History

The Lower Grand River Land Trust (LGRLT) has been working with community groups & landowners to protect natural, cultural and agricultural heritage in the bottom third of the Grand River watershed in southern Ontario's Carolinian Zone since 1993, the same year that it was founded and incorporated as a non-profit charitable organization.

The LGRLT's first landowner contact program took place in the provincially significant North Cayuga Slough Forest in 1994. Later on that year, the estate of one of the landowners - the Thompson family - contacted the LGRLT and discussions began on one of the largest and most complex land donations in Ontario history.

As a result of this early landowner contact initiative, the LGRLT received a donation of the 1,600-acre Ruthven property incorporating vast natural areas, agricultural land, a heritage home and associated buildings.

Due to the enormous task of restoring and managing the Ruthven Park property, the LGRLT has until now been unable to expand activities to secure and restore additional natural heritage sites elsewhere within the lower Grand River watershed.

The LGRLT has an important history of community involvement and partnership projects.
Recent joint projects include:

• Ruthven Park National Historic Site cost-share program with Parks Canada, for restoration and education
  
  
• Conservation Agreement with the NCC to manage 50 acres of land purchased by them
  
  
• Working for Wilderness Natural Areas Restoration Project with the Federation of Ontario Naturalists
  
  
• Joint Fundraising Plan and Volunteer Training Project with Chiefswood National Historic Site,and Lynwood Arts Center National Historic Site, Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, and Parks Canada.
  
  
• North Cayuga Slough Forest Brochure, a current project to manage access, highlight the flora and fauna of the wetland, and educate the public about the benefits of wetlands.

Other committees and initiatives in which the LGRLT has been involved include:

• Founding member, Ontario Nature Trust Alliance (ONTA). The LGRLT council member chairs the Communications and Newsletter committee of ONTA
  
  
• Member, Carolinian Canada assisting in organizing the recent "Big Event" joint Carolinian Canada/ONTA All-Field Trip Conference
  
  
• Assisting the former Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk in preparing their Official Plan through membership on the Natural Areas Technical Advisory Committee;
  
  
• Assisting the Town of Haldimand in becoming the first municipality in Ontario to pass a Wetlands Protection Bylaw
  
  
• Member, Federation of Ontario Naturalists
  
  
• Member, the Grand River Conservation Authority's Forestry Initiative