Kawartha Land Trust’s Pierce-Vigneux Nature Sanctuary was protected forever thanks to Penelope Pierce and Paul Vigneux who wished to see the forests, swamp, cattail marsh, headwater stream, and meadows protected for future generations.

The property is located cater-corner to another KLT nature reserve, Dance Nature Sanctuary (est. 2006), expanding conserved lands in Selwyn Township.

One of the many remarkable things about this property is the abundance of wildlife found within it. Black Bear, Moose, Eastern Wild Turkey, Red Fox, Coyote, Porcupine, Ruffed Grouse, and Wood Frog have been seen or documented by wildlife cameras.

“We’ve had trail cameras out for about six years and mostly it was confirmation of what animals we already had, but also some surprises,” shared Paul Vigneux.

“The biggest one being the opossum and also the fisher. We attempted to check the cameras daily and that gave us insight into both the daily habits and the natural cycles of the wildlife. Possibly the most surprising was the day we saw the moose down in the swamp.”

The 29-acre deciduous swamp at the heart of the property is dominated by Red Maple and Silver Maple. Endangered Black Ash trees are also found in the swamp. Seasonal flooding provides excellent fishless breeding habitat for amphibians, while the snags provide roosting habitat for bats.

A number of at-risk species are also found at Pierce-Vigneux Nature Sanctuary, making the protection of its habitats even more critical. There have been documented sightings or recordings of species at risk on the property, including Western Chorus Frog, Eastern Milk Snake, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Golden-winged Warbler, and Evening Grosbeak.

Other birds seen or recorded on the property are many, including Northern Harrier, Red-winged Blackbird, Sandhill Crane, Black-billed Cuckoo, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Great Blue Heron, Killdeer, Belted Kingfisher, Common Loon, Ovenbird, Pine Siskin, Red-eyed Vireo, and Barred Owl among others.

KLT staff also saw a Green Heron nesting in the 16-acre stand of White Spruce while visiting the property. And within the 18-acre successional mixed forest, which includes Eastern White Cedar, White Birch, White Ash, Black Cherry, and Alternate-Leaf Dogwood, Canada’s only native pecan-hickory, the Bitternut Hickory, was recorded.

Not only will the permanent protection of the Pierce-Vigneux Nature Sanctuary and its wetlands and headwater stream contribute to water quality in the region and downstream to Katchawanooka Lake, but it will also continue to sequester 72.8 tonnes of carbon annually.

“Natural spaces are constantly under attack from development and resource extraction, and need help to survive,” shared Vigneux.

“We think that we can do a little bit to ensure that there’s room for native flora and fauna in their natural habitat. Knowing that some green space will remain after we’re gone is reassuring to us. I would encourage any landowners to consider donating habitat to Kawartha Land Trust.”

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The permanent protection of KLT’s Pierce-Vigneux Nature Sanctuary was generously supported by funding received from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Canada Nature Fund.

The Canada Nature Fund supports the protection of Canada’s biodiversity through the creation of protected and conserved areas and through initiatives that help to recover species at risk. The Fund is available to not-for-profit and Indigenous organizations, provinces and territories, and others.

A portion of the protection of KLT’s Pierce-Vigneux project was donated to Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) under the Government of Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program.

Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program provides a way for Canadians with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and leave a legacy for future generations. Made possible by the terms of the Income Tax Act of Canada and the Quebec Taxation Act, it offers significant tax benefits to landowners who donate land or a partial interest in land to a qualified recipient. Recipients ensure that the land’s biodiversity and environmental heritage are conserved in perpetuity.