Haliburton Highlands Land Trust

Protecting the land we love for future generations

donate

Highlands Corridor

home > Archives for Highlands Corridor

Support Grows for the Highlands Corridor

The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust has seen the positive momentum of the Highlands Corridor conservation project grow in the past few months. Letters of support or passed resolutions have been submitted from a variety of stakeholders including the County of Haliburton, the Municipality of Trent Lakes, Kawartha Conservation and both Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners’ Association and North Kawartha Lakes Association.

Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters

Diverse groups like the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) recognize the value of this project by stating in their endorsement letter that, “the OFAH feels strongly that the Highlands Corridor initiative is a true win-win for conservation and for the people of Ontario.”

Nature Conservancy of Canada

Most recently, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has endorsed the project and state that, “protecting this important wildlife corridor contributes to the health of our lakes.  Healthy lakes support a variety of wildlife habitats and contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of our community. We understand the importance of private landowner support for this initiative and commend the Land Trust’s Partners in Conservation program.”

Partners in Conservation Program

The number of Partners in Conservation (PIC) continues to grow with private landowners joining the PIC program taking advantage of the complimentary Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP) offered by the HHLT through a grant from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada.  Other landowners have joined the PIC program, without the benefit of the MFTIP grant because their conservation interests are aligned with those of the HHLT and the Highlands Corridor. It appears that the concept of the Highlands Corridor as a nature-based solution to building climate change resilience, protecting lands and waters, and maintaining biodiversity is resonating with a wide range of individuals and groups!

HHLT Participates in Catchacoma Old Growth Forest Hike

On Saturday September 30, over thirty people gathered at the trailhead for the Fall Nature Hike at the Catchacoma Forest just off Highway 507 south of Gooderham in Peterborough County. With many making the drive from Haliburton, another sparkling fall day greeted the group keen to learn about this unique forest dominated by some very old, Eastern Hemlock.

The Catchacoma Forest is a 662 hectare stand of old growth north of Catchacoma Lake, just west of the Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. From an ecological perspective, this forest is the largest documented old-growth hemlock stand in Canada. Very rare to find a stand this large in its natural (unlogged) state, this forest has tremendous carbon sequestering capabilities and is home to 13 species at risk.

The hike was led by Katie Krelove of the conservation advocacy group, Wilderness Committee. Katie opened the hike briefing with a sincere acknowledgement that the Catchacoma Forest is on unceded Crown land in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig First Nations. Haliburton Highlands Land Trust board member Sheila Ziman introduced herself, the Land Trust, and the Highlands Corridor project which includes the Catchecoma Forest.

Katie planned out some strategic stops to allow the group to experience the difference between a forest recently harvested (2019) and the intact old growth section of the Catchacoma Forest. Katie pointed out that as a shade tolerant tree, the forest cuts will result in a changed forest structure as hemlock will not do well under an open canopy.

Eventually the hike takes us into the unharvested section of forest, large trees dominate the landscape. The trail is crisp and soft, a result of decades of built-up conifer needles. Dominated by hemlock, the canopy is punctured by these magnificently tall, straight trees. Other species also grow amongst these giants including a smattering of White Pine, maples, and Yellow Birch. One huge Yellow Birch stood out; more sun loving than hemlock, this tree spread out its branches like an umbrella in the crowded canopy.

Katie took the time to explain some of the criteria that goes into assessing an old-growth forest. She explained that Eastern Hemlocks over 140 years are considered old growth. Sometimes the girth of the tree is not a good indicator, as shade tolerant trees can toil for decades in the understory until some disturbance opens the window to allow light to reach the forest floor.

But old growth forests aren’t just about old trees. Other criteria include the amount of downed woody debris and the state of decay of this material, the number of snags or dead standing trees, and the strata of the forest, meaning the number of vegetation layers including the ground layer, shrub layer, understory, and canopy. Another indicator of an old forest is the occurrence of natural pits and mounds on the forest floor the result of old trees toppling, leaving behind a pit with the root ball and trunk decomposing into vegetative mounds.

As the late afternoon light slanted through the trees, the majesty of this forest hit home. With a moratorium on logging soon to end, the future of the Catchacoma Forest remains uncertain. With the possibility of annexation into the existing Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park or the conservation reserve protection advocated by the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust Highlands Corridor initiative, the hope is the Catchacoma Forest will remain in its natural state for years to come.

Rick Whitteker Joins HHLT as Partners in Conservation (PIC) Coordinator.

Rick Whitteker, Partners in Conservation Coordinator

The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) is pleased to announce that Rick Whitteker will be its new Partners in Conservation (PIC) Coordinator. In his new role, Rick will support the 12 private landowners who have joined the PIC program and will recruit 5 more partners in conservation in the Highlands Corridor area.

Rick has lived in Haliburton County since 1997, originally working for Haliburton Forest as an outdoor educator, followed by 15 years with Fleming College as a faculty and coordinator of the Outdoor and Adventure Education program.

According to Rick: ”For many years I have enjoyed the outdoors recreationally and as a guide, interpreter, writer, and educator. The PIC Coordinator position is a great opportunity to give back to nature by supporting private landowner conservation efforts. I am especially excited to be involved in HHLT’s local conservation effort called the Highlands Corridor.”

Shelley Hunt, Chair of HHLT said: “We’re delighted to have Rick fulfill this important role. His experience and enthusiasm for the Highlands Corridor project will help attract further partners in conservation”.

Rick’s position will be funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Schad Foundation.

The Highlands Corridor covers approximately 100,000 hectares and connects three provincial parks in Ontario: Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands just south of Minden, Kawartha Highlands in northern Peterborough County and Silent Lake in Highlands East.  Biodiversity is rich in the Highlands Corridor with 40 Species at Risk, 25 provincially significant species and 43 regionally rare species.  Wetland representation is high at 17.9% including 4800 hectares of provincially significant wetlands.

The HHLT is seeking protection of the unceded crown land within the Highlands Corridor (~60,000 ha) as a Conservation Reserve, with the goal of protecting species at risk, providing a natural wildlife corridor, protecting wetland habitats, increasing biodiversity, and strengthening climate change resiliency.

The PIC program targets landowners committed to landscape conservation with properties that strategically bridge gaps between fragmented crown land within the Highlands Corridor.  The program provides a property tax incentive for a 10-year term through enrollment in Ontario’s Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program, assisting landowners in developing management plans with objectives of enhancing environmental protection and wildlife habitat.  The PIC program has been very successful with a current portfolio of 1740 ha of private land supporting the conservation effort.

For more information on the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust and the Partners in Conservation Program, please visit haliburtonlandtrust.ca or email info@haliburtonlandtrust.ca.

The Highlands Corridor Project launches at Queen’s Park

HHLT Queen's Park 11

Queen’s Park, Toronto, June 7: At a celebration at Queen’s Park today the Highlands Corridor Project was officially launched by the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT), a group of local Haliburton decision-makers and landowners who travelled to Toronto for the occasion, and a group of invited MPPs and key stakeholders.

“I am happy to help raise awareness for this project and host the Haliburton Highland Land Trust reception”, said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.

The Highlands Corridor extends across southern Haliburton and northern Peterborough counties, within the territory of the Williams Treaties First Nations. The Corridor covers over 100,000 ha of unceded public and private land, rich with wetlands, forests, wildlife communities, species at risk, and deep carbon deposits. Connecting three provincial parks (Queen Elizabeth II, Kawartha Highlands and Silent Lake), the Corridor offers a nature-based solution to building climate change resilience, protecting lands and waters, and maintaining biodiversity and natural connectivity.

Protecting the Highlands Corridor is the greatest opportunity to enhance habitat connectivity in Central and Southern Ontario.

MPPs from all political parties attended the reception. John Yakabuski, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks said: “Our government is proud to share the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust’s commitment to support the permanent protection of lands of ecological significance for future generations.”

Former MPP and former Warden of Haliburton County, Chris Hodgson, is a strong supporter of the Project and said: “HHLT’s initiative to protect the Highlands Corridor will enhance connectivity between Queen Elizabeth II Provincial Park and Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, creating an important wildlife corridor in south central Ontario and a huge opportunity for biodiversity conservation.”

The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust (HHLT) is requesting the 60,000 ha of unceded Crown land within the Corridor be protected as a conservation reserve. This initiative has strong local support with a resolution of support passed by the County of Haliburton on February 22 nd , 2023. Private landowners within the Highlands Corridor have also demonstrated support through partnering with the HHLT to steward another 1658 ha of private land within the Corridor.

March 3rd Meeting Recap – Introducing the Highlands Corridor

From left to right Paul Heaven, Christel Furniss, Klara Oyler, OTF rep, Laurie Scott, MPP, Shelley Hunt, Sheila Ziman and Ralph Baehre
From left to right Paul Heaven, Christel Furniss, Klara Oyler, OTF rep, Laurie Scott, MPP, Shelley Hunt, Sheila Ziman and Ralph Baehre

On March 3, 2023, over 50 people braved a winter storm warning to attend the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust’s presentation on the Highlands Corridor at the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association Fish Hatchery.

Shelley Hunt started the evening with a lovely new slideshow highlighting the work of HHLT. Photos of the five properties we own, manage and protect were shown in addition to photos of past and present educational events and research projects.  A summary of our research efforts segued perfectly into the Corridor presentation where Paul Heaven, HHLT project biologist took over.

Heaven explained the importance of the Highlands Corridor, giving an excellent overview of its ecological importance.  While the audience viewed the map of the Highlands Corridor, he revealed information on the research HHLT has done on Species at Risk, wetland mapping and provincially significant wetland complexes within the Highlands Corridor.  He emphasized the importance of the Corridor’s natural infrastructure in preventing flooding and maintaining biodiversity while also contributing to the area’s economy by drawing tourists all year round.

HHLT strategies for protecting the Corridor were outlined.  Heaven stressed that there would be no restrictions on private land within the Corridor, other than our Partners in Conservation – a totally voluntary program initiated by HHLT to engage private landowners in good stewardship. Participating landowners have an opportunity to enroll in the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP) and receive a ten-year property tax incentive for good stewardship. These landowners are crucial for helping to build connectivity between the three provincial parks within the Corridor.

Most importantly, HHLT is advocating that unceded Crown lands and waters within the Highlands Corridor be designated as a conservation reserve in order to enhance connectivity, maintain biodiversity and build resilience to climate change. As Chris Hodgson, former MPP and former Warden Haliburton County says, “HHLT’s initiative to protect the Highlands Corridor will enhance connectivity between Queen Elizabeth II Provincial Park and Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, creating an important wildlife corridor in south central Ontario and a huge opportunity for biodiversity conservation.”

The audience was also treated to spectacular aerial views of the Corridor when the video produced by Brad Brown of UpsideBrown was shown.

At the conclusion, there were several thoughtful questions from the audience.  Lillian Hall asked how the boundaries were determined.  Shelley Hunt replied, “This is really a starting point for negotiations.  The boundaries may be refined as we move forward in our discussions with other stakeholders.”  Dave Bathe wanted to know how someone became a Partner in Conservation. Heaven encouraged people to contact him if they were interested in participating in this program and enrolling in the MFTIP or if they had an existing plan that would be complementary to the program.

The event was also a recognition of funding ($9,100) from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to help HHLT develop a new strategic plan that addresses the need for recovery from the recent pandemic, enhances resilience to future disruptions and builds organizational capacity.  Shelley Hunt, HHLT chair, thanked MPP Laurie Scott and OTF representative, Klara Oyler, for their continued support of the Land Trust.

Through the strategic planning process, HHLT confirmed its purpose of protecting lands and waters in Haliburton County for future generations and prioritized its work on protecting unceded Crown lands and waters in the Highlands Corridor.

County Council Supports HHLT’s Conservation Efforts in the Highlands Corridor

On February 22, 2023, Shelley Hunt, Haliburton Highlands Land Trust’s (HHLT) chair and Paul Heaven, HHLT’s project biologist, gave a presentation to Haliburton County Council about the Highlands Corridor.

The Highlands Corridor is a significant wildlife corridor covering over 100,000 hectares of unceded public and private land, rich with wetlands, forest, wildlife communities, species at risk and deep carbon deposits. Connecting three provincial parks (Queen Elizabeth II, Silent Lake and Kawartha Highlands), the Corridor offers a nature-based solution to building climate change resilience, protecting lands and waters, and maintaining biodiversity.

The presentation explained the significance of the Corridor and HHLT’s strategy for protecting it. Following the presentation, several councillors praised HHLT’s conservation work and expressed their support of its efforts.

Questions were raised regarding the boundaries of the Highlands Corridor and the implications of designating Crown land as a conservation reserve, especially with regard to housing.

Shelley Hunt acknowledged their concerns about the potential for housing on Crown land and stressed that HHLT was primarily interested in protecting ecologically sensitive lands and waters and connectivity between the three provincial parks.  She agreed that housing was important and suitable sites on Crown land would need to be taken into consideration when defining the boundaries of the conservation reserve.

County Council concluded by passing a resolution to, “support in principle the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust and their efforts to better protect Crown lands and waters in the Highlands Corridor.  Haliburton County requests that they be consulted as boundaries of the Corridor are further refined and Crown lands that are to be protected as a conservation reserve are identified.”

HHLT looks forward to consulting with the County to understand housing opportunities within the Highlands Corridor, and work together to build climate change resilience, protect lands and waters and maintain biodiversity.