Kennedy donation is their second donation and the largest ever to the land trust
MEDIA RELEASE
Cobourg, ON, January 29, 2026 – The Northumberland Land Trust (NLT) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of more than 332 acres of land just north of the village of Vernonville. This is the largest property by acreage donated to the land trust. It was donated by Rob and Freda Kennedy and they have named the reserve Wilhelmina Woods, after Mr. Kennedy’s late mother. This is the second nature reserve created from land donated by the Kennedys. Rob is the President of the Northumberland Land Trust and Freda is a former member of the Board of Directors.
“We purchased this property from a gentleman who had hoped we would preserve it for nature,” said Rob. “We have maintained the trails and plan to open the nature reserve to the public to enjoy for hiking, bird watching, and the health benefits of being immersed in nature.”
The property features a diverse, and regionally significant woodland, primarily composed of pines, maple, ash, birch, jack pine, bitternut hickory, shagbark hickory, black oak, and old-growth hemlock. In the eastern portion of the property, patches of unevaluated wetland are found, filtering water from Cold Creek, which flows south through the easternmost parcels. Fifteen at-risk species have been identified within the property.
“The protection of Wilhelmina Woods is a crucial investment in our community,” said David Piccini, MPP for Northumberland–Peterborough South. “Our government is proud to support the Northumberland Land Trust in conserving this land, expanding public access to nature, and protecting it for future generations.”
The Kennedy’s began the process of donating this property in 2024. They required that their house be severed from the surrounding property so that they could continue to live in their home. They will also remain the stewards of the land.
“Land donors usually want to remain actively involved with its care,” added Freda. “Rob and I are no exception. We have a strong attachment to this land, and look forward to being the official stewards of this new nature reserve.”
Donations of land have tax implications and require an appraisal, severance, surveys, legal documents and township approval. Due to the size of this land donation, the process cost NLT approximately $69,940 not including ongoing stewardship costs. Financial support for completing this land donation was provided by the Government of Ontario Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program.
“Wilhelmina Woods adds more than 330 acres of forest and wetland to Northumberland County’s natural heritage,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “I would like to thank the Northumberland Land Trust and the Kennedy family for their extraordinary generosity and vision in establishing this nature reserve, which our government has been proud to support through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program. By working together with conservation leaders, we are creating a legacy for future generations.”
Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program
The 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 430,000 acres (174,310 hectares) of private land across the province – more than 2.75 times the size of Toronto.
About Ontario Land Trust Alliance
Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) focuses on providing community, knowledge sharing and support to land trusts across Ontario. It empowers and supports highly effective, well-governed land trusts that engage their communities to protect forests, wetlands, nature, and water sources and provide natural climate solutions. OLTA builds capacity through training and educational programs, connecting land trusts to each other, resources, and their communities, leading and supporting on-the-ground conservation work, sharing knowledge and best practices, reducing financial barriers to land conservation, promoting organizational excellence, providing access to current research and acting as a voice for land trusts among the public, governments, and other rightsholders.
Our impact is Ontario-wide through 51 connected charities and communities. OLTA’s local land trust members currently collectively own and steward over 2,000 natural areas and green spaces across Ontario, with the leadership of thousands of supporters and volunteers annually. To support your local land trust, visit OLTA.ca.
About Northumberland Land Trust
The Northumberland Land Trust is committed to preserving the natural heritage of Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada, by establishing, maintaining and managing nature reserves. It is a not-for-profit, charitable organization, which accepts donations of land, enters into conservation agreements, and provides public education and information on land conservation. The Trust was originally established in 1996 and has grown to 19 nature reserves with 2275 acres of land under care. The Trust is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors representing a cross section of the community including landowners, farmers, business people and professionals. The Trust is a member of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.
