Size: 85-acres
Status: Not open to the public
Protected: December 6, 2023
Donors: Leslie & Irene Bruce in memory of their late son
In a significant conservation milestone, the Couchiching Conservancy is thrilled to announce the protection of the newly designated Mitchell Bruce Nature Reserve, an 85-acre property adjacent to the Alexander Hope Smith Nature Reserve. The property, generously donated by Leslie and Irene Bruce, officially transferred in December, marking a momentous achievement for environmental preservation in our community.
Landscape and Species:
- a beautiful mosaic of mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests;
- Has large areas of sedge and cattail wetland and open water;
- Home to species like Western Chorus Frog, Golden-winged Warbler, a variety of turtles and many others.
Visit this area:
The Mitchell Bruce Nature Reserve is not open to the public but the connecting nature reserve, Alexander Hope Smith, has a trail system. Please see that nature reserve page for information.
History of the landscape & information on Mitchell Bruce
The Bruce family has owned the property since 1946 as part of land purchased from Adelaide LeQuyer whose father Joseph came from Vaudreuil, Quebec in 1876 to settle along the Severn River at the mouth of the Black.
Mitchell Bruce was a passionate mathematics, science and physics teacher who worked in remote indigenous communities in Ontario and the Yukon Territory. His last teaching position was at the Tantalus Community School in Carmacks, Yukon. Carmacks is a small community of around 500 people located in south-central Yukon along the banks of the Yukon River. The people of Carmacks are predominantly Northern Tutchone and belong to the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.
Along with teaching the regular high school curriculum, Mitchell introduced additional subjects such as computer science and programming. His classes were small, and he worked with students to build, program and operate robotic devices to enter territorial and national Skills Canada competitions. Mitchell was a special teacher who built confidence in his students and taught them that they had the ability to accomplish ambitious goals and seek a better future for themselves and their community.
Mitchell enjoyed hiking, camping and boating on the Yukon River. He loved and respected the land and the indigenous people who inhabited it. Over the years, he spent time hiking and exploring Kluane National Park's mountain peaks, valley glaciers and northern wildlife. Our dearly missed son and brother passed away on a hike there, doing what he enjoyed most, on August 2, 2O21. This special reserve that is part of the territory of the Anishinaabeg is named in memory of him.