Our 2024 Event Schedule is here
We are pleased to announce our 2024 schedule of events, where we will explore our nature reserves and enjoy their diversity, while also having a sneak peek at future nature reserves.
Please preregister for all events by email: info@nltrust.ca. See you there!
Feb. 3: Winter Tracks and Signs at Wilkinson, 10:00 am
May 4: Kennedy forest walk (future NLT reserve), 9:00 am
May 25: Birding for Beginners at Lone Pine Marsh, 9:00 am
May 30: Grassland birds at Bonebakker, 8:00 am
July 6; Moth walk at Bonebakker 7:00 am
July 27: Arts Day at Lone Pine Marsh. 10:00 am
Sept. 15: Tallgrass Prairie walk at Pelton, 1:00 pm
Sept. 22: Monarch Butterfly walk at Doug McRae’s (future NLT reserve), 1:00 pm
Oct. 19: Fall Colours Walk at Haddon property (future NLT reserve), 2:00 pm
2023 Matching gift campaign exceeds $40,000 goal – thank you!
Northumberland Land Trust heads into 2024 with a sense of gratitude for the generosity of our donors who gave a grand total of $41,825 during our matching gift campaign. With the funds raised we will be able to protect and look after more natural spaces in Northumberland County, forever. With a growing number of nature reserves in our care, and more properties in the process of becoming nature reserves , we are committed to looking after every acre the very best we can. Together, we are making progress towards keeping Northumberland County green.
Video: Night life at the beaver dam
We set up a motion activated trail camera at the Lone Pine Marsh beaver dam, and captured all the activity during Christmas week. The stars of the show are eastern coyotes, otters, white tailed deer, raccoons, and some really really fat beavers! Enjoy, and Happy New Year!
Scenes from 2024
Dear Nature Lover,
Thank you for your support of Northumberland Land Trust this year. Here is a recap of 2024, using photos and videos to highlight the beauty and diversity of our 14 nature reserves. These views inside our nature reserves serve as a reminder of just what we are working for.
Each and every one of you has played a part in ensuring these natural spaces and the creatures that live in them are protected now and in the future.
Trail Camera Highlights
First, a video from trail cameras we set up at the Lone Pine Marsh beaver dam this spring. All these animals used the dam in a two week period. The dam is almost two metres wide and 30 metres long, and the animals use it as a bridge across the marsh. The Canada Geese had a nest right on the dam. It was quite a thrill to get video footage of the fisher!
The trail camera footage below was taken in November this year at the Lone Pine Marsh. The Great Horned Owl was a huge surprise! The beavers have made a wide path through the forest by cutting down small trees and dragging them to the marsh.
Snapshots of Nature
NLT’s protected lands are home to a stunning variety of creatures, from the tiny tree frog hiding in the grass to the huge black bear lumbering through the forest. Thank you to everyone who shared photos with us this year. It’s fascinating to see our nature reserves through many different lenses.
Moth morning at Bonebakker NR
Grey Treefrog at Lone Pine Marsh - Rich Fernandez
Fox kit at de Lint Nature Reserve - Leslie Abram
Praying Mantis at McEwen NR - Sabrina Hasselfelt
Black Bear Wilkinson NR trail camera
Tallgrass Prairie at Pelton NR - Elayne Linn
Bobolink Lone Pine Marsh - Leslie Abram
Fall forest at Lone Pine Marsh - Hilda van Netten
Pelton NR - Elayne Linn
Haddon forest - Gerry Carr
Lone Pine Marsh in winter- Leslie Abram
Monarch butterfly
Spring peeper Lone Pine Marsh - Leslie Abram
Clematis at Wilkinson NR - Gerry Carr
Io Moth - Tyne Bonebakker
Doe and Fawn - de Lint NR - Gertie Crashley
Tree Swallows- Lone Pine Marsh -Leslie Abram
Tallgrass Prairie at Pelton NR - Elayne Linn
Fox kits at de Lint NR - Leslie Abram
de Kleer Nature Reserve - Gerry Carr
de Lint Nature Reserve - Norm Rae
Tree Swallow nest Leckey NR - Andrew Buntin
Pelton NR forest - Gerry Carr
Canada Geese at Lone Pine Marsh - John Charlton
Land Stewardship
Let’s give a shout out to our volunteers, who rolled up their sleeves and helped look after our nature reserves. They always look like they are having a great time – and they are.
Buckthorn cutting Munn NR
Lone Pine Marsh DSV removal
Controlled burn Pelton NR
tallgrass prairie seed collection
preparing for controlled burn Leckey NR
DSV removal Laurie Lawson OEC
New Lone Pine planting
trail clearing McColl NR
bat acoustic monitor Bonebakker NR
Birding Marathon at Jack van Nostrand NR
de Kleer NR trail clearing and buckthorn cut
buckthorn crew at Kennedy NR
Community
Natural spaces are not just good for wildlife, they are good for people too. We love the sense of community that comes from our nature walks and events.
de Lint Nature Reserve sign goes up
de Lint Nature Reserve grand opening
Grassland birds walk at Bonebakker NR
Northumberland Photo Club at de Lint NR
Arts Day at Lone Pine Marsh
Wood Duck Box by Kat Kinch
NLT Gala
Jack van Nostrand NR
tallgrass walk at Pelton NR
Picnic shelter opening day
Property steward meeting at picnic shelter
November walk at Lone Pine Marsh
walk in the Kennedy's woods
Mothy Morning at Bonebakker NR
walk at McRae property
Looking Ahead
Three more beautiful nature reserves will be under NLT’s protection in 2025: The Haddon Nature Reserve donated by Dari Haddon, the Willow Lane Nature Reserve donated by Robert Leckie and Cherlyn Wilson, and the Biddy Creek Wetland which we are purchasing in partnership with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Northumberland Land Trust’s goal is to triple the lands under our protection by 2030, and with your help we are well on our way to that goal. Thank you for being part of a community dedicated to preserving nature in Northumberland, forever.
Haddon forest
Willow Lane
Biddy Creek Wetland
Seeds for the future planted at McEwen Nature Reserve
Native grass and flower seeds were collected and planted this month at McEwen Nature Reserve. McEwen is one of 3 reserves where NLT encourages tallgrass prairie species through controlled burns, seed collection, and planting. Thousands of prairie grass and flower seeds were sown on the same site as this springs controlled burn. The beautiful results of past controlled burns and plantings, especially the savannah grass and little bluestem, made for a spectacular fall scene, and will provide seeds and cover for wildlife this fall and winter.
Thanks to everyone who came out on this beautiful day to help restore a rare ecosystem!
TCS’s “Brentlemen” form work party for Northumberland Land Trust
The students of Brent House at Trinity College School (TCS), better known as Brentlemen, spent a recent Sunday working on habitat restoration at Northumberland Land Trust’s Laurie Lawson Outdoor Education Centre.
The property contains several vernal pools (those that only fill up in the springtime). The property had a number of dead and dying trees that posed a threat to public safety so they were cut down earlier this year. Some of the debris from the tree clearing had fallen into one of the main vernal pools, which serves as an important habitat and breeding location for many frogs, salamanders and other aquatic species. The debris was impacting the health of the habitat.
Armed with 
pitchforks, wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels and work gloves, the Brentlemen tackled this project. Within an hour, the area was once again cleared and ready for next spring.
“It was also fantastic to spend time out in nature,” said Campbell Hall, Head of House at Brent Hall at TCS. “The boys came away with a sense of having accomplished something meaningful.”
Northumberland Land Trust launches $5 million fundraising campaign
Northumberland Land Trust seeks funds and land donations
Cobourg, ON, September 19, 2023 – The Northumberland Land Trust (NLT) today announced that it is launching a campaign to raise $5 million for the acquisition, preservation and management of ecologically important lands in Northumberland County, Ontario. The Northumberland Land Trust currently oversees more than 1200 acres on 13 properties throughout the county, and has another one-hundred-acre property in transition to NLT ownership.
“The Northumberland Land Trust protects nature reserves forever, and that requires support from members of the community,” said Rob Kennedy, President of the Northumberland Land Trust. “We know there are people who want to support the preservation of land so they can have access to the beauty and wonder of natural habitat. We need their help now so we can continue to ensure that access.”
NLT must undertake a variety of stewardship and restoration projects on each nature reserve including invasive plant removal, trail maintenance, signage, native species plantings, building and installing bird boxes and many other restoration projects. These efforts help ensure the properties restore and/or maintain habitat for local, native species as well as migratory birds and species at risk. During the NLT’s Birdathon in the Spring of 2023, several at-risk species of birds were spotted nesting on NLT reserves. The NLT also holds free, guide-led walks for the public to experience the reserves.
“There are people who want to donate their land as part of their estate planning,” added Rob. “We help the owners sever the land from their house for the donation to NLT. Donations of land have tax implications and require severance, surveys, legal documents and township approval, and this process can cost up to $30,000 as well as ongoing stewardship costs. Our fundraising will help cover these expenses.”
Our fundraising will help cover these costs.”
People can donate through the NLT’s website at www.nltrust.ca or contact us at info@nltrust.ca or call: 416 316-4318
About Northumberland Land Trust
The Northumberland Land Trust is committed to preserving the natural heritage of Northumberland County. Its mandate is to establish, maintain and manage protected areas. The Northumberland Land Trust is a not for profit, charitable organization, which accepts donations of land, enters into conservation agreements for the permanent protection of natural landscapes, forests, farms and waterways and provides public education and information on land conservation tools. The Trust also raises funds to purchase land in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada for the purposes of conservation. The Trust is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors representing a cross section of the community including landowners, farmers, business people and professionals.
For more information please contact:
Northumberland Land Trust
info@nltrust.ca
(905) 342-3851
www.nltrust.ca
150 species identified during 15th Annual Birding Marathon
May 2023. The Northumberland Land Trust (NLT) 15th Annual Birding Marathon’s participants identified 150 species this year, a 12% increase over last year’s Marathon. Experienced bird watchers for each of NLT’s 13 Nature Reserves, which cover 1,267 acres of habitat in Northumberland County, and had a single, 24-hour period of their choice to identify the birds. In early June, the total number of species across all reserves was tallied. Last year, 132 species were identified. In 2016 there were 106 (but NLT only had 6 properties at that time). Every year there are surprise sightings as well as birds returning to the same nesting area. The rarest bird this year was the identification of the Nelson’s Sparrow in the Lone Pine Marsh Nature Reserve. Nelson’s Sparrows are rarely seen in this area. Among the other species that have appeared are: Hooded Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Red-throated Loon, and a Great Horned Owl.
The Birding Marathon is one of the NLT’s annual fundraisers. Donors guess how many species of birds will be found. Whoever is closest wins a litre of maple syrup from the NLT’s Wilkinson Nature Reserve. The winner of the 15th Birding Marathon contest is Richard Girardin. He guessed 140 species of birds on NLT’s reserves, which was the closest guess to the record-breaking total of 150 bird species.
Richard Girardin with his maple syrup prize from Northumberland Land Trust
Prescribed Burns for Northumberland Land Trust reserves
April 22, 2023. The Northumberland Land Trust (NLT) had two prescribed burns at the NLT’s McEwen Nature Reserve just north of Garden Hill and the Pelton Nature Reserve, which is adjacent to Peter’s Woods Provincial Park. The McEwen burn was conducted by Lands and Forests Consulting (LFC) while the Pelton burn will be carried out by qualified NLT personnel. Prescribed burns are essential to restoring and revitalizing native prairie and savannah habitat in Northumberland County by removing invasive species, which tend to sprout early, and encouraging the growth of native species. The media are welcome to observe burning operations from locations to be determined by fire control staff.
“Tallgrass prairie and savannah plant species depend upon fire to live. As natural fires have long been suppressed in southern Ontario, conservation scientists across North America use professionally-managed prescribed burns to bring new life to these wildlife habitats,” said Northumberland Land Trust current McEwen steward John Geale.
Prescribed burns are intentionally set and professionally managed fires that burn across a pre-determined area under strictly controlled circumstances in order to restore natural habitat. Fires clear scrub and brush, allowing sunlight to reach the soil where native grassland seeds lie. Native prairie species flourish following a fire, restoring the native grassland habitat of the area. Burning only occurs under specific weather conditions that will allow a safe and controlled fire.
This is the fourth prescribed burn at the Northumberland Land Trust’s McEwen Nature Reserve, and the third for the Pelton Nature Reserve.
