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Giving In Memory

Celebrate a loved one's life by protecting nature in their memory

You can honour the life and legacy of a family member, friend, or colleague by making a gift to protect nature in their memory.

Giving a gift to protect nature in remembrance of a loved one is a special way to memorialize their impact on your life and leave a powerful and lasting legacy.

Your gift will protect nature, conserve important wildlife habitat,  support ongoing stewardship work, and contribute to the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss in the Kawarthas.

Ways you can give in memory of a loved one:

  • Make a gift through our donation page

    You can make a gift to protect nature in memory of a loved one by visiting our donation page.

  • Recognition on the Memorial Forest sign

    To have your loved one’s name included on the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest sign, you can make a gift of $100 or more to Kawartha Land Trust to support the reforestation of the site and other priority land protection and stewardship projects in the Kawarthas.

    To make a donation to have your loved one's name recognized on the memorial forest sign, please make a donation through the form below. Additionally, frequently asked questions are located below the form.

KLT's Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest: A Place of Peace & Reflection in Nature

Red Trillium at Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary

On September 27th, 2024, Kawartha Land Trust held an opening ceremony for its newly established memorial forest — the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest, located in the heart of Douro-Dummer Township in Peterborough County.

The memorial forest is situated on a nature reserve — KLT’s Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary — which was generously donated to KLT by the Roussel-Steffler family in honour of late husband and father Paul Roussel (1938-2021) who loved and cared for the land.

The reforestation of sections of the nature sanctuary through Memorial Forest plantings will continue the legacy of care for the land that Paul Roussel and his sons Dan and Mike started. Along the edges of the surrounding forest are an embrace of trees the family planted during the 40 years they owned the property.

With a gift of $100 or more, your loved one’s name will be included on KLT’s Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest sign. Your gift will support the reforestation of the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest and other priority land protection and stewardship projects in the Kawarthas, making a lasting impact.

You are also welcome to visit KLT’s Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary and Memorial Forest any time of year to walk the grounds, reflect, visit the memorial sign, sit, and remember your loved one.

If you have any questions about the memorial forest, please reach out to Oriona Rendon, Donor Relations Coordinator, at [email protected] or call 705-443-5599, ext. 8.

If you’d like to make a donation to have a loved one who has passed recognized on the memorial sign, please make a donation through the form below.

Make a donation of $100 or more through the donation form below to have your loved one's name recognized on KLT's Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest sign.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the memorial forest and recognition on the memorial forest sign are located below the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I have my family member, friend, or colleague included on KLT’s Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest sign?

To have your loved one’s name included on the memorial forest sign, you can make a gift of $100 or more to Kawartha Land Trust through the form above to support the reforestation of the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest and other priority land protection and stewardship projects in the Kawarthas. Your gift will support wildlife habitat, fight against biodiversity loss, and contribute to a more sustainable future for all in the Kawarthas.

Do I have to let you know that I would like my loved one’s name included on the memorial forest sign?

Once you have made your in-memoriam donation through the form above, your loved one’s name will be included on the next plaque we add to the memorial forest sign (updated annually), unless you direct KLT otherwise. If you have questions or would like to speak with someone about this further, please connect with Oriona Rendon, Donor Relations Coordinator, at 705-743-5599, ext. 8, or [email protected].

If you would like to make a donation in memory of a loved one, but not have them recognized on the memorial forest sign, please make your donation here.

Will a tree be planted in honour of my loved one in the memorial forest?

With a gift of $100 or more, your loved one's name will be included on KLT’s Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest sign. Your gift will support the reforestation of the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest and other priority land protection and stewardship projects in the Kawarthas. Over time, the trees, shrubs, and wildflowers planted will grow into one thriving, interconnected forest that supports wildlife and fights against biodiversity loss in the Kawarthas.

When will the memorial forest sign be updated each year?

The memorial forest sign will be updated each fall. KLT will hold an annual ceremony at the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest each fall to honour and remember those recognized on the memorial forest sign.

May I visit the Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary and the memorial forest on my own?

You may visit the nature reserve and memorial forest any time of year to spend time in nature and reflect on your loved one. For the location of KLT's Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary and the memorial forest, please click here.
"Every year, Kawartha Land Trust is honoured to receive gifts in memory of loved ones who have passed. When my father died unexpectedly in 2020 I learned first-hand how touching it can be to know that other people are memorializing the ones we love. I also learned how difficult it can be to come together to remember, especially when our loved ones are laid to rest far away. 

We wanted to create a space where gifts received in memory of those who have passed can be recognized and celebrated, and a place where families and the people making the in-memoriam gifts can visit, alone or together, to remember those who have passed.

KLT's Roussel-Steffler Memorial Forest provides this space. I am looking forward to watching the forest grow and develop over time as I visit the property from time to time and reconnect with memories of my father. I am so grateful to the Roussel-Steffler family for making this possible through their donation of the land and I hope this property becomes a place of memory and celebration for our community."
John Kitrane - KLT ED
John Kintare
Executive Director
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