Recently, Rick Whitteker, our Partners in Conservation Coordinator had a chance to meet one of the original Partners in Conservation, Nancy Cooper. A small group of HHLT board members, employees and key volunteers joined Rick and Nancy for a tour of her property. Nancy, author and land steward, is originally from northern Ontario and is a member of the Chippawa Nation of Rama. Nancy introduced herself and her sister-in-law Lexanne and, through their stories, their passion for their 300 acres of land became very clear.
“A gift from the Creator” is Nancy’s view of how her family ended up buying the property in 1996; the story of the purchase is full of serendipity. Nancy feels the land gives her a closer connection to her ancestors and her brother Ed, who jointly owned the property and loved to spend time there. Ed passed 10 years ago and was Lexanne’s husband. His memory still brings these two women together in their mutual love of the land.
The HHLT group rambled together down a track following Nancy’s gentle pace. Nancy encouraged everyone to listen and learn from the surroundings. This was not a hard sell for this collection of dedicated land conservationists, as wild columbine, pileated woodpecker holes and flowering bunchberry were noted along the way. The group heard stories of illegal marijuana growers, elder sweat lodge gatherings, healing ceremonies, trapping and hunting. Muddy prints of moose tracks gave everyone a hint of the diversity of wildlife that makes this landscape home. A Blanding’s turtle was spotted on the way into the property and a painted turtle basked on a log in the fen where the group met up.
Nancy and Lexanne also spoke of wildlife like great blue herons perching on floating logs, whip-poor-will calls and jelly-like mounds in the pond water that are made up tiny filter feeding aquatic animals called bryozoan! Ending up at a large pond, the group could see a cabin across the water, built at the base of a small peninsula with water on both sides. A weekend getaway spot built by Ed and Lexanne, the cabin is only accessible by water. A homemade barge rests on the shore, a reminder of the ingenuity and dedication needed to construct this remote dwelling. The water for this large pond is held back by a significant beaver dam.
This is where Nancy drew her inspiration for her book, Biindigen. Amik Says Hello. Recognizing firsthand the role of the beaver in biodiversity, the story follows a family of beavers as they search for a shy family member who disappears when their cousins arrive for a visit. In their search, they meet various animals that have benefited from the industrious beaver. Written from an indigenous perspective for 3–7-year-olds, the story is a wonderful combination of fun and fact, allowing readers to also learn of some Anishinaabe words.
The enlightening property tour ended with the melodious song of a rose breasted grosbeak and a group photo. With Nancy holding her book and Lexanne holding one of the Land Trust’s new I’m a Proud Partner in Conservation sign, we were all smiles after our time together. The HHLT would like to thank Nancy for becoming a Partner in Conservation land steward, sharing her story and love of the land.
Nancy’s book can be ordered at goodminds.com. A portion of every sale goes to the SILT fund which is Supporting Indigenous Libraries Today an organization important to Nancy and her work.