Old-growth forest, wetland and karst habitats protected along Moira River in Napanee Plain
A 73-hectare property featuring thriving old growth forest, karst and wetland habitats along the Moira River north of Belleville has now been protected. This marks the closing of a story more than 15 years in the making. The late Clifford and Heather Maclean of Hastings County first approached the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) in 2008 to share their dream of protecting this stunning and ecologically important property. Now, thanks to collaboration, the enduring commitment of the Maclean family and the support of numerous donors and partners, NCC has acquired the property to be cared for, forever.
The newly established Moira River Karst nature reserve boasts different types of forest ecosystems, including mixed and old-growth forests, which store carbon and provide habitat for threatened interior forest bird species such as wood thrush. Fields and meadows here provide excellent habitat for at-risk grassland bird species such as bobolink (threatened) and eastern meadowlark (threatened). The property also features carbon-rich wetlands vulnerable to alteration, meadows and karst habitats, providing a rich array of biodiversity and habitat for species. The forests, wetlands and rocky karst formations filter and clean the water that flows into the Moira River and to downstream communities such as Belleville. This remarkable diversity of habitat types and the ecosystem services they provide such as climate mitigation and cleaning our air and water is representative of the significant biodiversity in the Napanee Plain natural area, a priority for conservation and stewardship.
NCC is proud to secure the Macleans’ long-term vision and to care for these lands and the species found here, long into the future.
This project was made possible by the support of many private donors, foundations, the Government of Canada through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, and the Government of Ontario through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program.
The protection of the Moira River Karst nature reserve showcases how NCC is accelerating the pace of conservation in Canada. In the past two years alone, NCC has influenced the protection of more than 1 million hectares (almost twice the size of Prince Edward Island), coast to coast to coast. Over the next few years, the organization will double its impact by mobilizing Canadians and delivering permanent, large-scale conservation.
In the face of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change, nature is our ally. There is no solution to either without nature conservation. When nature thrives, we all thrive.
Quotes
“Besides being an ecological gem, this property has meant a lot to the family as a place for long walks and peaceful reflection and for helping with personal health and wellbeing. We look forward to caring for this special place and to finding ways to share its magic with others.” – Mark Stabb, Program Director - Central Ontario East, Ontario Region, Nature Conservancy of Canada
“Our government is supporting the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s conservation work to help fight climate change by protecting old-growth forest, wetlands and karst along the Moira River near Belleville. These natural wonders are carbon storehouses and biodiversity hot spots that offer a home to several species at risk. With each investment in the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, we continue to build a more sustainable, healthy future for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.” – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“We are thrilled to see the protection of the Moira River Karst nature reserve come to fruition, thanks to the collaboration between the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the late Clifford and Heather Maclean's family. With help from Ontario’s Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, the preservation of this 73-hectare ecologically significant property – 55 times as big as a football field – will help safeguard Ontario's natural heritage and biodiversity for generations to come.” – Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Facts
- The Moira River runs for 1.5 km along the property’s boundary, providing opportunities to conserve and expand ecological connections to natural areas and protected areas along the river valley and beyond.
- The Napanee Plain natural area is a complex of limestone plain alvars, grasslands, forests, and wetlands. The natural area provides climate mitigation and supports a variety of wildlife. It is of particular importance for grassland birds and has been identified as a key area of biodiversity by numerous designations.
- The property includes interior forest conditions that are found deep within woodlands and away from forest edges and open habitats. As human development encroaches on wooded areas, habitat loss and fragmentation threaten the carbon storage and sequestration capacity of these ecosystems, and are primary drivers of interior forest bird species decline, such as wood thrush.
- This project builds on conservation success in the area. NCC has been working with partners to conserve land on the Napanee Plain since the early 1990s. To date, the organization has helped protect and care for more than 1,500 hectares of the area’s significant natural features.
- The Napanee Plain is the traditional territory of many Indigenous Peoples, including the Wendat, Anishnaabeg and Haudenosaunee Peoples. With gratitude and respect, we acknowledge the significant and ongoing role of Indigenous Peoples on these lands and look forward to continuing to engage with these communities in discussions about ways that these lands can continue to support the people with whom they are intertwined.
About
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is the country’s unifying force for nature. NCC seeks solutions to the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change through large-scale, permanent land conservation. As a trusted partner, NCC works with people, communities, businesses and government to protect and care for our country’s most important natural areas. Since 1962, NCC has brought Canadians together to conserve and restore more than 15 million hectares.
Canada’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF) is a $1.4 billion, ten-year fund (2021–2031) administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada to help conserve, restore, and enhance the management of ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, and grasslands, in order to help tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The NSCSF will focus on three main objectives: (1) conserving carbon-rich ecosystems at high risk of conversion to other uses that would release their stored carbon; (2) improving land management practices to reduce their greenhouse gas emission-causing impacts on Canada’s ecosystems; and (3) restoring degraded ecosystems. Overall, these projects will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increased carbon sequestration, while also providing benefits for biodiversity and human well-being.
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership program helps conserve ecologically important natural areas and protect wetlands, grasslands and forests that help mitigate the effects of climate change. Through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, a total of $38 million has been invested to date by the Ontario Government, with an additional $20 million committed through the 2024 Ontario Budget. Additional match funds are raised from other sources, such as individual donations and foundation support through NCC and the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, and other levels of government.
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