arcel of private Uxbridge land donated to conservation authority

Parcel of private Uxbridge land donated to conservation authority


'Ecologically significant' key wetland natural habitat for wildlife
Mar 01, 2011 - 02:39 PM
UXBRIDGE -- A recent property donation by an Uxbridge landowner will go a long way to protect Lake Simcoe and wildlife in the region, said a local conservation authority.

The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority recently announced it had received a donation of 10 hectares (25 acres) of "significant forest, ravine and wetland area" in northeast Uxbridge.

The "ecologically significant" land will help provide cleaner drinking water in Lake Simcoe, operate as a flood plain by slowing and absorbing spring run-off and provide a breeding habitat for wildlife, said Kevin Kennedy of the authority.

The area is mostly undisturbed by human activity and is home to muskrats, common snipes, least bitterns, waterfowl and several species of frogs.

Mr. Kennedy said the recent acquisition, which is situated close to the Herrema property in Leaskdale, will provide a link to other parcels of protected land in the area already owned by the conservation authority and Toronto Field Naturalists.

"This ensures the public and the conservation authority can protect it in perpetuity and keep it natural," he said.

By making the ecological gift, the landowner was also eligible for a charitable tax credit, added Mr. Kennedy.