(A photo of the Maple Cross Newlands Nature Reserve located south of Matawatchan Provincial Park in the Madawaska Highlands of North Frontenac Township. Photo: Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust.)
The Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) is proud to announce the permanent protection of the Maple Cross Newlands Nature Reserve – a 125-hectare (308-acre) property of exceptional ecological value in the rugged Madawaska Highlands of North Frontenac Township.
Located south of Matawatchan Provincial Park, the reserve is a flagship addition to MMLT’s protected lands. Its mature forests, rocky ridges, wetlands, and creeks support remarkable biodiversity. Preliminary surveys have already documented at least three species-at-risk, including Wood Thrush (threatened) and Eastern Wood-Pewee (special concern).
“This is an incredible win for nature in our region,” said Steve Kotze, President of MMLT. “It is thanks to the generosity of our community that we were able to act quickly to protect this property. Together with our partners, we’ve ensured this land will remain a thriving natural landscape.”
The property borders several hundred acres of provincial Crown land, creating a large contiguous natural area in the heart of the Highlands. With forest stands estimated at 80–120 years old, including roughly 10,000 mature sugar maples, the property provides important climate resilience and habitat connectivity.
The Newlands family have carefully stewarded the property since the 1960s, leaving it in pristine condition. In a statement, the family shared, “It is a source of gratitude and pride to have our family name associated forever with this remarkable property, knowing it will be maintained in a natural state by the Trust. It has been special to us, and it is comforting to know it will remain special forever.”
While there are no immediate plans for public trails, early stewardship will focus on detailed biological inventories, annual monitoring, and potential university research partnerships to better understand and protect its ecological values.
This acquisition was made possible through an extraordinary combination of community donations and major contributions from key funding partners, including the MapleCross Fund, Echo Foundation, and Ontario Conservation Accelerator.
With the addition of MapleCross Newlands, MMLT now protects over 4,000 acres of ecologically significant land across the Mississippi River and Madawaska River watersheds – safeguarding wildlife habitat, supporting biodiversity, and preserving eastern Ontario’s natural heritage for present and future generations.
