Family Donates 46 Hectares Near Wiarton to Nature Conservancy of Canada
A 46-hectare property near Wiarton’s Mountain Lake has been donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, protecting forests, wetlands, and grassland habitat for native species.
A 46-hectare property southeast of Wiarton, home to wetlands, forests, and grassland habitat, has been permanently protected through a land donation to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).
The property, near Mountain Lake on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, was donated by a local family under Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program, which provides tax incentives for individuals or corporations who donate ecologically sensitive land. The donation ensures the site will remain protected in perpetuity.
According to NCC, the land features mature deciduous forest dominated by sugar maple and American beech, wetlands that support the endangered black ash, and open fields used by grassland birds such as bobolink and eastern meadowlark.
The property also provides habitat for species at risk, including the American Hart’s-tongue fern, and for wide-ranging mammals like black bear.
The newly protected site links with other nearby conservation lands, strengthening what NCC describes as a key ecological corridor across the peninsula. The organization says maintaining these connected habitats supports wildlife movement, helps buffer communities from flooding, and contributes to regional climate resilience.
“This ecologically rich property connected to surrounding conservation lands strengthens an important movement corridor for wide-ranging mammals and migratory birds on the Saugeen Peninsula,” said Esme Batten, NCC’s program director for Midwestern Ontario.
“As a key piece of the regional conservation puzzle, it helps ensure that both wildlife and the community can continue to thrive.”
The forests and wetlands on the property also store carbon and filter water, contributing to broader climate regulation benefits. NCC notes that the presence of nesting bald eagles — known to return to the same nest year after year — is a sign of the area’s ecological health.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is Canada’s largest environmental charity and has worked since 1962 to conserve natural landscapes in partnership with Indigenous Nations, communities, governments, and private landowners.
Earlier this year, the organization announced it had permanently protected 29 hectares near Tobermory, historically known as China Cove and renamed Aah Mahwi Nibi (Crying Water).
More information about the Ecological Gifts Program is available at canada.ca/ecological-gifts