CONSERVATION
Our Approach
Purchased in 2021, Land’escapes now owns and manages ~40,000 acres in Hastings County. The property was previously used for industrial timber production and is now being restored for conservation and low-impact recreation.
While the property is filled with stunning landscapes, it’s also important to recognize the scars as well. Some areas will take many years to recover from the industrial logging that took place on the land.
These degraded areas help to remind us how crucial our work is to restore and continue protecting this land. The revenue from every camping trip and membership gets reinvested into our conservation projects.
Forestry
Promoting long-term forest health and broader ecosystem diversity is our main objective on the property. We are also taking a silviculture-based approach to forest management, consisting of stand improvement, plantation thinning, and habitat & invasive species management.
Our slow and steady forestry plans suddenly changed after seeing over 5,000 acres of our forest flattened by the derecho storm in May 2022. Our forestry experts at Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve have been leading several salvage operations across the property, and advising us on broader forestry best practices and future harvest plans for the woodlot.
While this property is filled with amazing and beautiful landscapes, it’s important to recognize the scars as well. Some areas will take many years to recover from the industrial logging that took place on the land. This land was previously used for industrial timber operations and in some areas it shows.
These degraded areas help to remind us how crucial our work is to restore and continue protecting this land. The revenue from every camping trip and membership helps us continue to keep this land protected and pursue these restoration projects.
What are we doing?
Together for Nature: Land’escapes and the Nature Conservancy of Canada
Hastings Wildlife Junction
In October 2021, NCC announced that Ben, the founder of Land’escapes will be making a significant donation of land to their organization. This will be one of the largest land donations in NCC’s history. As part of his overall vision for this venture, Land’escapes will be transferring approximately 12,000 acres of land to the organization to be permanently protected and conserved. We’re pleased to share that much of this land will be donated to NCC’s Hastings Wildlife Junction project.
The Hastings Wildlife Junction will help reduce the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss in Canada and have an unparalleled impact at a national and global scale and contribute to Canada’s commitments to conserve 30 per cent of our lands and waters by 2030.
About the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC)
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the country’s unifying force for nature. We seek solutions to the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change through large-scale, permanent land conservation.
As a trusted partner we work with people, communities, businesses and government to protect and care for our most important natural areas. Since 1962, we have brought Canadians together to conserve and restore more than 15 million hectares.
NCC is a registered charity. With nature we build a thriving world.
To learn more visit: www.natureconservancy.ca
How will the land be managed?
These lands will be managed and cared for by NCC and will be accessible for public pedestrian access, as well as negotiated hunting agreements across some areas of the site administered by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.
NCC has also begun engaging with Indigenous communities in this area to learn about various communities’ priorities and identifying areas for potential collaboration. NCC is open to a variety of ideas, including accommodating access on the land for traditional uses such as hunting and other harvesting, collaboration on property management and stewardship, and supporting Indigenous-led conservation where invited to do so. The NCC lead on these initiatives is Kristyn Ferguson, Program Director, Large Landscapes, Ontario, and she can be reached at kristyn.ferguson@natureconservancy.ca.
