November 10, 2003, Toronto

Stopping the bulldozer and the chainsaw in the country’s most threatened ecological region is the daily mission of Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) - and they do it with the voluntary support of landowners.

Carolinian Canada today presented a Conservation Award recognizing NCC’s immense achievements in protecting key natural areas across the Carolinian zone—a unique ecological region lying south of Toronto and Grand Bend. Home to Prickly Pear Cactus, Opossum, Sassafras and Magnolia trees and other wildlife found nowhere else in Canada, the zone has the greatest biological diversity in Canada—and the greatest number of rare and endangered species.

"NCC has made astounding progress in the last few years securing many ecological gems across the Carolinian zone," said John Ambrose, Vice-Chair of Carolinian Canada. "Many of these sites were identified for protection over 20 years ago and their acquisition is a significant step for the natural health of Canada’s most populated region."

In 1998, NCC identified the Carolinian zone as a priority area for action in securing habitat, using a landscape approach and building on its 40 year history in the area. NCC uses creative deal-making to purchase land and strike cooperative agreements with landowners – for results you can walk on.

"The Nature Conservancy relies on effective partnerships for its conservation success," said John Grant, NCC's Ontario Director, "and Carolinian Canada is a great example of a collaborative effort protecting some of our country's very best habitat. NCC is honoured to be the recipient of Carolinian Canada's Conservation Award for our achievements in this special area."

Among the sites NCC has protected are several of the 38 critical unprotected natural areas identified by Carolinian Canada in 1984, as well as, Core Natural Areas identified in the Big Picture, a vision for natural heritage in the Carolinian zone.

• Middle Island, Essex County: NCC made a successful $1.3 M bid at auction to protect Canada’s southernmost land mass from American resort development in 1999. Middle Island is now managed as part of Point Pelee National Park.
• Clear Creek Forest, Municipality of Chatham-Kent: Over 800 acres of old growth Carolinian forest, savanna, pristine shoreline bluffs, endangered species habitat and some of the largest trees in Southern Ontario were threatened by logging until purchased by NCC in 2000. An adjacent 111-acre farm entered into a conservation easement with NCC – a first for the municipality – demonstrating NCC’s and Carolinian Canada’s goal of balancing conservation with surrounding land uses.
• Bickford Oak Woods, Lambton County: Last year, NCC acquired the largest remaining private woodlot in a county with a mere 8% forest cover. The 762-acre purchase, just south of Sarnia, yielded a ground-breaking discovery: Swamp Cottonwood, a new tree species for Canada.
• NCC has secured globally and nationally rare habitats at critical sites such as Stone Road Alvar on Pelee Island and Oxley Poison Sumac Swamp in Essex County.

Harnessing the best science and the latest technology, NCC has become a leader in Big Picture landscape protection of Natural Cores and Corridors. NCC’s Great Lakes Conservation Blueprint will identify a portfolio of sites to protect wildlife and habitats for all time. Recently, NCC has jumped to the forefront of leading-edge habitat restoration with the largest ‘Pit and Mound’ reforestation project in North America at Clear Creek Forest. NCC is committed to ongoing protection of Canada’s unique Carolinian ecosystems with long-term, landscape-level strategies at many key Carolinian sites.

Carolinian Canada is a 20-year-old coalition of over 40 public sector and non-government organizations aimed at conserving the wildlife and habitats of southwest Ontario’s Carolinian zone. The partnership includes federal and provincial departments and ministries, conservation authorities, naturalists' groups, agricultural groups and stewardship councils.

Each year Carolinian Canada presents awards for conservation and education efforts related to the special natural heritage of the Carolinian zone by recognizing outstanding contributions by individuals, corporations, non-profit organizations and government organizations.

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