Chelsea Marcantonio/NCC

New protected lands expand Hazel Bird Nature Reserve

Baltimore, ON– A gift in a will protects 61 hectares of ecologically significant land in the Rice Lake Plains and delivers big conservation impact for Northumberland County. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has announced the receipt of an estate gift of land from James Massie, ensuring the permanent protection of a biologically rich site and expanding the Hazel Bird Nature Reserve, a community treasure that features four kilometres of walking trails, to 215 hectares.

The expansion protects a remarkable range of habitats, from restored tall grass prairie to spring-fed headwater wetlands, and spans a four-kilometre cross-section of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

The gifted property lies immediately south of the existing nature reserve and includes forest, sand barrens and provincially significant wetlands. It supports a diversity of native species and contains remnant tall grass and oak savannah communities that are rich with prairie plants, such as savannah grass, sand dropseed and New Jersey tea.

Its proximity to the Hazel Bird Nature Reserve, a signature site for tallgrass prairie restoration, means its protection helps sustain a large example of globally rare black oak savannah and woodland habitat. This project builds on conservation efforts in the Rice Lake Plains and Northumberland County, where NCC and local partners have been working to restore habitats for many years. The newly expanded reserve is also being managed as a source of native tall grass seed to support habitat restoration initiatives across the region, thanks to generous support from the Greenbelt Foundation and from the Government of Canada, through the federal Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk.

NCC staff first met James Massie more than a decade ago when the organization began habitat restoration efforts at the Hazel Bird Nature Reserve. After learning more about the work being done, Massie came to appreciate the ecological goals behind the project. In 2022, he informed NCC that he had included a gift of land in his will.

The property also holds personal significance: Massie knew Hazel Bird herself, and remnants of her iconic bluebird box network remain on the land. With this bequest, the reserve named in her honour continues to grow, both in size and in ecological importance, and creates a lasting legacy for generations to come.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is grateful to the late James Massie, whose vision and generosity made this conservation achievement possible, and to the many private donors who also supported this project.

Quotes

“The Nature Conservancy of Canada is proud and honoured that Mr. Massie has entrusted this property to NCC, and we’re thrilled about its direct connection to the Hazel Bird Nature Reserve. We are looking forward to restoring tallgrass ecosystems, such as oak savannah, on this fantastic property, a conservation outcome we know Mr. Massie wanted for his land.” – Mark Stabb, Program Director – Central Ontario East, Nature Conservancy of Canada

Facts

• This bequest brings the total area of conservation land protected directly by NCC in the Rice Lake Plains and Northumberland County to more than 1,200 hectares.
• Habitat and restoration activities planned for the property include mapping of tall grass remnants, removal of some trash and debris, controlling non-native invasive species, and planting and seeding projects.
• Leaving a gift to NCC in your will is a powerful way to make a lasting impact, safeguarding habitats and species for generations to come. For more information on these types of gifts, please contact planned.giving@natureconservancy.ca. About

As Canada’s largest environmental charity, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has worked with partners to conserve natural landscapes since 1962. Together, we deliver solutions to address the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change through large-scale and long-term conservation. We create lasting change for the planet and its people by partnering with Indigenous Nations and communities, governments and businesses around shared interests. Nature makes it possible. To learn more, visit natureconservancy.ca

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Contact

Brianne Curry Communications Manager, Ontario Nature Conservancy of Canada brianne.curry@natureconservancy.ca 519-520-1340