The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust is launching an online auction Nov. 17 in hopes of supporting its efforts to secure a sixth property for the conservation organization.
Spokesperson Sheila Ziman said the Land Trust has “an exciting opportunity” to purchase the Hadlington Reserve in Highlands East.
“It’s a 100-acre, undeveloped property with 3.5 km of natural river shoreline, forests, wetlands and rocky barrens and supports three turtles at-risk species” she said.
Ziman added they had secured $50,000 in federal government funding, and another $50,000 from the private Schad Foundation. They hope to line up support from other grants and foundations but need to raise $75,000 to complete the purchase by the end of the year.
The online auction will go until Dec. 8 and they’ve created a fundraising campaign on CanadaHelps.
“This is an important step forward for conservation in Haliburton County,” Ziman said.
If successful, it would be the Land Trust’s first property in Highlands East.
Ziman said it is a “rare and urgent” opportunity to protect the property, which she described as “100 acres of untouched wilderness identified as a high priority in the Highlands Corridor.”
As part of the Highlands Corridor project, the Land Trust is working with private landowners and donors. Biologist Paul Heaven reviewed properties and prioritized them, preferring large tracts, with speciesat-risk, near other protected areas, such as Crown land, or a provincial park, or another Land Trust property.
Ziman said the Hadlington property came up in Heaven’s research because of Crown Land on three sides.
“When I think of the Highlands Corridor, I think of it like a puzzle and each of our partners in conservation is like a puzzle piece that goes in and connects to the next piece.”
She said this land, if put in place, would connect the three pieces of Crown land to enhance the wildlife corridor. She noted the property is perfect to sequester carbon, which is important to the Land Trust and County.
Ziman said the current owner is moving on and wishes to see the property preserved, offering them first priority for purchase.
The land features pristine forests, 11.5 hectares of wetland, and 3.5 kilometres of shoreline along the Irondale River and the Hadlington Creek. Many uncommon species, such as Eastern Hog-Nosed Snakes, Black Ash, and Lungwort Lichen, can be found there.
This would be the first-ever Land Trust purchase. It’s also never done a fundraising campaign to purchase a property. Ziman said the land is appraised at $270,000. The Land Trust also has to set aside funds to ensure it is protected in perpetuity.
Visit bit.ly/48vQgFF to learn more, make a direct donation, or join the Land Trust’s upcoming fundraising auction. The link for registration is: app.galabid.com/ hhltholidayevent.
