Kawartha Land Trust’s (KLT) Otonabee River Property features 58 acres of important shoreline and wetland habitat along the Otonabee River.

The property’s natural shoreline, which is over one kilometre in length, is home to a thriving plant community that is dominated by Silver Maples and provides wildlife with a safe place to cross the river. The shorelines’ dense vegetation is critical for mitigating shoreline erosion.

The property is largely covered by deep habitat, which means that it contributes to the persistence of many plant and animal species that favour interior forest. Black Ash, an endangered tree in Ontario, grows in this mixed swamp. Added to the Ontario Species at Risk list in January 2022, Black Ash trees are at risk of extirpation in Ontario because of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.

Plenty of Northern Leopard Frogs were seen on KLT’s first visits to the property. These frogs are experiencing declines in their populations due to habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation. A Kingfisher was also spotted swooping across the river. These beautiful birds thrive in wetlands and may abandon a territory if too many human visitors are present. The undisturbed nature of this property will help both of these species thrive.

Turtles were also seen basking on logs along the shoreline. Emergent debris like logs are important for the reptiles and fish that often hide beneath them, using them for protection and shade.
Nearly one hundred percent of this property is comprised of a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) and located within the Kawarthas Naturally Connected Preferred Scenario.

The conservation of this property, which is located close to land protected by neighbouring conservation authorities and land trusts, ensured that its natural features and important carbon storage capabilities will be protected from future development.

—
The ECCC’s Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF) is a $631-million, 10-year fund to support projects that restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands and grasslands that store and capture carbon. Nature-based solutions are actions that conserve, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, build resilience and improve water quality, and provide critical habitat for Canada’s wildlife.

Conserving and restoring nature is fundamental to mitigating and adapting to climate change. The climate and nature crises are inextricably linked. Climate change is altering the water cycle, resulting in flooding, droughts, and wildfires. It is one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss, which is proceeding at an unprecedented rate with up to one million species currently at risk of extinction. Canada is committed to nature-based solutions to build resilience and help Canada meet its 2030 and 2050 climate change objectives.

This property has been secured with the support of the Government of Ontario through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership, which 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, a total of $50 million will be invested over four years, including $20 million from the Ontario government, and another $30 million from other sources, such as individual donations and foundation support through the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and the Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA), and other levels of government.