A generous donation of land from the estate of a late Northumberland County man is ensuring the protection and expansion of key nature areas.
Tuesday morning, the Nature Conservancy of Canada announced the estate gift from the late James Massie, which permanently protects 61 hectares of ecologically significant land in the Rice Lake Plains.
This donation expands the Hazel Bird Nature Reserve near Baltimore, Ontario, to 215 hectares, safeguarding rare habitats like black oak savannah and tallgrass prairie, and supporting native species and restoration efforts across Northumberland County.
The NCC stated this land holds both ecological and personal significance, as Massie knew Hazel Bird herself, and remnants of her iconic bluebird box network remain on the property.
“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,” a release from the NCC stated.
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 NCC thanks Massie for his generosity and for making these milestones possible.
(BROCK ORMOND)
