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Glen
ANNUAL REPORT 2018–2019
Estill remembers his mother’s wisdom
fondly, including her belief that ensuring a future for
nature meant supporting its future caretakers.
He describes playing with his three brothers along
the rocky sand beaches in Grundy Provincial Park in
Ontario, as the waves from Lake Huron lapped onto the
shore. It was a favourite spot of the Estill family.
“It was one of the first places my parents took us
camping. I remember the granite and the loons,” he recalls.
“We went all over the place when I was growing up. We did
a lot of hiking around lakes and up mountains.”
Glen’s intimate relationship with nature and his passion
for protecting it began on these campgrounds and were
fostered by his late mother, Ann.
For the last 15 years, Glen has lived in Lion’s Head, on
the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula. This is an area Ann and her
family came to know well after she and her husband, Don,
came to Canada.
“It was always taught to me that nature needs to be
protected and that in order to survive, we need a lot of it,”
explains Glen.
Throughout her life, Ann was passionate about the future
of Canada’s landscapes and supporting the work that goes
into protecting them. She was instrumental in helping with
some of the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s)
conservation efforts on Manitoulin Island. Ann also invested
in future conservationists through NCC’s Conservation
Internship Program.
“She was a former [United Church] Minister and had a
lot of experience working with youth groups,” recalls Glen.
“So when the opportunity came to support youth and
nature, she jumped at it.”
Ann supported both the 2017 and 2018 intern programs
and intended on donating to the 2019 program when she
passed away. Before her death, she met several of the interns
she helped fund. She always commented on how inspiring it
was to talk to such bright, enthusiastic and committed young
people working toward a career in conservation. Honouring
their mother’s wishes, Glen and his brothers have worked
with NCC to fulfill her intent and carry out her legacy.
“The intern program brings together youth with a deep
understanding and passion for nature conservation. It is
my hope that, through this program, the interns will gain
the experience they need to help conserve Canada’s
landscapes. I also hope that mom’s gift will help to inspire
others to support this program too,” says Glen.
Lauren Moretto and Glen Estill
IN THE LAST YEAR, NCC provided work experience for
86 young conservation professionals, thanks to support
from the Government of Canada under the Green Jobs
Initiative. Learn more at www.conservationinterns.ca.
Lauren Moretto’s internship out of Central Ontario
West, specifically at NCC’s Happy Valley Forest, this
summer was made possible by Ann’s gift to NCC.
“This internship is providing me with practical experience
for habitat management for wildlife in a rapidly
urbanizing area, and thus complements my master’s
research on landscape level management of natural bat
habitat in urban environments,” Lauren says. “Each day,
I’m contributing to the protection of significant habitat
within the Happy Valley Forest, through invasive species
removal, species monitoring and outreach.”
Through her gift to NCC’s internship program, Ann
made it evident how much she cared for the future leaders
of conservation. Her generosity toward protecting natural
places in Canada and fostering greater educational
opportunities for youth has made a permanent impact on
the future of conservation.
“I feel that I’m developing a bigger picture approach to
addressing conservation in urban areas, which is critical
for effective conservation,” Lauren states. “This internship
is providing me with experience on important aspects of
conservation. I believe that I can use these skills to design
and implement effective strategies for conservation.”
The generous support of donors like Ann Estill and
her family is an investment in the next generation of
Canada’s conservation leaders.
“I was fortunate enough to meet Glen on the Bruce
Peninsula,” says Lauren. “He is a very soft-spoken, kind
individual and is passionate about sustainability and green
living. I told him how much his family’s contributions
meant to me for my future.
“Throughout my career, I want to work toward effectively
balancing the sustainable growth of cities with environmental
protection. My time with NCC developing this ’big picture’
approach will help me achieve this.”