With thanks to the visionary thinking and generosity of the MacLean and Rieger families, donors, and funders, Penryn Forest’s forests and headwater springs and seeps of the Fleetwood Creek on the Oak Ridges Moraine will be permanently protected for future generations.

The 213-acre property is located near Bethany and three other conservation areas, maintaining natural connectivity in the area, including a wildlife corridor.

One hundred percent of the land is located within Natural Core Areas of the Oak Ridges Moraine, areas that contain the highest areas of environmentally sensitive features. And 144 acres of the property is considered deep habitat according to the Kawarthas Naturally Connected preferred scenario.

Over half of Penryn Forest is made up of mixed forest habitat that is home to Hemlock, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, White Birch, Ironwood, and Balsam Fir trees. In the spring, ephemerals can be found throughout the forest floor — Blue Cohosh, White Trillium, Trout Lily, and Canada Mayflower.

The nine acres of mature red pine stands and six acres of deciduous forest provide additional forest habitat.

The nine acres of mature red pine stands and six acres of deciduous forest provide additional forest habitat.

Penryn Forest’s wetlands are rich in biodiversity, supporting an abundance of wildlife from salamanders, frogs, turtles, and marsh birds like Red-winged Blackbird, Common Yellowthroat, Swamp Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, and Trumpeter Swan.

Fed by natural springs, seeps, and overland flows on the Oak Ridges Moraine, the coldwater stream in the middle of the large Cedar swamp is a tributary of Fleetwood Creek and contributes to healthier waters in the region.

The protection of this property also preserves habitat that supports several species at risk, including Wood Thrush, Midland Painted Turtles, and Black Ash.

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The permanent protection of KLT’s Penryn Forest was generously supported by funding received from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, Natural Heritage Conservation Program – Land Trust Conservation Fund, and the Government of Ontario’s Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.

The ECCC-administered Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF) is a $1.4 billion, ten-year fund to reduce annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 5-7 megatonnes (Mt) by 2030. The NSCSF will achieve this by supporting projects that reduce the loss, restore, or improve the management of ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, peatlands and grasslands. These projects will also benefit important habitat for migratory birds, species at risk and other species of cultural and/or socio-economic importance to local communities.

The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique partnership that supports the creation and recognition of protected and conserved areas through the acquisition of private land and private interest in land. To date, the Government of Canada has invested more than $500 million in the Program, which has been matched with more than $1 billion in contributions raised by Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community leading to the protection and conservation of nearly 840,000 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands.

The Government of Ontario’s Greenlands Conservation Partnership program is the single largest provincial fund to secure private land in Ontario. This unique program, administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, leverages non-governmental dollars to acquire, restore and manage privately owned natural areas such as wetlands, grasslands and forests. For every dollar of provincial funding provided, grant recipients match it with a minimum of $2 from other conservation partners, including individual donors, foundations and other levels of government. Since 2020, the Ontario government has invested $58 million into the program, which has helped to protect over 437,000 acres (over 177,000 hectares) of private land across the province – more than 2.75 times the size of Toronto.

Additional support for this conservation project was received from the Melissa Spearing Memorial Fund in memory of renowned Seed Biologist Melissa Spearing, who was from Bethany. Thank you to all the donors who contributed to the fund to honour the memory of Melissa Spearing.