Jessica Smeekens, Kerry Teskey join Board of Directors of Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC)
A local land trust, permanently preserving several natural properties in an historic part of Ontario, now has two new board members.
Jessica Smeekens and Kerry Teskey are the newest members of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) Board of Directors. They fill vacancies which opened upon the retirement from the board of past members Peter Twynstra and Kim McCabe. Peter Twynstra served on the board since the land trust’s inception in 2011 and Kim McCabe served on the board since 2020.
Max Morden is Chair of the HTLTC.
“I would like to thank Peter and Kim for their years of dedicated service and I am honoured to welcome Jessica and Kerry,” he said. “Kim and Peter provided invaluable service during a very important time as our land trust worked with local donors to permanently protect more local properties and to enhance the natural features of these properties. We are very excited that Jessica and Kerry are joining our board and we will benefit greatly from their expertise.”
Jessica Smeekens is a Registered Professional Forester from Thedford. She is founder of Auxsable Forestry. She also runs Thedford Native Plants, a native plant nursery, with her sister, Sarah Smeekens.
Jessica is the Vegetation Services Coordinator for the West Region of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. In her work with the Ministry, she works to transition highways from non-native species into suitable native species and to combat the ongoing spread of invasive Phragmites and other non-native species.
Jessica said she loves the biodiversity and climate of southern Ontario and gets outside as often as she can in order to enjoy all four seasons. She grew up in Lambton Shores and deeply cares about local ecosystems.
Kerry Teskey grew up on his family’s farm near Orillia and he now lives in Grand Bend. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Grand Bend and he serves as President-Elect. He attended the University of Guelph, where he earned a degree in Agriculture with a specialization in Crop Science.
During his studies, Kerry financed his education by growing and selling sweet corn on the family farm.
After graduation, he spent more than 30 years working for the DuPont Company in various roles related to vegetation management and crop protection, spanning across Canada and the United States.
Throughout his career, Kerry maintained a strong interest in botany and environmentalism. He and his family share a passion for the preservation of the environment and the region’s natural and historical heritage.
The current land trust board is Chair Max Morden, Grand Bend; Past Chair Roger Lewington, Bayfield; Don Farwell, Stratford; Paul Spittal, Bayfield; Philip Walden, Thedford; Steve Bowers, Brussels; Kerry Teskey, Grand Bend; Jessica Smeekens, Thedford; and Alison Lobb, of the Clinton area.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy was formed in 2011, by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, a registered Canadian charity. The land trust serves the area of the historic Huron Tract. The HTLTC is a volunteer organization with a separate board of directors and is a member of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy accepts donations and bequests of land and gives people in the Huron Tract area a way to make a positive difference by helping to protect and restore land, water, and nature.
Thanks to generous public donations of land and money, the land trust protects these important nature areas: Heaman Tract (2019), near Ailsa Craig, donated by Janet Heaman in memory of Jack Heaman; Woodburne Farm (2018), near Goderich, donated by Ilse Elliott and her late husband William Elliott; Bayfield River Flats (2017), donated by Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA) and community donors; Mayhew Tract (2015), near Holmesville, donated by the Mayhew Family, in memory of Jack and Iris Mayhew; and coming soon is the Warner Wildlife and Nature Preserve in Grand Bend, to be donated by Peter Warner and his late wife Esther.
A donation to the local land trust is a local way to leave a lasting legacy for future generations. These donations of land and/or funds help to permanently protect nature areas with local benefits such as water quality, forests and habitat, and public enjoyment and recreation. People can help to permanently protect and preserve the natural, recreational, scenic, historical, or agricultural importance of properties in the historic Huron Tract area through their donation to the land trust.
The Chair of the land trust encourages prospective donors to contact any member of the Board of Directors or to contact staff at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610. To learn more about the Conservancy, email info@htltc.ca or call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.