Celebrating Land Stewards
Private land owners like you care for much of the land in Haliburton County. Your woodlands, wetlands, and shorelines support fresh water and clean air. They provide food to hunt and forage, recreation and memories, and natural infrastructure to prevent floods and fires. They are home to thousands of species, some of whose populations are currently at risk. You care deeply for your land, and you are already providing a vital lifeline for the wildlife and people who rely on it.
But as habitat continues to be degraded and fragmented across the province, our wildlife needs more help. They need healthy ecosystems and free movement across the landscape to find food, raise their young, and find shelter. Landowners like you are the key to restoring and maintaining vital natural corridors these species need to survive. And we can help equip you to make an even greater difference.
Working together as a community, our natural heritage can be protected.
Join the growing conservation movement
53 Partners
9,000+ acres stewarded
Our Services
Our free program provides you with the professional guidance, practical services, and shared vision to bring your property's ecological potential to life. We don't just offer advice; we roll up our sleeves and work alongside you for the long-term.
Stewardship Consultations
Our experts will come to your property to learn about your land, how you want to manage it, then help you put together a plan to reach your objectives. All engagements are guided by you and your needs.
Educational Workshops & Resources
We hold frequent workshops on topics requested by our partners. Past topics have included sustainable trail building, invasive plant management, digital mapping, and more.
Stewardship Projects
We can help you plan, apply for funding, and provide labour for stewardship projects such as tree planting, native garden design, and invasive species control.
Fully Funded Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program Plans
Pending funding availability, we help select landowners committed to land stewardship receive up to a 75% tax break on eligible areas of their property by helping them develop formal stewardship plans through the Ontario Government’s Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP). HHLT has delivered over 18 end-to-end, fully funded MFTIP applications and management plans for local landowners since 2022.
2026 program availability to be announced.
Example Stewardship Projects
Planting a pollinator garden
Maintaining your trails responsibly
Naturalizing your shoreline
Mounting nesting boxes for birds and bats
Removing invasive species
Planting Trees
Benefits of joining our program
Flexible, Free, & Voluntary
Your land is your land. We’ve designed the program to be accessible, flexible, and low commitment. It doesn’t cost you anything and we will not insist you make any changes to your land. Participation does not affect your access, rights, or property values. Engage with us at your own pace!
Testimonials
"I believe we all need to strive in any way we can to protect our gifts of nature therefore I totally support the efforts of the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust who are striving to protect and preserve this incredible biodiversity in the Highlands Corridor."
Peter McGinn
"My wife Suri and I are very grateful to you and Shelley Hunt for your support, and helping us to apply for and receive MFTIP program benefits. We also thank Paul Heaven (Glenside Ecological Services) who helped at every step of the process to complete the application and prepare a comprehensive conservation plan for our two properties. We are delighted to know that Haliburton Highlands Land Trust is providing leadership in offering financial and procedural support for private land owners like us who are committed to protecting and improving the natural and ecological integrity and value of their private forest and wetlands."
Omeed and Suri Neekon
"My family and I spend quite a bit of time just walking on the land and learning from the land. No matter when I go I always learn something or see something I hadn't seen before. The land is a healing place for us as a family and I am so fortunate to be able to participate in the Haliburton Land Trust program, ensuring that the land will be protected for generations to come."
Nancy Cooper