NCC-AR-EN-DIgital-v3

26
ANNUAL REPORT 2018–2019
LEAVING A LEGACY
Marianne Girling’s passion for nature and philanthropy
lives on through a generous gift in her Will.
Deep in the heart of Essex County in Ontario is a property
bustling with rare wetlands and meadows teeming with
wildlife. The 41 hectares (102 acres) here are nestled just
northeast of the community of Harrow, where the land
meets the water along Cedar Creek.
Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, the late Marianne
Featherstonhaugh Girling grew up exploring the fields
and waters of Essex County. Her passion for philanthropy
was inherited from her mother, who taught her the
importance of giving back and doing your part. During her
life, Marianne spent decades as a professional volunteer
— in her church, hospital and grassroots community
organizations.
And it was her father, Murray, to whom she attributed
her spirit of adventure and passion for nature. He instilled
in her a lifelong love of the Lake of Bays, where she would
spend summers paddling and swimming near the family
cottage in Muskoka.
Her commitment to helping protect precious areas
was something she would pass on to her children and
grandchildren, whom she would take out into nature
every chance she could.
“When you grow up with a strong role model as a mother,
a love for nature becomes part of who you are,” says Karen
Girling, Marianne’s daughter.
Marianne’s legacy gift to the Nature Conservancy of
Canada (NCC) reflects her love for the region where she
grew up. A new conservation property, which serves as
important habitat to numerous species, has been named
in her honour. The Marianne Girling Nature Reserve was
made possible by a generous gift in her Will.
“She would be so happy to know that people can walk
through the land she helped to protect, exploring nature
in the same ways she did growing up.”
Marianne’s lifelong love of nature and her commitment
to community inspired her to leave a donation to NCC to
support habitat conservation in Ontario. Her gift has gone
toward protecting a part of a Provincially Significant
Wetland that is home to species designated under the
Species at Risk Act, such as barn swallow, eastern
foxsnake, monarch, short-eared owl and yellow-breasted
chat. Conserving this land means adding to an important
connected stretch of habitat along Cedar Creek that
includes Marshfield Woods, a large forest and Area of
Natural and Scientific Interest.
The land here is now linked to Marianne’s identity. Her
gift is ensuring that her memory and passion for nature live
on and inspire others to protect nature for the future.
“She walked the talk. Whether she was swinging an
axe at the cottage or outside jogging, she always wanted
people to have the same opportunities she had growing
up exploring nature.”
Marianne’s gift has contributed to the Landmark
Campaign, the most ambitious fundraising initiative in
NCC’s 57-year history. One of the goals of the Landmark
Campaign is to inspire future generations to extend our
legacy and lead more conservation efforts in communities
across the country, something Marianne was passionate
about throughout her life.
“I hope that her donation will trigger in people’s minds
to do what they can to conserve land,” says Karen. “I would
love to see people think about the future of the land and
how to conserve it in perpetuity to honour Canada’s
natural heritage.”
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR LEGACY:
www.natureconservancy.ca/legacy.
Marianne Girling
passed on her
love of nature to
her children and
grandchildren.