The Couchiching Conservancy has permanently protected the Blackwell Brady Clark Nature Reserve, a 30-hectare (74-acre) property located just 1.44 kilometres west of Washago, Ontario. This newly secured reserve is a significant step toward connecting two of the region’s most important natural corridors: the Matchedash Wildlands and the Black River Wildlands.
The property is a mix of wetland, deciduous forest, marsh and rock barren. It borders the Severn River, which flows into the Trent-Severn Canal and eventually into Lake Couchiching (Gwajienjawjiing, an Anishinaabemowin word meaning “a place where a force merges or squeezes through”). This strategic location increases the conservation value of the surrounding landscape and ensures greater resilience for wildlife and ecosystems. There are 13 Species at Risk who would rely on this landscape for habitat.
The reserve also links directly to two other protected areas: the Thomas C. Agnew Nature Reserve (34 hectares / 85 acres, protected in 2011) and the Fawcett Nature Reserve (38 hectares / 93 acres, protected in 1991). Together, these reserves create an expanded conservation complex of over 200 hectares (252 acres).
Agnew and Fawcett Nature Reserves host the Conservancy’s most diverse bat monitoring program to date, recording the highest diversity of bat species across all Conservancy lands. Species at risk found here include the Little Brown Bat (Endangered) and the Tri-colored Bat (Endangered). The addition of the Blackwell Brady Clark Nature Reserve strengthens habitat connectivity and enables wildlife movement between the eastern and western conservation strategies of the Couchiching Conservancy.
The reserve is named in recognition of the Blackwell, Brady, and Clark families, whose decision to protect this land with The Couchiching Conservancy ensures it will remain wild forever. Their generosity reflects a legacy of stewardship and deep ties to the natural heritage of the region.
“Each new reserve tells a story,” said Dorthea Hangaard, Executive Director of The Couchiching Conservancy. “This one is about families who cared for the land and wanted to give something lasting to their community and to nature. Thanks to their vision, and to our partners, this reserve will protect critical habitats and connect vital corridors for generations to come.”
The protection of the Blackwell Brady Clark Nature Reserve was made possible through funding from the Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP), part of Canada’s Nature Fund, and the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, an initiative of the Government of Ontario administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.
“We’re excited to support land protection near Washago, Ontario, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program. Thanks to our work with The Couchiching Conservancy, 30 hectares are now permanently protected, helping connect important wildlife corridors and habitat for species at risk. It’s a meaningful step toward building a stronger, more resilient environment.”
– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature
“The Blackwell Brady Clark Nature Reserve is a great example of how we’re working with partners to protect Ontario’s natural heritage,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature. “Through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, we’re making sure important landscapes like this remain healthy and resilient for the benefit of communities today and for generations to come.”
“I’m so pleased to congratulate The Couchiching Conservancy on the creation of its newest nature reserve, made possible through support from the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, and Wildlife Habitat Canada. This investment will help protect critical habitats and biodiversity, while preserving the beautiful natural spaces that make our region such a special place to live. The Conservancy’s tireless work shows the power of partnership between community organizations and government to create lasting environmental benefits. I want to thank The Couchiching Conservancy for its leadership and continued dedication to protecting the lands and wildlife that define Simcoe North.” – MPP Jill Dunlop
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About The Couchiching Conservancy:
The Couchiching Conservancy is a non-profit, non-government land trust dedicated to protecting nature for future generations. Since 1993, the Conservancy has secured more than 15,200-acres of critical habitat across the Couchiching region, providing safe haven for species at risk, strengthening ecological corridors, and connecting people with nature through trails and programs.
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program:
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership program is the single largest provincial fund to secure private land in Ontario. This unique program, administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, leverages non-governmental dollars to acquire, restore and manage privately owned natural areas such as wetlands, grasslands and forests. For every dollar of provincial funding provided, grant recipients match it with a minimum of $2 from other conservation partners, including individual donors, foundations and other levels of government. Since 2020, the Ontario government has invested $58 million into the program, which has helped to protect over 430,000 acres (174,310 hectares) of private land across the province – more than 2.75 times the size of Toronto
About Ontario Land Trust Alliance:
Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) focuses on providing community, knowledge sharing and support to land trusts across Ontario. It empowers and supports highly effective, well-governed land trusts that engage their communities to protect forests, wetlands, nature, and water sources and provide natural climate solutions. OLTA builds capacity through training and educational programs, connecting land trusts to each other, resources, and their communities, leading and supporting on-the-ground conservation work, sharing knowledge and best practices, reducing financial barriers to land conservation, promoting organizational excellence, providing access to current research and acting as a voice for land trusts among the public, governments, and other rightsholders.
Our impact is Ontario-wide through 51 connected charities and communities. OLTA’s local land trust members currently collectively own and steward over 2,000 natural areas and green spaces across Ontario, with the leadership of thousands of supporters and volunteers annually. To support your local land trust, visit: www.OLTA.ca.
Natural Heritage Conservation Program:
The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique partnership
that supports the creation and recognition of protected and conserved areas through the acquisition of private land and private interest in land. To date, the Government of Canada has invested more than $500 million in the Program, which has been matched with more than $1 billion in contributions raised by Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community leading to the protection and conservation of more than 840,000 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands.