Champions of Conservation: Recognizing KLT’s 2025 Legacy Volunteers

These champions of conservation have volunteered with Kawartha Land Trust for 10 years – almost half of KLT’s soon-to-be 25 years.

Chris Appleton 

Chris Appleton first joined Kawartha Land Trust’s volunteer team as a member of the Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island Management Team and as a member of the Development Committee. He was Chair of the Fundraising Committee, helping in the successful protection and continued care of KLT’s Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island. 

Chris is also a current Director on the Board and serves on the Governance Committee, devoting time behind the scenes to KLT’s governance.

Warren Dunlop 

Throughout Warren Dunlop‘s decade of volunteer service at Kawartha Land Trust, his background in ecology has shone through in each of his volunteer roles.

Like others on this list, Warren was involved with the Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island conservation project in 2015, serving as a member of the Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island Management Team. Ten years later, he is still involved with the island as a Lead Property Steward and surveying for the Endangered Mottled Duskywing Butterfly.

He was Chair of the Land Stewardship committee and is currently a member of the Property Inventory Team, otherwise known as the “PIT Crew,” helping to support KLT’s land protection and Partners in Conservation programs. 

Warren has also assisted with encouraging community members to get more involved in conservation through citizen science initiatives. He was instrumental in setting up KLT projects on iNaturalist and eBird. In 2024, he led a Passport to Nature webinar to help others learn how to confidently use iNaturalist to record their own nature sightings. 

Doug Eberlee 

Doug Eberlee first became involved with Kawartha Land Trust through the protection of Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island, assisting with the fundraising campaign to support the stewardship fund needed to ensure the ongoing care of the island for current and future generations.

Eberlee’s background in finance has been an asset on KLT’s Investment Committee. This year, Doug became a Trustee, serving as a dedicated ambassador for the organization. 

Eric Howe 

In 2015, Eric Howe began his journey as a Kawartha Land Trust volunteer by joining the Governance Committee. His background in business management was an asset to the growing organization. Eric served two terms as a Director on KLT’s Board. He is currently a Trustee and a member of KLT’s Nominating Committee and Investment Committee. 

In 2023, Eric supported KLT’s efforts to protect the Hammer Family Nature Preserve, the organization’s largest protected property to date. 

Ham Keillor-Faulkner 

Ham Keillor-Faulkner has brought his experience in forest ecology to many of his volunteer roles at Kawartha Land Trust. Ham first began volunteering with KLT through the Land Stewardship Committee. He is the Lead Property Steward for both Fell Wetland and Jones Woodlot and contributes to a variety of stewardship projects, including property inventories, and wildlife surveys.

A lot of planning goes into stewardship work. Ham helped develop and implement protected property management plans for a number of KLT’s properties, including Big (Boyd/Chiminis) Island. 

John McWilliams 

John McWilliams has devoted a great deal of time to supporting governance at Kawartha Land Trust. He became a member of the Board of Directors in 2015, serving on the Board for three terms and as Chair of the Board from 2021-2022. He was also Chair of the Governance Committee and Nominating Committee and a member of the Finance and Audit Committee. 

John was one of the founders of KLT’s Trustees model and his expertise in governance, ethics, and social responsibility has been an asset to KLT.

In 2020, John supported the fundraising efforts to protect what would become KLT’s Christie Bentham Wetland. Later on that year, the McWilliams family generously donated 34 acres of land — the McWilliams Family Property — adjacent to Christie Bentham Wetland to ensure its permanent protection.