Local land trust looks forward to second decade of work preserving natural areas with support of community donors
Nature is permanently preserved and enhanced on four local properties in an historic part of Ontario thanks to generous community donors and the work of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC).
The Mayhew Tract, Bayfield River Flats, Woodburne Farm, and the Heaman Tract are protected for the long term thanks to community donors.
The land trust was formed in 2011 and has entered its second decade of work protecting natural areas in the historic Huron Tract.
The land trust elected Max Morden as new Chair at the HTLTC’s Board of Directors meeting on April 28, 2022. He takes over from Past Chair Roger Lewington who has led the land trust since its inception in 2011.
Roger welcomes Max to his new role, and expresses his heartfelt thanks to the families and organizations who donated these protected lands, and to the local people who donated towards land acquisition and maintenance.
“We are so very lucky to have such thoughtful, generous, and visionary people in our area,” he says.
The new Chair of HTLTC lives in Grand Bend, and has a background in law and communications. He has an active interest in environmental action, which he pursues as a member of the Rotary Club of Grand Bend and Lakeshore Eco-Network.
Max thanks Past Chair Roger Lewington for his “decade of outstanding service leading the HTLTC,” and looks forward to his continuing support as a director.
Max says the HTLTC Board of Directors looks forward to its second decade of preserving the nature benefits of land for the future.
“We would like to thank all the families who have donated land and all the generous community members who have made donations to preserve these important natural areas for the future,” he says. “They are truly leaving a lasting land legacy.”
Max encourages people in the community to consider a donation of land or a financial donation. “Preservation of natural areas is one of the best and most permanent ways we can fight climate change and preserve habitat for the future.”
The new Chair 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.
“Four important properties are now protected for the future thanks to the generosity of donors and the community,” Max said. “Donors care deeply about these properties and the land trust gives them a way to be sure they will be preserved and enhanced for future generations.”
The current land trust board is Max Morden, Grand Bend; Roger Lewington, Bayfield; Don Farwell, Stratford; Paul Spittal, Bayfield; Peter Twynstra, Ailsa Craig; Philip Walden, Thedford; Steve Bowers, Brussels; Kim McCabe of London and Bayfield; and Alison Lobb, of the Clinton area.
Thanks to generous public donations of land and money, the land trust protects four 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.
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 protect and restore land, water, and nature.
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.
To learn more about the Conservancy, email info@htltc.ca or call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
Max Morden is the new Chair of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy. He thanks all the generous community donors who have made it possible to preserve and enhance four important properties with nature benefits and he said the land trust looks forward to its second decade of land preservation.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) welcomes its two newest board members, Alison Lobb and Kim McCabe.
“We are pleased to welcome two new board members who bring a wealth of experience,” said Roger Lewington, HTLTC Chair.
Alison Lobb taught in the business division, at the former Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, for more than 20 years. She operated the Small Business Enterprise Centre in Seaforth for 15 years as a business consultant for the County of Huron. She has operated Lobb Entrepreneurship for more than 25 years, helping small business owners with record-keeping software. She is West Ward Councillor for the Municipality of Central Huron and has served as a municipal councillor for 25 years. She has been a Maitland Valley Conservation Authority director for more than 20 years and is a Past Chair. Her active involvement in community projects and conservation work has been extensive. She is a cash crop farmer in the Municipality of Central Huron in the former Goderich Township.
“I believe that the work of the Land Trust in protecting the natural environment is important,” she said. “The Huron Tract is an historic geographic area and the Land Trust gives individuals a way to share in protecting it.”
Kim McCabe, of the London and Bayfield areas, began her working life as a registered nurse and practised for 15 years before changing course and entering into Landscape Design at Fanshawe College. She graduated with a Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Guelph in 2007. Kim worked at a number of planning and landscape architecture firms, gaining experience in residential, municipal, commercial, and parks planning projects. This experience included a number of park and trail designs, re-naturalization projects and healing gardens. She previously served a six-year term on the Board of Directors at the Thames Talbot Land Trust where she assisted with the design and implementation of an accessible native plant and demonstration garden at Hawk Cliff in Elgin County. She has a passion for nature and completed her thesis on the healing benefits of access to nature. She spends a lot of time biking and hiking in the Bayfield area and other parts of Ontario.
“I look forward to continuing to volunteer in land conservancy and stewardship at the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy,” she said.
The current board of directors of the land trust is Roger Lewington, Bayfield; Don Farwell, Stratford; Max Morden, St. Marys; Paul Spittal, Bayfield; Peter Twynstra, Ailsa Craig; Philip Walden, Thedford; Steve Bowers, Brussels; Kim McCabe of London and Bayfield; and Alison Lobb, of the Clinton area. Recently retiring from the board was Steve Boles, of Exeter.
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 from the early days of settlement. 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 protect and restore land, water, and nature.
For more information on the Conservancy, please email info@htltc.ca or call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
The installation of an Osprey nesting platform and box, by Hydro One, at Bayfield River Flats, was featured on CTV news.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) and Bayfield River Valley Trails Association would like to thank CTV News London Videographer Scott Miller for visiting the Bayfield River Flats, of the HTLTC, to cover the Osprey nesting box story.
To watch the television news item visit this link:
The television news item was featured in July of 2020.
Thanks go to Hydro One, for completing this project; to Peter Jeffers and the Bayfield River Valley Trails Association; and to Jack Pal, who took photos for the story.
Here is the CTV news story:
Ospreys get community-built nest in Bayfield, Ontario
BAYFIELD, ONT. – Ospreys near Bayfield have a new potential nest, thanks to some local volunteers and Hydro One.
Earlier this month, members of the Huron Land Tract Trust Conservancy and Hydro One came together to built an osprey nest, that will sit atop the trees in the Bayfield River Flats, near the marina.
“It’s a perfect spot for a an osprey nest, because the osprey is at the top of the food chain. They’re coming in off the lake, and they’re searching along the river,” says Roger Lewington, from the Huron Land Tract Trust Conservancy.
Hydro One committed to donating and building the nest after having to take some trees down in the conservation area for a construction project.
“We take our hats off to Hydro One. They have been brilliant in fulfilling their promise to make good, following the damage they had to do to our little conservation area. They had to take a lot of trees down for construction, but they’ve really come up in spades by providing this opportunity for the osprey to find a new home,” says Peter Jeffers, with the Bayfield River Valley Trails Association.
Hydro One says they were happy to do so.
“One of key environmental objectives is to identify and integrate biodiversity into our activities. So, we’re proud to support efforts to protect local Osprey populations,” says Elise Croll, head of Hydro One’s Environmental Services.
Ospreys typically make their nests in artificial structures, like hydro poles or light standards. They typically make a nest during springtime, but locals are hoping they set up shop this summer.
“This is something that will attract a lot of people, particularly when the osprey come. Hopefully, we’ll get ones nesting their shortly. I’m sure it will attract people from miles around,” says Jeffers.
PHOTO: Osprey nest built. A new osprey nest is lifted into place by Hydro One in Bayfield, Ont. in July 2020. (Source: Jack Pal)
Jack Pal photo of Hydro One installing Osprey nesting box.
Osprey nest box one of newest cooperative projects to protect, improve Bayfield River Flats Natural Area
A new nesting platform for Osprey habitat is one of the cooperative projects happening at the Bayfield River Flats. Hydro One collaborated with the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) by donating and installing the new nesting platform and box to support local Osprey populations in the area.
“One of our key environmental objectives at Hydro One is to identify and integrate biodiversity management approaches into our activities,” said Elise Croll, Director, Environmental Services, Hydro One. “At Hydro One, it is our priority to support the communities where we work and live, and we are proud to support efforts to protect local Osprey populations.”
The work on the Osprey nesting box was “quite an operation and led to great results,” said Roger Lewington, Bayfield resident and HTLTC Chair. “This good news story would not have been made possible without the community partnership from Hydro One. We appreciate the support of Hydro One, volunteers, and donors who are helping to realize the vision for improving the Bayfield River Flats Natural Area.”
An Osprey is a large raptor often making its habitat near bodies of water. One of the reasons this bird is important is because it is an “umbrella species,” with its presence reflecting the health of an aquatic ecosystem.
The Bayfield River Flats Natural Area is a 4.75-acre riverside property open to the public. It is preserved thanks to volunteers and donors from the Bayfield area as well as by the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy.
The Bayfield River Flats Natural Area is owned and protected permanently by the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy, working with the Bayfield River Valley Trails Association (BRVTA). The other properties permanently protected by the land trust are Woodburne Farm, south of Goderich; Heaman Tract, near Ailsa Craig; and Mayhew Tract, near Holmesville.
Generous citizens and community organizations raised more than $70,000 to acquire and protect the Bayfield River Flats. As reported by The Bayfield Breeze, during the autumn of 2016, almost a quarter of the population of the Village of Bayfield donated to a fundraising campaign to purchase the 4.75-acre plot of land on the river, including donors from all over North America. These efforts ensured that the river would continue to be publicly accessible.
About Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC): 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 from the early days of settlement. 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 protect and restore land, water, and nature. For more information on the Conservancy, please email info@htltc.ca or call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
Improvements at Bayfield River Flats Natural Area made possible with grant from Huron County Clean Water Project
Community partners in Bayfield and area are continuing to protect and improve the Bayfield River Flats Natural Area. One of the most recent projects is planting of native tree and shrub species at the 4.75-acre riverside property.
A crew from Ausable Bayfield Conservation planted 40 trees and 90 shrubs at the Bayfield River Flats on May 12, 2020. This work, to further protect and improve the Bayfield River Flats, was made possible with a grant from the Huron County Clean Water Project. The county program contributed 50 per cent cost-share funding to make the improvements possible.
The crew members planted native tree species such as White Cedar; Sycamore; and Tulip Tree. They planted native shrub species such as Nannyberry; Red Dogwood; Pussy Willow; Elderberry; Redbud; and Serviceberry.
“This planting project will enhance wildlife habitat and increase diversity of plant and animal species of the river valley and the flood plain,” said Ian Jean, Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist with Ausable Bayfield Conservation. “The flowering shrubs will add to the natural beauty as well.”
Volunteers from Bayfield, including members of the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association (BRVTA), coordinated the planting of native trees and shrubs there. It was great to work with Peter Jeffers, BRVTA trails manager; Roger Lewington, Land Trust Chair; and community volunteers on the project, Jean said.
The Bayfield River Flats is owned and protected permanently by the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC), working with Bayfield River Valley Trails. The other properties permanently protected by the land trust are Woodburne Farm, south of Goderich; Heaman Tract, near Ailsa Craig; and Mayhew Tract near Holmesville.
“This planting project is going to help a great deal to preserve and enhance this important riverbank area,” said Peter Jeffers, Trails Manager with BRVTA. “Generous donors had a vision of what the Bayfield River Flats could be. It is rewarding to see that vision come into clearer focus with every new cooperative project completed by community partners.”
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 from the early days of settlement. 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 protect and restore land, water, and nature.
For more information on the Conservancy, please email info@htltc.ca or call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
A tree planting crew from Ausable Bayfield Conservation plants native trees and shrubs at the Bayfield River Flats Natural Area in May 2020. The tree planter at left is Stephen Holmes and, at right, Wesley Stokes. (Photo by Jack Pal)
Heaman Tract is fourth property donated to land trust to be preserved
News release issued on June 6, 2019:
A tract of land more than five acres in size, north of Ailsa Craig, will be preserved for future nature enjoyment opportunities and water, soil, and habitat protection. This is thanks to a generous donation by Janet Heaman in memory of Jack Heaman. The tract has been donated to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC).
DEDICATION OF HEAMAN TRACT – The sun shone as the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) hosted a dedication ceremony on June 3, 2019 to recognize the donation of, and to dedicate, the 5.5-acre Heaman Tract, north of Ailsa Craig, donated by Janet Heaman in memory of Jack Heaman. Shown at the ceremony, from left to right, are: Sandra (née Heaman) Vanos; Jan Heaman; Larry Heaman; Janet Heaman; Roger Lewington, Chair of the HTLTC; Peter Twynstra, HTLTC Director; Rick Heaman; and Melanie Heaman.
The Heaman Tract is on West Corner Drive in McGillivray Ward of North Middlesex.
The Ausable River runs through this rolling plot of land. The river is home to aquatic species at risk. Heaman Tract will provide recreation benefits such as fishing and canoeing and benefit local residents and tourists.
The property offers food, water, and shelter for wildlife. It has positive impact on water and soil as a vegetated, natural buffer to protect water in the river. The property provides much-needed forest cover in the area. There are mature hardwood and conifer trees there and younger trees as well.
Jack and Janet Heaman purchased the parcel in the mid-1960s as part of a farm to the east. A dedication ceremony for Heaman Tract was held at the property on June 3, 2019. Janet Heaman and all of her children, as well as other family members, attended. The land trust board of directors was represented at the ceremony by Chair Roger Lewington, Peter Twynstra, Don Farwell, Max Morden, and Philip Walden.
The riverside property was a place of memories for Janet’s and Jack’s children whether it was Larry meeting his future wife, Jan, at the bridge or the children looking at turtles.
“The kids used to like to come and sit and watch the river and fish off the bridge,” Janet recalled. It was also a special place for Jack. “It was Jack’s oasis down there,” Janet said.
John Lewis ‘Jack’ Heaman passed away in 2014 at the age of 79.
“It’s awesome this property is being dedicated to our Dad, Jack Heaman,” said Sandra (née Heaman) Vanos, one of Janet’s and Jack’s three children. She said it’s nice people will have a quiet place and “thinking spot” where they can go to find solace.
Larry Heaman, another of Janet’s and Jack’s children, shared what the property means to him. “When I was a teenager I used to come down here periodically just because it was a quiet, tranquil place and a nice place to sit and watch the river and collect your thoughts and watch the turtles and the muskrats,” he recalled. “It would be my hope that future generations could continue to have that experience.”
Jack Heaman maintained the tract of land almost like a park, Janet’s and Jack’s son Rick recalled. “Dad was proud of the property,” Rick said. “I’m proud that Mom has donated the property – she came up with the idea and we supported it. We thought it was a good idea once she thought of it. It seems like the right thing to do.
Peter Twynstra, Ailsa Craig resident a volunteer founding board member of the HTLTC, said he knew Jack a long time as a “fixture in the community” as Jack had worked for years at the County of Middlesex roads department. “Thank you, Janet, and the whole Heaman family, for your very kind gesture of considering the land trust (to entrust with this property),” Peter said. He invited ceremony guests to look around not only at the glorious sunshine of the ceremony day but also at the trees and beauty of an “absolutely wonderful” property. It is a natural space of great quality and importance to the whole community and for all who love nature, he said, and “I can tell you the Heaman family loves nature.”
Kate Monk, staff advisor to the land trust, said Heaman Tract is an important “piece of the puzzle” to protect the Ausable River and Lake Huron. “Everything along the river is important,” she said. “This is the Ausable River down here,” she said at the ceremony. The Ausable River “starts just outside of Staffa in Perth County, and it comes all the way down through Huron County and into Middlesex County, and from here down through Ailsa Craig it goes to Arkona, and then it makes its way up and enters Lake Huron at Port Franks.” Through this donation “we can protect this property for generations to come,” she said. “People will be able to come and enjoy it and walk through here,” Kate said.
The tract has many tree species and a lovely waterway for canoeing and fishing. Birds that visit include Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays, Cardinals, and American Goldfinches. “They all fly through here,” said Janet. “I think Jack would be thrilled” that the property is preserved for the future, she said. Janet said it was “wonderful” to have her children with her at the ceremony. “You couldn’t ask for the day to be any better … and a sunny day on top of it,” she said.
Heaman Tract is the fourth property donated to the land trust and the one furthest to the south. HTLTC also owns and protects Woodburne Farm, south of Goderich; Bayfield River Flats at Bayfield; and Mayhew Tract near Holmesville.
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 from the early days of settlement.
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 protect and restore land, water, and nature.
For more information on the Conservancy, please call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
We would like to thank Carolyn Naftel for her lovely post (May 28, 2018) about the generous donation, by Ilse Elliott and her husband the late William Elliott, described in Generous donation protects significant creek and creates lasting local legacy:
Carolyn writes that:
“A friend in Goderich sent me a newspaper article describing this donation. I would like to express my gratitude to Ilse Elliott for her generous gift. It is wonderful to think that the land and creek will be protected and planted with many more trees that will help soil, water and wildlife. This was a family farm and my father moved us there after World War II. My brother Bill and I went to the one-room school at SS#6. It was not very economically successful but I have happy memories of the bush, the fish in the creek, and swimming in the lake. I remember walnut and beech trees that had been planted by my grandfather. We left when I was a teenager, probably about 1952, and moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia.”
DONATION OF WOODBURNE FARM – Ilse Elliott is shown with (at left in photo) Brian Horner, staff advisor to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC), and (at right in photo) Roger Lewington, Chairman of the Land Trust Conservancy. Ilse, and her late husband William Elliott, have donated Woodburne Farm to the Land Trust and included a stewardship endowment fund to help conserve the property. The 67-acre farm between Bayfield and Goderich on the shores of Lake Huron will be protected for future generations thanks to the altruistic donation, leaving a lasting legacy and helping to protect a significant creek.
Generous donation of Woodburne Farm protects significant creek and creates a lasting local legacy
News release issued on March 29, 2018:
A 67-acre farm between Bayfield and Goderich on the shores of Lake Huron will be protected for future generations thanks to the altruistic donation to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) by Ilse Elliott and her late husband William Elliott. In late February, they donated Woodburne Farm to the Land Trust and included a stewardship endowment fund to help conserve the property.
“We have had a good living in Canada and this is an opportunity for us to contribute to the people of Canada,” Ilse said.
The farm means a lot to the family and when it became surplus to her needs, Ilse started to think about what she would like to have happen with the property. Elliott connected with the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy to see how the work of protecting the land and water could continue.
“We did our best to protect Naftel’s Creek by planting trees and I wanted to make sure the land would be well looked after for many years to come,” she said.
The donor met with representatives from the Land Trust several times to discuss her goals for the farm and how her vision fit with the Land Trust’s conservation mandate. A staff advisor prepared a draft management plan that outlined actions that would protect soil and water health as well as natural heritage.
The name Woodburne comes from the Scottish words for trees and creek. Naftel’s Creek is one of hundreds of streams that flow directly into Lake Huron. It has cold water fish species including several species of trout.
The Elliotts’ legacy of tree planting continues this springtime when the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority will plant nearly 12,000 seedling trees on the agricultural land. Although not a requirement of receiving the land from Elliott, the Land Trust is pleased that this can be started this year. Tree cover is low in the county and planting trees on Woodburne Farm is significant for soil and water conservation as well as wildlife habitat and clean air.
“We are thrilled to receive this generous donation and will work to continue the legacy of caring for the land and water,” said Roger Lewington, Chairman of the HTLTC.
This is the largest parcel owned by the land trust and it has key environmental benefits, particularly to the health of Lake Huron.
The HTLTC was formed in 2011, by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, a registered Canadian charity, and the land trust serves the area of the historic Huron Tract from the early days of settlement. 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 protect and restore land, water, and nature.
For more information on the Conservancy, please call 1-888-286-2610 or visit htltc.ca.
Kate Monk, staff advisor to Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC), speaks with donor Ilse Elliott about the plans to preserve and enhance Woodburne Farm to the benefit of water, soil, and habitat.
Interview with Ilse Elliott
Voices of the Donors
Love of the Land: Capturing the Voices of Donors
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy would like to thank and acknowledge Huron Heritage Fund, of the County of Huron, for their generous financial support of the Love of the Land: Capturing the Voices of Donors project. Through this support, the County of Huron is preserving valuable heritage assets and activities of heritage importance to the County of Huron and its residents.
Enjoy these excerpts from an audio interview by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca, with Ilse Elliott:
Excerpts of audio interview by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca, with Ilse Elliott
Music by bensound.com
Listen to other excerpts of audio interviews, by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca with donors to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy:
Bayfield River Valley Trail Association, community volunteers, donors raised $70,000 for purchase of 4.75-acre River Flats property in Bayfield
The Bayfield River Flats, a 4.75-acre riverside property was purchased through the generosity of the citizens and organizations of the community of Bayfield and surrounding areas.
The Bayfield Breeze reported that:
“During the autumn of 2016, almost a quarter of the population of the Village of Bayfield donated to a fundraising campaign to purchase the 4.75-acre plot of land on the river, to the immediate southeast of the bridge, known as the Bayfield River Flats. Community-minded people donated from all over North America, including families who cherish this small village and who recognized that this would probably be the last opportunity to ensure that the public would always have access to the river.”
The Bayfield River Flats is now owned and protected in perpetuity by the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC), working with the Bayfield River Valley Trails Association.
Bayfield River Flats is preserved permanently by the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy thanks to the Bayfield River Valley Trails Association and the many generous donors with an interest in nature preservation in Bayfield and area
During Bayfield’s early years – until 1900 – this tranquil woodland setting was the site of Thomson’s Mill. Until the saw and gristmill were fully operational in the 1840s, area pioneers had to hand saw their lumber and carry their grain on their backs on deer paths to Goderich for milling. The ruins of the mill and the old dam, which was also the first bridge across the Bayfield River, are still visible.
Anglers from all over Southwestern Ontario and beyond come to the Bayfield River to test their skills. The River Flats Natural Area is especially popular because of the extensive restocking program at the upstream hatchery and because it is an important spawning area.
The property features a small hiking trail, canoe launch, picnic areas and wide access to the river for fishing enthusiasts.
A group of community volunteers, sponsored by the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association, negotiated an offer to purchase to buy the 4.75-acre River Flats property, to the immediate southeast of the Bayfield Bridge. The volunteers included Helen Varekamp, Jack Pal, David MacLaren, Roma Harris, Kirsten Harrett, Gayle Waters, Ray Letheren, Larry Dalton, Doug Vanderhaar, Mike Dixon, Wayne McKaig, Sandy Scotchmer, and Dave Gillians.
Organizers of the fundraising campaign called it a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to acquire about 1,000 feet of riverbank natural area within the old village boundaries of Bayfield. They say purchasing the property has made it possible to preserve access to the naturalized area along the river. The total cost to purchase the property, including all legal and fundraising costs, was $70,000.
The riverbank property and its forested setting beside the river, within the village of Bayfield, has become a place for nature appreciation and Bayfield River access.
The financing condition for property purchase was met by November 30, 2016. Following the closing on January 31, 2017, the project proponents transferred the property to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC). This ensured the land remains part of the community’s local land legacy in perpetuity.
The long-term management agreement between the Bayfield River Valley Trail Association and the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy ensures that the property will be maintained, improved and transformed.
A land trust can permanently protect land to preserve its natural, environmental, recreational, scenic, historical, or agricultural importance. Land trusts or land conservancies are independent, charitable organizations that work with private landowners to preserve open space and nature.
Land trusts accept donations and bequests of land and conservation agreements and, in some cases, may purchase land or conservation agreements. The land is then protected from that time on.
The HTLTC is a volunteer organization with a community board of directors. The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy gives people a safe, reliable, long-term way to leave financial contributions or bequests of real property for the protection of land, water, and habitat for generations to come.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy can protect important nature areas for the long term, with the help of “an inspired community that values and protects natural lands and habitat.”
Excerpts of audio interview with Dave Gillians, of Bayfield River Valley Trails Association, by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca, about donation of Bayfield River Flats to land trust
Listen to other excerpts of audio interviews, by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca with donors to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy:
MAYHEW TRACT DEDICATED – A crowd of people came in cars and on bicycles to attend the June 19, 2015 dedication ceremony and sign unveiling for the Mayhew Tract near Holmesville. This ten-acre tract was the first donation of land to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC) and is to be preserved for generations to come. This important forested property – which provides water storage, recharge, and habitat benefits to the area – was donated by the Mayhew family, in memory of Jack and Iris Mayhew. Jack and Iris’s children, Janine, Tim, and Greg, attended the ceremony along with other Mayhew family members. From left to right, in photo, are Roger Lewington, Chairman of the Land Trust Board of Directors; Tim Mayhew; Janine Jones; Greg Mayhew; and Nancy Mayhew.
Mayhew Tract sign unveiled at ceremony
Dignitaries speak at dedication ceremony and sign unveiling to recognize generous donation of land by Mayhew family in memory of Jack and Iris Mayhew; Donation of nature area first for local Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy
Cyclists rode from Bayfield to the Holmesville area on Friday, June 19, 2015, during the Celebration of Water Weekend, to attend the dedication ceremony and sign unveiling for the Mayhew Tract. This important forested property, in the Holmesville area, was donated by the Mayhew Family, in memory of Jack and Iris Mayhew, to the local Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy (HTLTC).
Jack and Iris’s daughter Janine and sons Greg and Tim were among family members to attend the ceremony.
Greg Mayhew, of Holmesville, spoke on behalf of the Mayhew family. He said it was “a little overwhelming” that, instead of a few people shaking hands in front of a sign for a photo, dozens of people attended to witness the dedication of land. “Thank you to everyone who came out today and made this possible,” he said. “It is our hope that this donation will preserve this lot in the natural state that Jack and Iris appreciated and we encourage others to see the value in our forested lands.” He said the parcel is a natural drainage area and provides natural habitat as well.
“Jack and Iris Mayhew farmed here for nearly 43 years,” he said, pointing to the home farm, cater-cornered from the Mayhew Tract.
Greg recalled that at a time when his father, an avid outdoorsman, might have cleared fencerows or removed trees for more crop land, instead “he was still planting trees and creating grassed waterways.”
When recalling the history of the ten-acre parcel that was donated, he said it was a source of firewood and a place to enjoy nature. Greg recalled his mother bringing her children and grandchildren to the site. “Every spring Iris would bring us down to look for pussy-willows, a tradition she continued with her grandkids,” he said.
Huron County Warden Paul Gowing and Municipality of Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn were among the dignitaries who spoke at the ceremony to thank the Mayhew family for the generous donation which will help to provide local forest cover, groundwater recharge, and wildlife habitat for generations to come.
The donation from the Mayhew family was the first one received by the new land trust.
“This is a historic first donation of land to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy,” said Warden Paul Gowing. “I commend the Mayhew family for your generous donation,” he said. “We appreciate your trust in protecting this land in the memory of Jack and Iris Mayhew. Your donation will safeguard wildlife habitat, while enhancing air and water quality for our children’s children,” he said.
Mayor Jim Ginn said it was a pleasure for him to speak at the ceremony for a number of reasons. “It’s a privilege that the first donation to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy happens in Central Huron,” he said. “It is also a privilege because I knew Jack and Iris very well. Jack owned another property directly across the highway from my farm. For a number of years we got to know each other pretty well, and spent many times talking about trees. It was kind of a passion both of us had. On behalf of the Municipality of Central Huron I would like to thank the Mayhew family for donating this and showing the good stewardship practices to preserve this land in perpetuity.”
Bill Strong, Constituency Manager, brought remarks on behalf of Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb, who had a prior commitment at another charitable event. “Ben got to know Jack and Iris very well over the years,” Strong said, and the fact that Jack was an accomplished wood carver made the donation of this woodlot an appropriate way to remember Jack and Iris. “I had the privilege of knowing Jack myself,” said Strong. “Congratulations to the Mayhew family for this donation.”
Bob Radtke, Chairman of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, also brought remarks. The Conservation Foundation facilitated the creation of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy as a local and permanent way for people to leave a lasting land and nature legacy. People can do this through donations and bequests of land to protect and preserve the natural, recreational, scenic, historical, or agricultural importance of some of the properties of the historic Huron Tract area.
“The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy is a volunteer organization with a separate board of directors,” Radtke said to the crowd. “The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy gives people in the Huron Tract area a way to make a positive difference by helping to protect, restore land, water, and nature. The land is permanently protected to preserve its conservation, heritage, or agricultural values,” he said. “On behalf of the Foundation I would like to commend and thank the Mayhew family for this generous and lasting donation in the memory of Jack and Iris Mayhew. This lasting legacy will not only provide environmental health benefits to the people of this area but it will inspire other people to do the same. This is the start of something very important.”
“This is a special day for the land trust,” said Roger Lewington, Chairman of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy, marking the first donation of land. “This will be here for generations to come.” There is a need for more forest cover and that makes it even more important to have donations that preserve forest cover we have, Lewington said. “Forest cover provides wind protection, cleans the air we breathe, retains runoff, and provides sanctuary for wildlife.”
The Mayhew Tract is located about two kilometres south of Holmesville, on the northeast corner of Tower Line Road and Parr Line. It is just north of the watershed divide between the Bayfield River and Maitland River.
The ten-acre (four-hectare) Mayhew Tract property is entirely forested. Most of the trees are lowland hardwood (for example, Silver Maple and Aspen) and there are also some conifers near the west side of the property. There is also an intermittent drain on the property. The forest helps to store water through the year and recharge the groundwater table. This is one of the benefits to this nature area along with habitat.
Land trusts or land conservancies are independent, charitable organizations that work with private landowners to preserve open space and nature. Land trusts accept donations and bequests of land and conservation agreements and, in some cases, may purchase land or conservation agreements. The land is then protected from that time on.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy gets its name and geographic boundaries from the days of early settlement in this part of Ontario. The Huron Tract was purchased by the Canada Company, an agent of the British government, to be distributed to colonial settlers of Upper Canada.
The HTLTC is a volunteer organization with a community board of directors. The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation helped to create the land trust in 2011. The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy gives people a safe, reliable, long-term way to leave financial contributions or bequests of real property for the protection of land, water, and habitat for generations to come.
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy can protect important nature areas for the long term, with the help of “an inspired community that values and protects natural lands and habitat.”
For more information visit htltc.ca.
Voices of the Donors
Love of the Land: Capturing the Voices of Donors
The Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy would like to thank and acknowledge Huron Heritage Fund, of the County of Huron, for their generous financial support of the Love of the Land: Capturing the Voices of Donors project. Through this support, the County of Huron is preserving valuable heritage assets and activities of heritage importance to the County of Huron and its residents.
Enjoy these excerpts from an audio interview by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca, with Greg Mayhew:
Excerpts of audio interview with Greg Mayhew, by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca, about donation of Mayhew Tract to land trust
Listen to other excerpts of audio interviews, by Judy Maddren, of Soundportraits.ca with donors to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy:
