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Community-led conservation
ON THE HIKING ROUTE to Cape Spear, one of Canada’s
most iconic landmarks, you’ll find NCC’s newest nature
reserve in Newfoundland and Labrador. The 98-hectare
(243-acre) reserve protects forest and undeveloped coastline
in Freshwater Bay, just minutes from St John’s. The
Freshwater Bay conservation project was completed with
the help of many donors new to NCC, including the Sisters
of Mercy of Newfoundland.
ANNUAL REPORT 2018–2019
“We are pleased to become part of the network of members
of the St. John’s community, led by NCC, to conserve and
steward this land,” says Sister Elizabeth Davis. “In so doing,
we are becoming more accountable for doing what is right
and good for the protection of the Earth. We extend deep
gratitude to the Nature Conservancy of Canada for giving
us the privilege of participating in this endeavour.”
Freshwater Bay is a popular destination for nature
lovers. The property is located along the East Coast Trail;
a spectacular, internationally renowned, 300-kilometre
hiking trail. The Freshwater Bay Nature Reserve is NCC’s
eleventh on the island of Newfoundland. It provides
an important land buffer for nearby seabird colonies of
black-legged kittiwakes, black guillemots, herring gulls
and great black-backed gulls.
FINDING FOOTING ON CANADA’S GRASSLANDS
Joan Feather is a hero for grasslands in Saskatchewan.
“Native grasslands in Saskatchewan are so important to
me because they appeal to my head and to my heart,” she
says. “I roamed the grassland hills as a child, left that all
behind for many years, and returned only to discover that
my heart and soul are intimately bound to these places.”
Grasslands provide habitat for pollinators, control
flooding and protect the quality and security of drinking
water for people living in Canada’s Prairie provinces.
The diversity of habitat that grasslands provide has not
gone unnoticed by Joan, who recognizes that in order to
provide a future for these species, we need to ensure
grasslands are protected.
“My head knows that they are rich in biodiversity and
amazingly resilient. They provide vital ecological services,
and they are an essential part of our rural economy and
heritage,” she explains. “The Nature Conservancy of
Canada provides an opportunity for me to put my money
where my heart is, to help conserve these places where
my heart sings.”
Joan Feather is a shining example of thousands of NCC
donors who support our work from coast to coast to coast.
Total area saved in 2018-2019
Forest
10,944
hectares
(by habitat type)
Grassland
1,987
hectares
Marine
209,724
hectares