2017-2018 CONSERVATION IMPACT THROUGH PARTNERSHIP · 2 NACP IMPACT REPORT 2017-2018...

CONSERVATION IMPACT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPThe Natural Areas Conservation Program

2017-2018

2 NACP IMPACT REPORT 2017-2018 NATURECONSERVANCY.CA/NACP 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A B O U T T H E N AT U R E CO N S E RVA N C Y O F C A N A DA

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading national not-for-profit, private land conservation organization. We protect and care for our most ecologically significant lands and waters, and the species they sustain.

Our science-based conservation planning process drives our work. We partner with individuals, governments, Indigenous communities, corporations and others to achieve durable conservation solutions. We secure properties through donation, purchase, conservation agreement and the relinquishment of other legal interests in land. Once secured, we manage these lands for the long term.

Since 1962, NCC and our partners have helped conserve more than 1.1 million hectares (2.8 million acres) of Canada’s most ecologically important areas from coast to coast to coast.

A Partnership for Conservation 03

Natural Areas Conservation Program 04

British Columbia 06

Alberta 08

Saskatchewan 10

Manitoba 12

Map of Projects Conserved Under the Natural Areas Conservation Program 14

Ontario 16

Quebec 18

New Brunswick 20

Nova Scotia 21

Prince Edward Island 22

Newfoundland and Labrador 23

Supporting the Land Trust Community 24

Elevating Nature’s Profile 26

A PARTNERSHIP FOR CONSERVATION

I have had the tremendous good fortune in my role at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to meet Canadians from coast to coast to coast who are united by their concern for the environment and their commitment to protecting our country’s vast, rich natural legacy.

We need nature. And as the past year has shown once again, we need the Natural Areas Conservation Program (NACP). This unique public-private partnership continues to safeguard important habitats for

the many species of plants and animals, and for the benefit of Canadians who live, work and play nearby.

The NACP works because it builds connections. It brings Canadians together. Every dollar invested by the Government of Canada is matched 2:1 in non-federal funding. Donors, landowners, Indigenous communities, industry, local land trusts and other levels of government are all encouraged to work together under the program to protect our natural areas.

The NACP also supports connections between protected areas. Many of the projects you will read about in this report are helping to build Canada’s network of protected areas by conserving and restoring natural corridors that allow wildlife to migrate over the seasons and to adapt to climate change.

We are proud to work with the Government of Canada and our partners at Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver this all-important program. I would like to express my gratitude to Minister McKenna for her continued support of our conservation mission.

Finally, I thank our donors across the country for believing that together we can build a natural legacy for our children and grandchildren. Your passion drives our success.

Yours in nature,

John Lounds President & CEO Nature Conservancy of Canada

Canadians love nature. Images of our coastal mountains, boreal forests, Arctic glaciers, fertile prairies, Great Lakes and rivers inspire us. Protecting Canada’s natural landscapes and wildlife is one of the Government of Canada’s priorities. We want to make sure we are passing this legacy on to future generations. We are proud to partner with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, an incredible organization dedicated to protecting Canada’s biodiversity, including species at risk.

Our government supports the Nature Conservancy of Canada through the Natural Areas Conservation Program by providing funds matched by NCC and its partners, including private donors. So far, the program has helped those groups protect and conserve more than 446,000 ecologically important hectares across Canada. We have also partnered with NCC and other organizations on the Ecological Gifts Program, which provides tax incentives that encourage landowners to donate ecologically sensitive land. Together, these programs are helping us reach our conservation goals. Without the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s stewardship, we would not have been able to achieve all that we have.

The Government of Canada is on track to double the amount of protected nature in our country. Budget 2018 made a historic $1.3-billion investment in Canada’s natural legacy. This is the biggest single investment in nature conservation in Canadian history. Through this funding, we are taking huge strides toward protecting and recovering species at risk, maintaining biodiversity, and giving our children and grandchildren a healthier planet.

On behalf of Environment and Climate Change Canada, I would like to congratulate the Nature Conservancy of Canada and its partners for their notable success in wildlife habitat conservation and stewardship.

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, PC, MP Minister of Environment and Climate Change Government of Canada

NATURECONSERVANCY.CA/NACP 54 NACP IMPACT REPORT 2017-2018

NATURAL AREAS CONSERVATION PROGRAMThe Natural Areas Conservation Program (NACP) is a unique public-private partnership to accelerate and increase nature conservation in Canada. In addition, the program supports stewardship activities on conserved lands and provides capacity development support for the land trust community.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is proud to present its latest review of achievements under the NACP. The program is administered by NCC, in collaboration with Ducks Unlimited Canada and other land trusts and conservation organizations. The program has marked a turning point for private conservation in Canada. It has been a catalyst to accelerate the protection of some of Canada’s most endangered species and wild spaces.

Since the NACP was launched in 2007, NCC and its partners have conserved more than 446,000 hectares (1.1 million acres) of important lands. That’s an area seven times larger than the city of Toronto. This achievement has been made possible thanks to the NACP’s unique public-private partnership structure. Under the program, $322.5 million* has been invested by Environment and Climate Change Canada; an investment that has been matched by more than $646 million in contributions of donated lands and funds from Canadians.

Lands conserved under the NACP are essential for the protection and recovery of many of Canada’s species at risk, such as wolverine, loggerhead shrike and the globally rare plant, Van Brunt’s Jacob’s-ladder. The NACP has also been instrumental in supporting the conservation of lands that provide critical corridors between existing protected areas.

This includes national parks, national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries. These corridors help protect migration routes and stopover sites, and provide support for genetic diversity and resilience to climate change.

In its most recent program year — April 2017 to March 2018 — more than 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) were conserved thanks to a federal investment of $22.5 million. This investment was matched by more than $58.5 million in non-federal funds. The NACP has now supported the conservation of habitat for a total of 210 COSEWIC†-assessed species at risk.

The NACP is on track to achieve $1 billion in conservation investments by 2020. The program is also helping the federal government meet its Target 1 commitment, under the 2020 Biodiversity Goals and Targets for Canada, of protecting 17 per cent of Canada’s terrestrial areas and inland waters and 10 per cent of our coastal and marine areas by 2020. It also supports an increase in the number of partnerships involving Indigenous Peoples.

In the pages that follow, you’ll find examples of the NACP’s latest success stories. We also highlight how the NACP is helping Canada meet its goals under Target 1, while protecting vital habitats and important natural landscapes in every province.

* From April 2007 to March 2018

† Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Species assessed as special concern, threatened or endangered.

SINCE 2007, THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA HAS INVESTED

$322.5 million in the NACP.

These funds have been matched with $646 million

from individuals, corporations, foundations and other levels of government.

256 gifts of land

valued at more than

$250 million

$70 million in donated endowment funds. These funds help ensure that

the lands protected under the NACP can be managed long

into the future.

$325 million in monetary contributions from

Canadian and international donors, including individuals,

corporations, foundations and other levels of government.

Since 2007, the NACP has helped support the conservation of more than

446,000 hectares (1.1 million acres) across Canada.

79% of all NACP projects

are within two kilometres of existing protected areas, including national

parks, provincial parks and other NCC properties.

More than 93% of Canadians are within 100 kilometres of

lands protected with the help of the NACP.

There are more than 160

NACP-conserved properties with hiking trails.

GRASSLANDS 49,268 hectares (121,743 acres)

WETLANDS + LAKES 12,310 hectares (30,418 acres)

FORESTS 294,087 hectares (726,704 acres)

MARINE COASTS 98 kilometres

Habitats conserved under the NACP include:

Total is equivalent to conserving an area the size of:

183 CFL FOOTBALL

FIELDS

686 NHL-SIZED

HOCKEY RINKS

daily from April 1, 2007, to March 31, 2018.

The NACP connects communities with conservation.


BRITISH COLUMBIA

F E AT U R E D P RO J E C TS 2017–18

HEALING A HURT LAND Name: Gamdis Tlagee Conservation AreaLocation: Kumdis Estuary, Haida GwaiiKey elements: coastal forest, salmon habitat restoration, cultural reclamation

It was a meeting of hope, restoration and partnership on the land. Sixteen people — eight from the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN), four each from NCC and the Province of BC — gathered earlier in 2018 on the shore of the Kumdis Estuary, near Port Clements, Haida Gwaii.

They came together to mark their agreement on a partnership between CHN and NCC. They were also there to celebrate a new beginning for a pair of adjoining sites — now known as Gamdis Tlagee Conservation Area: one a clear-cut block of coastal forest with several degraded salmon streams, the other an intact swath of old-growth forest.

“We are honoured to partner with the Haida Nation on this culturally and ecologically significant conservation project,” said Hillary Page, NCC’s director of conservation in BC.

The two parcels, formerly District Lots 413 and 418, were linked — and are now protected — in a unique transaction. The transaction began when the BC Provincial Court approved the transfer of Lot 413 to a conservation organization as restitution for illegal logging that damaged habitat and destroyed dozens of culturally modified trees. NCC also acquired Lot 418 in a separate purchase agreement.

This project was supported by the Natural Areas Conservation Program and multiple individual and organizational funders. In addition, NCC and CHN agreed to share title on Lot 413. The two parties are now embarking on a co-management restoration and stewardship plan for the entire 63-hectare (156-acre) block, in conjunction with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “Given the cultural and ecological heritage that was lost by logging Kumdis, the prospect of restoring the area lets us imagine what it will become once again”, says Past President of the Council of the Haida Nation kil tlaats ‘gaa, Peter Lantin.

“ The prospect of restoring the area lets us imagine what it will become once again.”

A PROTECTED CORRIDOR FOR MOUNTAIN MAMMALSName: Morrissey Meadows Conservation AreaLocation: Elk Valley

Situated 17 kilometres south of Fernie, BC, the recently acquired 43-hectare (106-acre) Morrissey Meadows Conservation Area is a parcel of core grizzly bear habitat. The conserved lands provide a missing link between other protected properties to the west and east. The acquisition involved a partial donation and purchase from owner Deb de Hoog, granddaughter of homesteaders Charlie and Ruth Fitzen. “The conservation of these lands alleviates the risk of development possibly severing this important wildlife corridor,” says Richard Klafki, NCC’s Canadian Rockies program director.

6 NACP IMPACT REPORT 2017-2018

THE NACP HAS SUPPORTED THE CONSERVATION OF MORE THAN

294,000 hectares (726,000 acres) of forest habitat across

Canada. That’s larger than Yoho, Kootenay and Fundy national parks

put together.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Project: Columbia Lake - Lot 48 Acquired: 2012 Size: 127 hectares (313 acres)

Grassland and forest ecosystem restoration has been a primary focus for NCC on this property located in the high-priority conservation area of the Upper Columbia Valley. Other work has included invasive species control, wildlife monitoring and an archaeological overview assessment that informs and guides management practices on the property. Landscape improvements provide habitat for species at risk, such as American badger and common nighthawk.

A TOTAL OF

229,302 hectares(566,617 acres) of habitat for 57 species at risk has been conserved in British Columbia under the NACP since 2007.

Fundy Yoho Kootenay

Grizzly sow and cubs near Morrissey Meadows.

- Past President of the Council of the Haida Nation kil tlaats ‘gaa, Peter Lantin

A section of coastal forest on the Kumdis Estuary is now protected in a unique NCC-Haida Nation partnership.

The American badger is among the species benefiting from landscape improvements at Columbia Lake.



PROTECTED GRASSLAND FULFILLS A DREAM Name: White Moose Ranch Location: Turner ValleyKey elements: fescue grassland, montane forest, habitat for large mammals, working landscape

More than 95 per cent of Canada’s native fescue prairie has disappeared due to urban development and agricultural conversion. One of the few areas where it persists is in the ranchlands of the Rocky Mountain foothills, southwest of Calgary. As such, it was a landmark achievement when NCC announced in 2018 that it had completed a conservation agreement to protect an 811-hectare (2,000-acre) portion of the White Moose Ranch, west of Turner Valley.

The property is owned by the Carscallen family and will continue to be operated as a cattle ranch. It features extensive fescue grasslands, as well as montane forests and rivers. The property provides habitat for a remarkable number of mammals, birds and fish. This includes elk, moose, black bear, cougar and gray wolf, as well as bald and golden eagles. Species at risk include the Saskatchewan-Nelson River populations of bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, as well as grizzly bear.

Stan Carscallen, who bought the land in 1992, always envisioned protecting it in its natural state. He was inspired, in part, by the five-kilometre boundary that the property shares with the OH Ranch Heritage Rangeland. “This donation completes that dream,” he says. Together, the properties form an eight-kilometre-wide protected working landscape corridor between the Highwood and Sheep rivers.

The agreement, which voluntarily restricts development rights and ensures the property’s long-term protection, had support from the NACP and Alberta’s Land Stewardship Grant. A portion of the project was also donated to NCC under the federal Ecological Gifts Program.

The Carscallen family envisioned protecting the property in its natural state. “This donation completes that dream.”

NATURE COMES FULL CIRCLEName: Ferrier Location: Gough Lake

In early 2018, NCC celebrated a 593-hectare (1,467-acre) donation of diverse wetlands and rare grasslands with Sylvia and John Walters, members of the Ferrier family. The property, located east of Red Deer, was willed to NCC by the late Nancy Ferrier, John’s aunt. It was Nancy’s desire that the land be left for nature. The property was originally homesteaded by John and Tom Ferrier, Nancy’s father and uncle, respectively, in 1904.

THE NACP HAS HELPED NCC AND OTHER LAND TRUSTS WORK WITH RANCHERS TO

CONSERVE MORE THAN

26,000 hectares (64,000 acres) of working landscapes on

104 properties across Canada.


ALBERTA

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Project: Bunchberry Meadows Conservation AreaAcquired: 2017Size: 260 hectares (642 acres)

A rare prairie parkland ecosystem located just 30 kilometres from downtown Edmonton, with habitat for northern flying squirrel, long-tailed weasel, porcupine and the occasional moose, provides a great opportunity for the public to immerse themselves in nature and conservation. NCC has improved trails, added directional and interpretive signage, built a parking lot and repaired and removed fences for wildlife movement. In addition, bird and bat boxes were installed by the Edmonton & Area Land Trust, NCC’s partner.

A TOTAL OF

50,754 hectares(125,415 acres) of habitat for 57 species at risk has been conserved in Alberta under the NACP since 2007.

Removing fencing to restore Ferrier grasslands.

Visitors are encouraged to come and explore the Bunchberry Meadows property, near Edmonton.

The White Moose Ranch provides forest and grassland habitat for many mammals, birds and fish.

- Stan Carscallen


THE NACP HAS HELPED CONSERVE NEARLY

50,000 hectares (123,000 acres) of grasslands, an area

larger than the city of Winnipeg.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Project: PunnichyAcquired: 2012Size: 94 hectares (232 acres)

NCC is conducting a multi-phase prairie grassland restoration project on this property in Saskatchewan’s southeast to help bring back one of the most threatened ecosystems on the Canadian prairies. Work has alternated between seeding the area with native species and planting fescue prairie plugs. The resulting tall fescue clusters provide forage for wildlife. The grasses also provide habitat for many grassland birds, such as bobolink and sharp-tailed grouse.


SOUGHT-AFTER SCENIC GRASSLAND SECUREDName: Valley View Location: CravenKey elements: rare native grassland, Baird’s sparrow, bobolink, Sprague’s pipit

It’s easy to see how the name Valley View was selected for NCC’s most recent signature acquisition in southern Saskatchewan. The 136-hectare (335-acre) conservation area is located in the Upper Qu’Appelle Natural Area. It provides rare native grassland and wetland habitats for at-risk birds, such as bobolink, chestnut-collared longspur, Baird’s sparrow and Sprague’s pipit. The area is one of the province’s most significant and stunning wildlife corridors.

That beauty, coupled with the property’s location near the towns of Craven and Lumsden and the city of Regina, also meant it was at high risk of development for rural subdivisions and acreages, says Jennifer McKillop, NCC’s acting vice-president in Saskatchewan. With more than 80 per cent of the province’s native grasslands already lost to development, conserving an area of high biodiversity value such as this one will provide long-term protection for species that live there, she adds.

The bird species mentioned above are grassland birds. Populations of grassland birds in Canada have declined on average by 69 per cent since 1970, mainly due to habitat loss. Many other birds, including waterfowl and shorebirds, require protected habitat for migration through the region.

The Province of Saskatchewan and several individual donors financially supported the purchase of the property, together with funding from the NACP.

“Conserving this area of high biodiversity value will provide long-term benefits for the species that live there.”

PROTECTED HABITAT PUTS BIRDS FIRSTName: Spirit Creek Location: Good Spirit Lake

The creation of this 65-hectare (160-acre) conservation site in southeastern Saskatchewan conserves significant wetland habitat in a North American Waterfowl Management Priority Area. These wetlands are vital to many species of breeding and migrating waterfowl. Located two kilometres north of Good Spirit Provincial Park, the Spirit Creek project also provides important connected forest and shoreline habitat for moose, elk, deer and black bear. Recently, acoustic surveys determined that the property is home to five different species of bats, including the endangered little brown bat.

More than

70 percentOF CANADA’S GRASSLANDS

HAVE BEEN LOST.


SASKATCHEWAN A TOTAL OF

58,928 hectares(145,614 acres) of habitat for 36 species at risk has been conserved in Saskatchewan under the NACP since 2007.

Spirit Creek: significant waterfowl wetland habitat.

Beautiful vistas and high biodiversity go hand in hand at Valley View.

Replanting fescue prairie grasses has been key to the restoration work at Punnichy.

- NCC’s acting vice-president in Saskatchewan, Jennifer McKillop



A HOMECOMING FOR THE GREATER PRAIRIE CHICKEN?Name: Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve Location: Southeastern ManitobaKey elements: prairie grassland habitat, Poweshiek skipperling, endangered prairie orchid

New projects and property acquisitions don’t tell the whole NACP story. The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve is a 4,800-hectare (12,000-acre) expanse of prairie grassland, wetland, river and woodland in southeastern Manitoba, near the Minnesota border. NACP funds support ongoing stewardship work here. The conservation and restoration of habitat on this property benefits the many species at risk that rely on disappearing native prairie habitat for their survival.

The preserve, which is owned by NCC and other partner organizations, is home to 16 species at risk. Among them is Poweshiek skipperling: an endangered butterfly species whose global population is estimated at just 500 individuals, with fewer than 100 in Canada. Prairie orchids, such as small white lady’s-slipper and western prairie white-fringed orchid, head the list of notable at-risk plants on the preserve.

Monitoring and research on these and other species provide information that shapes NCC’s habitat management work. The goal is to ensure that both habitat and species don’t merely survive, but

that they recover. For now, the focus is primarily on protecting and restoring habitat for species that live on the preserve. However, it’s also possible that as habitat vitality is restored, species that have disappeared from the Canadian landscape might return. The greater prairie chicken is one such candidate. Once plentiful, it is now officially extirpated (locally extinct) from Canada. As several wild populations still exist in the northern United States, NCC is working to conserve and connect habitats between Manitoba and the Minnesota border. This work, therefore, supports the potential re-establishment of greater prairie chickens here.

As habitat vitality is restored, species that have disappeared, like the greater prairie chicken, might return.

PROTECTING THE LAND ABOVE AND THE WATER BELOWName: Waggle Springs

Location: Shilo

Located east of Brandon, the 4,000-km2 Assiniboine Delta aquifer supplies drinking water for thousands of local residents, farmers and industry. NCC, through the NACP, has secured two properties atop the aquifer, totalling 305 hectares (754 acres). This project helps to ensure the health of the aquifer, while conserving the prairie habitat, wetlands and natural springs above it. Species at risk on the properties include Sprague’s pipit, prairie skink, chestnut-collared longspur, prairie loggerhead shrike and northern leopard frog (western boreal/prairie population).

SINCE 2007, THE NACP HAS SUPPORTED STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES ON MORE THAN

240,000 hectares (593,000 acres) of important habitat.

THE NACP HAS ALLOCATED MORE THAN

$17.5 millionin stewardship funding to conservation

organizations since 2007.


A TOTAL OF

26,288 hectares(64,960 acres) of habitat for 32 species at risk has been conserved in Manitoba under the NACP since 2007.

MANITOBA

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Project: Ethier SandhillsAcquired: 2015Size: 127 hectares (314 acres)

This unique combination of sandhill slopes and grassland, which were already home to 11 species at risk and uncommon species when NCC acquired it, is being progressively restored to its natural state. Old fence lines and buildings have been removed, and non-native vegetation is being contained. In addition, new controls on grazing are helping to protect and improve habitat for prairie skink and hairy prairie-clover. NCC has also developed grazing and fire management plans to reduce tree cover and restore natural diversity on the property.

Tall grass prairie restoration offers hope for returning species.

The Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve is an expansive stronghold of grassland, wetland, river and woodland habitats.

Secured lands at Waggle Springs protect habitat for many prairie species and the drinking water in the aquifer below.


NUNAVUT

MANITOBASASKATCHEWAN

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

YUKON

ALBERTA

BRITISHCOLUMBIA

ONTARIO

QUEBEC

NEWFOUNDLANDAND LABRADOR

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

NOVASCOTIA

NEWBRUNSWICK

NCC properties secured 2007 to March 31, 2017

Properties secured under the Other Quali�ed Organizations program

NCC properties secured April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018PROJECTS CONSERVED UNDER THE NATURAL AREAS CONSERVATION PROGRAM



GREAT LAKE RESERVE AN ONTARIO MILESTONEName: Cockburn Island Location: Manitoulin Archipelago, Lake HuronKey elements: Great Lakes shoreline, hardwood forests, black bear, gray wolf, habitat for waterfowl and songbirds

The largest private land conservation project in Ontario isn’t something that happens overnight. But in 2018, after several years of planning, negotiations, fundraising and deal-making, NCC made it official, announcing it had secured 10,130 hectares (25,031 acres) on Cockburn Island, in northern Lake Huron.

This achievement protects more than half of the Great Lakes’ seventh-largest island. The property includes 48 kilometres of undeveloped shoreline, extensive hardwood forests, wetlands and inland lakes. Situated between Manitoulin Island and Drummond Island (in Michigan), Cockburn Island ranked eighth for its biodiversity in an international study of the over 32,000 islands in the Great Lakes.

Portions of the island that were once cleared for agriculture and forestry are now largely regrown. The island has virtually no permanent population — just a small number of seasonal residents and cottagers. Instead, it serves mostly as a home for black bear, white-tailed deer, moose, gray wolf and coyote. The property also provides important stopover and breeding habitat

for waterfowl and migrating songbirds, including species at risk such as wood thrush and Canada warbler.

NCC acquired most of the property from the Huron Timber Company of Michigan, which retained a piece of the island. Funding from the NACP was matched with contributions from The Rogers Foundation, TD Bank Group, an anonymous donor and private individuals. NCC is also working closely with the Cockburn Island Council and other local interests to develop and implement a property management plan.

The property includes 48 kilometres of undeveloped shoreline, extensive hardwood forests, wetlands and inland lakes.

ENDANGERED SONGBIRD HAVEN EXPANDEDName: Napanee Plain Alvar Nature Reserve Location: Greater Napanee

One of the fastest-declining bird species in North America, the eastern loggerhead shrike, got an important boost when NCC added 31 hectares (78 acres) to the Napanee Plain Alvar Nature Reserve. Shrikes depend on open habitats for nesting, and Ontario’s globally rare alvars are their ideal habitat. The total protected area now measures 121 hectares (300 acres). NACP funds were matched by a number of private donors, including Dr. Kenneth Ockenden and the Kingston Field Naturalists. The new property is named in honour of Dr. Ockenden’s late wife, Irene.

THE NACP HAS HELPED CONSERVE MORE THAN

21,000 hectares(51,000 acres) of Great Lakes habitat on 40 parcels of land, including 188 kilometres of

coastal shoreline habitat.


A TOTAL OF

31,752 hectares(78,460 acres) of habitat for 100 species at risk has been conserved in Ontario under the NACP since 2007.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Project: Rice Lake PlainsAcquired: 2007Size: 842 hectares (2,080 acres)

NCC has a number of projects on the Rice Lake Plains, located at the eastern end of the Oak Ridges Moraine, north of Cobourg. NCC’s stewardship work here focuses on restoring black oak savannah and native tall grass prairie. Prescribed burns, used by Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years to maintain the savannah and prairie, are again helping to restore this landscape. These fires allow rare grasses and wildflowers, such as prairie buttercup and wild lupine, to flourish. NCC volunteers have been planting New Jersey tea to provide essential egg-laying habitat for the at-risk mottled duskywing butterfly.

ONTARIO

Eastern loggerhead shrike, the focus of a species recovery effort in Eastern Ontario.

The largest private land conservation project in Ontario, Cockburn Island includes 48 kilometres of undeveloped shoreline.

Bees, butterflies and other pollinators are just some of the species helped by habitat restoration on the Rice Lake Plains.



12,000 hectares(29,000 acres) of lakes and wetlands across Canada — including nearly

3,000 hectares (7,000 acres) of wetland habitat in Quebec alone.

STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Project: Grondines SwampAcquired: 2012, 2016Size: 37 hectares (91 acres)

This project, the product of two separate property acquisitions, protects one of the largest, and last, silver maple swamps on the St. Lawrence River. This swamp is a refuge for at-risk Victorin’s water-hemlock. NCC staff have restored a small pond complex in an uncultivated seven-hectare (17-acre) portion of the property and planted 2,500 trees to enhance the habitats and ecological services of this wetland.


ISLAND OF OPPORTUNITYName: Île Deschaillons Location: Richelieu RiverKey elements: rare river habitat, river and floodplains, shagbark hickory, four at-risk fishes: channel darter, bridle shiner, eastern sand darter, river redhorse

When businessman and campground owner Normand Jacques bought a 20-hectare (49-acre) property on the southern end of Île Deschaillons in the Richelieu River in 2003, he saw a great commercial opportunity. The lot — a mix of fields and island forest — straddled the narrow, lushly vegetated channel that divides the island from the river’s western bank. Located just 15 kilometres from Sorel, where the Richelieu River meets the St. Lawrence River, it had real recreational potential.

In time, however, Jacques started to appreciate his property’s unique natural value. “It became clear...It should remain intact,” he says. In 2016, he approached NCC about a donation. Two years later, NCC took possession. Julien Poisson, program director for southern Quebec, said NCC is thrilled with the island’s conservation potential.

The Île Deschaillons project is the last remaining island woodland this far north on the Richelieu River. The river’s main channel, which flows by the island on the east, is deep and swift. Meanwhile, the smaller channel on the west is prime habitat for channel darter, bridle shiner, eastern sand darter and river redhorse — four at-risk fish species in Canada. The island’s woodlands include shagbark hickory, a species that may soon be listed under the Quebec Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species.

Project partners include Normand Jacques, the Government of Canada, under the Natural Areas Conservation Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and anonymous donors.

Seeing the property’s natural value, owner Normand Jacques decided “it should remain intact.”

A RARE PLANT’S WETLAND REFUGEName: Ham-Sud Location: Estrie Region, near Asbestos

Protecting habitat is essential for the conservation and recovery of many of Canada’s species at risk, as demonstrated by NCC’s acquisition of this forested 31-hectare (76-acre) property. At its centre, there is a wetland supporting Van Brunt’s Jacob’s-ladder. This at-risk plant species is found in only a handful of locations in Quebec and New Brunswick. This protected area will also benefit at least two at-risk species of birds: Canada warbler and olive-sided flycatcher.


A TOTAL OF

32,660 hectares(80,704 acres) of habitat for 45 species at risk has been conserved in Quebec under the NACP since 2007.

QUEBEC

The at-risk Van Brunt’s Jacob’s-ladder thrives in Ham-Sud.

The Île Deschaillons project, on the Richelieu River, protects an island woodland, lush river banks and several vulnerable species.

NCC staff have replanted thousands of trees to help enhance and restore habitat in the Grondines Swamp.


F E AT U R E D P RO J E C T 2017–18

FOREST PARTNERSHIP SAVES COMMUNITY WATER SUPPLYName: Caledonia GorgeLocation: Village of Riverside-AlbertKey elements: Acadian forest, source water protection, chimney swift, eastern wood-pewee

A principle of the NACP is that acts of conservation should be supported by partnerships. Few NCC projects illustrate this more than the recent acquisition of 132 hectares (326 acres) of mature Acadian forest next to the Village of Riverside-Albert, in southeastern New Brunswick.

The project not only conserves a rare remnant of mature Acadian forest — less than five per cent of which remains after centuries of harvesting and settlement — it also protects reservoirs that provide drinking water for Riverside-Albert’s 300 residents. The village had been facing a potential issue due to an expiring water lease on what was, prior to this deal, a privately owned property.

“This is an incredible win-win for nature and the community,” says Denise Roy, conservation representative with NCC in New Brunswick.

Ownership of nine hectares (22 acres) of the property immediately surrounding the reservoirs was transferred to the Village of

Riverside-Albert from NCC for conservation and water supply management. For its part, NCC is developing a long-term conservation plan for the nature reserve, which features red spruce, yellow birch, sugar maple and 10 other Acadian forest tree species. Two at-risk bird species — chimney swift and eastern wood-pewee — have been identified in the area. Provincially rare plants, like purple-fringed orchid and Braun’s holly fern, are also found here.

In addition to the support provided by the NACP, the Province of New Brunswick, foundations, companies and individual donors also contributed.

“This is an incredible win-win for nature and the community.”


A LEGACY — AND A FOREST — INTACTName: Dr. George Cook Nature Reserve Location: New Annan, Colchester CountyKey elements: sugar maple forest, bobcat, Canada warbler, eastern wood-pewee

A chance to protect the site of a 25,000-tree sugar maple operation in the Cobequid Hills of central Nova Scotia, in honour of their father’s legacy, has proved to be strong medicine for the three sons of the late Dr. George Cook: a surgeon and part-time maple syrup producer.

Rather than sell the 366-hectare (904-acre) property, which is near New Annan in the Cobequid Hills, Steven, Laurie and David Cook — doctors all, like their father — decided to donate it to NCC.

“My brothers and I have had offers to buy the property,” says Steven. “But some of those buyers intended to take every stick of wood off the land, and we didn’t want that to happen.”

Along with the sugar maples, the property includes intact stands of mature yellow birch, white ash, eastern hemlock and red spruce. It provides vital habitat for bear, bobcat and mainland moose, which is endangered in the province. At least two at-risk birds —

Canada warbler and eastern wood-pewee — have also been observed here.

The Cooks donated the land, which their father first acquired in the 1970s, through the federal government’s Ecological Gifts Program. Additional funding was provided through the NACP and the Nova Scotia Crown Share Legacy Trust.

The Cooks had offers to sell the land for timber. “But some of those buyers intended to take every stick of wood off the land, and we didn’t want that to happen.”


11,000 hectares(27,000 acres) of habitat in the

Acadian forest region.

THE NACP HAS INSPIRED 256 GIFTS OF LAND FROM

CANADIANS, TOTALLING AN AREA OF

83,439 hectares (206,180 acres).

NACP IMPACT REPORT 2017-2018 NATURECONSERVANCY.CA/NACP 21

A TOTAL OF

5,288 hectares(13,066 acres) of habitat for 17 species at risk has been conserved in New Brunswick under the NACP since 2007.

A TOTAL OF

8,094 hectares(20,000 acres) of habitat for 22 species at risk has been conserved in Nova Scotia under the NACP since 2007.

NEW BRUNSWICK NOVA SCOTIA

Rare Acadian forest in Caledonia Gorge. Moose and other animals depend on healthy forest habitat.

- Dr. Steven Cook

The NACP helped the Village of Riverside-Albert’s 300 residents secure control of their town’s drinking water.

The Dr. George Cook Nature Reserve, donated by Cook’s three sons, protects 366 hectares of mature sugar maple forest.

- Denise Roy, NCC conservation representative



BIRDS AND PLANTS GET SEASIDE SHELTERName: Blooming Point Location: Tracadie BayKey elements: coastal dunes, salt marsh, freshwater wetlands, piping plover, Canada warbler

Barrier beach bays, sheltered from the Gulf of St. Lawrence by high sand dunes, give the north shore of Prince Edward Island much of its character. Tracadie Bay, one of the largest bays, is located at the eastern end of an internationally recognized Important Bird Area, which also includes the central segment of Prince Edward Island National Park.

It is within this ecologically vital corridor, on the bay’s eastern shore beyond the park, that NCC recently announced the 52-hectare (128-acre) Blooming Point project. This conservation property is comprised of coastal dunes, salt marsh, freshwater wetlands and Acadian forest adjacent to Blooming Point Beach.

Many species of migratory birds frequent the Blooming Point Area, including two species at risk: piping plover and Canada warbler. But the forest zones also provide habitat for rare Prince Edward Island plants, like royal fern and marsh cinquefoil.

The project has a distinctively local angle, as a portion of it was donated by the MacGillivray family of Blooming Point, under the federal Ecological Gifts Program. Funds provided through the

NACP and from other local supporters rounded out the deal. Situated just 30 kilometres north of Charlottetown, the project expands the footprint of protected land in the Blooming Point area to nearly 400 hectares (988 acres) and helps “to ensure Blooming Point always remains a natural, undisturbed gem,” says John Foley, NCC’s regional vice-president in Atlantic Canada.

The project helps “to ensure Blooming Point always remains a natural, undisturbed gem.”


BROTHERS DONATE PRIZED FOREST RETREATName: Barachois Brook Nature Reserve Location: near StephenvilleKey elements: spruce and balsam fir forest, Atlantic salmon river

A quarter-century after their late father left his sons a prized fishing, hunting and nature retreat in western Newfoundland, near Stephenville, Fred and Ralph Carter have ensured the property’s permanent protection by donating it to NCC.

The reserve, bordering Barachois Pond Provincial Park, is a 79-hectare (195-acre) mix of white spruce, black spruce and balsam fir forest. Species found in the area include the Newfoundland population of the American marten, a species at risk. Red fox, black bear and dozens of species of birds, such as ruffed grouse and Swainson’s thrush, are also found here.

The land straddles a two-kilometre stretch of Barachois Brook, an Atlantic salmon river where the sons’ father, Fred Carter Sr., built a cabin after he was given the property as a christening present in 1927.

A portion of the property was donated by the brothers through the federal Ecological Gifts Program. “We are proud to honour our father’s memory through our donation,” they say. NCC acquired the remainder of the property with financial support from the NACP and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Because the property adjoins the park, it adds an additional connected conservation corridor along an important river, and it expands the area that can be used by park visitors. NCC has pledged to allow public access for recreational and traditional uses, a common practice with the majority of its properties and one that, in this case, donors Fred and Ralph Carter were determined to realize.

“We are proud to honour our father’s memory through our donation.”

THE NACP HAS HELPED CONSERVE OVER

15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of lands in 57

Important Bird Areas across Canada.

THE NACP HAS PROTECTED MORE THAN

5,619 kilometres of rivers and streams across Canada.

That’s close to five times the length of the St. Lawrence River.

MORE THAN

350 bird specieshave been observed on lands conserved

with the help of the NACP.


A TOTAL OF

841 hectares(2,078 acres) of habitat for six species at risk has been conserved in Prince Edward Island under the NACP since 2007.

A TOTAL OF

2,565 hectares(6,338 acres) of habitat for seven species at risk has been conserved in Newfoundland and Labrador under the NACP since 2007.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

Coastal protection helps the piping plover. American marten around Barachois Brook.

- Fred and Ralph Carter

Blooming Point conserves dune and forest habitat in an Important Bird Area on PEI’s north coast.

Barachois Brook runs through the heart of this new nature reserve, which borders Barachois Pond Provincial Park.

- John Foley, NCC regional vice-president in Atlantic Canada


SUPPORTING THE LAND TRUST COMMUNITYDirect support for NCC’s work is only part of the NACP’s mandate. Another central NACP goal is to promote land securement carried out by other conservation organizations and local land trusts, and to help them develop their organizational capacity.

To achieve this, funds are set aside for the specific use of Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) as well as local land trusts and conservation organizations designated as Other Qualified Organizations (OQO) under the NACP.

Since 2007, DUC has received nearly $33 million from the NACP. That money has funded close to 600 projects, which protect more than 67,000 hectares (165,000 acres) of critical wetlands and their surroundings.

Through the OQO program, land trusts and conservation organizations have benefited from the NACP in two ways: through funding to support property acquisitions and through capacity development.

Since 2016, under the OQO Capacity Development Funding Program, the NACP has provided financial assistance to 21 land trusts across the country. The focus of this program

is to support improvements to an organization’s policies and practices so that it is better equipped to meet the Canadian Land Trust Standards and Practices. In turn, these efforts enable organizations to expand their work in local communities and boost the reach and profile of grassroots conservation.

Under the OQO Program, financial support is provided to eligible land trusts to acquire ecologically sensitive lands. As of March 31, 2018, NACP funding has helped 29 local land trusts and conservation organizations. Together these lands protect a total of 6,540 hectares (16,160 acres) and 66 projects since 2007. In 2017-18, there were 10 such projects protecting a total of 2,077 hectares (5,132 acres).

The following are three noteworthy projects completed under these initiatives in the past year; one by DUC and two through the OQO program.

D U C K S U N L I M I T E D C A N A DA

Project: Carp HillsLocation: Ottawa, OntarioSize: 178 hectares (440 acres)

Protecting 178 hectares (440 acres) of provincially significant wetlands and associated upland forest and grasslands — home to hundreds of species of plants and animals, including species at risk — would be noteworthy anywhere. But inside the Ottawa city limits? For Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), the acquisition of this important property in the Carp Hills, in the west end of the nation’s capital, was a highlight among its projects undertaken with NACP financial support in the past year.

The property adjoins other conservation lands and extends a natural corridor for wildlife. “Properties of this size — with wetlands and adjacent undeveloped uplands near large urban areas — are rare,” said Mark Gloutney, DUC’s director of regional operations for eastern Canada.

The Carp Hills area, which is interspersed with rocky Canadian Shield outcrops, is also popular with hikers and cross-country skiers. DUC will manage the land in tandem with Friends of the Carp Hills. Limited low-impact public use will be permitted and encouraged.

T H E CO U C H I C H I N G CO N S E RVA N C Y

Project: Ron Reid Nature ReserveLocation: Central OntarioSize: 295 hectares (730 acres)

Founded in 1993, The Couchiching Conservancy, based in Orillia, Ontario, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a landmark NACP-supported acquisition: a 295-hectare (730-acre) wilderness property in the boundary zone between the Canadian Shield and the Mixedwood Plains of southern Ontario. Originally called the Black River Project, after the river that borders a segment of the reserve, the property was subsequently renamed in honour of Ron Reid. Reid is the conservancy’s founder and a seminal figure in Ontario’s land trust movement.

“It’s a large, beautiful property and a fitting tribute to Ron’s lifetime of work,” said Mark Bissett, The Couchiching Conservancy’s executive director. According to Doug Christie, the conservancy’s board president, the NACP contribution was “a critical building block” in the fundraising campaign for the purchase, with local donors and other partners also playing vital roles.

The privately held site is located inside the boundaries of the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park. Its acquisition reinforces the park’s ecological integrity and expands protected habitat for several species at risk, including Blanding’s turtle, snapping turtle, eastern hog-nosed snake and five-lined skink. The deal increased the amount of land protected by The Couchiching Conservancy to more than 5,200 hectares (12,849 acres), including more than 25 acquisitions and multiple conservation agreements.

C E N T R E D E L A N AT U R E M O N T S A I N T - H I L A I R E

Project: JeannotteLocation: Montérégie region, QuebecSize: 14 hectares (36 acres)

The Piémont-du-Mont-Saint-Hilaire Nature Reserve, founded in 2006 in the foothills of Mont Saint-Hilaire, in Quebec’s Montérégie region, is now 14 hectares (36 acres) larger thanks to a donation of a maple forest and wetlands by the Jeannotte family. The family has owned the property since the seigneurial era of the province’s history (1627-1854).

Located next to the Gault Nature Reserve and owned by McGill University, the Piedmont Nature Reserve (now measuring more than 90 hectares/222 acres) sits at the mouth of the Mont-Saint Hilaire Forest Corridor. The reserve plays a crucial role in habitat connectivity. The Jeannotte property donation was supported by the Ecological Gifts Program and the NACP. It contains many species of interest, including butternut, a species at risk, and several species of bats, some of which are also at risk.

O RG A N I Z AT I O N S W I T H O Q O - F U N D E D P RO J E C TS I N 2017–2018 P RO G R A M YE A R:

Community Forests International | Southern Alberta Land Trust Society | Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Club | Conservation des Vallons de la Serpentine | The Couchiching Conservancy | Corridor Appalachien | Centre de la Nature Mont Saint-Hilaire | Long Point Basin Land Trust | The Nature Trust of New Brunswick | Regroupement pour la pérennité de l’ile Verte

Carp Hills is an important wetland and forest property inside Ottawa city limits.

The 295-hectare Ron Reid Nature Reserve honours The Couchiching Conservancy’s founder.

Jeannotte is a 14-hectare addition to the Piedmont Nature Reserve that’s home to several species at risk.


ELEVATING NATURE’S PROFILETo promote greater understanding about the NACP’s role in protecting the country’s natural heritage and raise awareness of its successes, NCC is engaged in communications and outreach efforts on many fronts.

Press releases are issued for all major NACP-supported property acquisitions, and media are invited to official announcement ceremonies. Along with the local, regional and, at times, national print and video coverage that this generates, NCC amplifies the news on social media, through its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The NACP also features prominently at NCC events, such as its NatureTalks multi-city, cross-country speaker series, in NCC publications and supporter communications, as well as annual

communications with Members of Parliament and when there is an NACP-backed acquisition within their riding.

NCC also encourages community members to get out on the land and help with property stewardship through its Conservation Volunteers program. These activities — including butterfly and bird counts, beach cleanups and invasive species pulls — are frequently held on properties acquired or stewarded courtesy of the NACP.


Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine MP Diane Lebouthillier opens new NCC trail.

The Couchiching Conservancy inaugurates Ron Reid Nature Reserve.

Conservation Volunteers in Alberta.

Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada at property announcement.

NCC NatureTalks speaker series event.

Property unveiling with Northumberland - Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd (left).Property donor Stan Carscallen (left) and Calgary Centre MP Kent Hehr.

NatureConservancy.ca/NACP 245 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 410 Toronto, Ontario, Canada | M4P 3J1

For questions about the Natural Areas Conservation Program, contact Paul Hewer, Manager, Government Relations

1.800.465.0029 x 2259 [email protected]

This project was undertaken with the nancial support of:Ce projet a été réalisé avec l’appui nancier de :

Bunchberry, AB (Kyle Marquardt). PG4: butterfly counting (NCC). PG6: grizzly bears (Grant MacHutchon); Kumdis Estuary (NCC). PG7: American badger (Twildlife – Dreamstime.com). PG8: removing fence (NCC); White Moose Ranch (Brent Calver). PG9: Bunchberry Meadows (NCC). PG10: Spirit Creek (Mike Dembeck); Valley View (Jason Bantle). PG11: Punnichy (NCC). PG12: prairie chicken (USFWS); Waggle Springs (NCC). PG 13: MTGPP (Thomas Fricke). PG 16: shrike (Vincent Luk/Evermaven); Cockburn Island (Mike Lamont). PG17: monarch (NCC). PG18: Van Brunt’s Jacob’s-ladder (Joanie Bélanger); l’île Deschaillons (NCC). PG19: Grondines (NCC). PG20: Caledonia Gorge (NCC); Riverside-Albert (Panchroma). PG21 : moose (Mike Dembeck); Dr. George Cook Nature Reserve (Mike Dembeck). PG22: piping plover (Mike Dembeck); Blooming Point (Mike Dembeck). PG23: American marten (USFWS); Barachois Brook (Aiden Mahoney).

TM Trademarks owned by the Nature Conservancy of CanadaPrinted on Rolland Opaque paper, which contains 30% post-consumer fibre, is EcoLogo, Processed Chlorine Free certified and manufactured in Canada by Rolland using biogas energy. Printed in Canada with vegetable-based inks by Warrens Waterless Printing. Design by Fifty Strategy + Creative.

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