A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
By Betsy Smith, President

Land Trust 2002-03

In these days of declining government grants and funding, non-profit organizations must rely on their local and far-reaching communities to lend a hand. Our Land Trust has been successful in partnering with well established and credible organizations such as Hamilton and Norfolk Field Naturalists' Clubs, Ontario Nature Trust Alliance, Haldimand Bird Observatory and Ducks Unlimited, to name a few.

Raising public awareness and education are part of our goals.

On Saturday, September 21st we held our second Community Awareness Day at Ruthven Park which included a special tribute to our benefactor, Marion Hartney. A special display in Marion's honour was unveiled by Mr. Bob Speller, our MP, and Marion's executor, Dr. Margaret Jansen.

We also took the opportunity to present agreements and gate signs to our ever-growing list of committed landowners who have joined our Watershed Stewardship Program.

In October, at our Annual General Meeting, four new Directors were selected by the membership. We are very pleased to welcome Karen Walton, retired elementary teacher and member of the Trust's Cultural Landscape Committee; Mary Gartshore, an internationally recognized biologist and consultant who is an original member of the Stewardship Committee; Craig Sitter, a life long Haldimand County resident and a Certified Accountant; and Professor Walter Peace, a member of the McMaster University Faculty, School of Geography and Geology and member of our Cultural Landscape Committee. Each of these new Directors brings experience and knowledge that will be a benefit to our organization.

Conservation work continues at Ruthven Park as our intense planning comes to fruition. This work is being carried out through our 5 year Parks Canada Cost Share program. Watch for the new "Ruthven Park - a Grand Country Estate" - sign on Highway 54 which has recently been put in place as well as the nature trail signs and the Coach House interpretative sign.

We continue to keep in close contact with Parks Canada staff. Our former contact Ms. Kim Seward-Hannam has been seconded to manage their Toronto portfolio. Her replacement, Isabel Croteau, recently visited the site and will be our new contact along with Angus McLeod throughout the final phase of our 5 Year Cost Share Program. We wish Kim well in her new position and welcome Isabel's guidance and expertise.

Special visitors to Ruthven this past summer were Terry Smith, Acting Deputy Minister, and Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Rita Scagnetti, both of the Ministry of Culture. They were given the "grand tour" of the Ruthven estate and are both anxious to return again when they can devote their entire day with us.

(L-R) Terry Smith, Ministry; Betsy Smith and Rita Scagnetti

On behalf of the Board we extend special thanks to all our volunteers and summer students for their efforts this past summer. They planted trees, cut grass, hosted tours, built fences, cleaned house, banded birds, poured tea, weeded flower beds, cleaned trails, collected admissions, and moved artifacts. There are too many jobs to list. Thank you!

The LGRLT wishes to acknowledge, with special thanks, three outgoing Land Trust Directors.

Donna Armstrong was the former Chair of the Ruthven Management Committee (RMC) in the beginning stages of the Land Trust. When the RMC was dissolved and absorbed by the Land Trust, she stayed on as a Director. Donna will still sit on the Building Conservation Committee and continue to be a valued member. She chose not to stand for re-election so more of her leisure time can be devoted to her five grandchildren.

As a result of the 6 year tenure policy for the LGRLT, Frank Sommer could not seek re-election. He has been an extremely capable Secretary since the Land Trust was incorporated in 1995 and has a long history of involvement with land use planning and policy. Frank wishes to continue volunteering on the Finance Committee and filling the role of Honorary Secretary.

The third director, Garry Stroud, is also leaving because of the tenure policy. He played a major role in the negotiations with both our benefactor and her solicitors in 1994/95 as well as the Ontario Heritage Foundation Easement Committee. Garry was past LGRLT President and more recently served as our " high-performance" Treasurer and a strong member of our team. The Board wishes to applaud Donna, Frank and Garry on their dedication to the Land Trust and to Ruthven Park.

As 2003 approaches we look forward to another exciting and rewarding year for the Lower Grand River Land Trust Inc.