species. We do not take injured animals.
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Photo: Porcupine by J. Burnie
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One out of every three bites of food you eat is there because of pollinators. Monarchs are important and they are also umbrella species. This means when you protect their habitat you are also protecting habitat for HUNDREDS of pollinator species. Not only that, but you are also protecting yourself!
Photo: Monarch Butterfly by T. Rowland
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Events that Will Inspire You to Get Outdoors |
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Starting and finishing in Couchiching Beach Park, Orillia, riders can choose from the 85km or the 140km routes, which travel along the beautiful, quiet, tarmac and dirt roads of this area. Both rides will encompass the extraordinary Carden Alvar Provincial Park.
This event is in memory of Danya Leemhuis and 100% of the money raised from this event goes towards protecting nature in the region.
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Phone: 705-326-1620
Mail: Box 704, Orillia, ON L3V 6K7
Office: 1485 Division Rd W, Orillia, ON L3V OX6
Charitable Registration #: 13972 5030 RR0001
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