(PHOTO: Michael MacPherson, former MMLT board instrumental in securing the land, Carolyn Canfield, and Ian Campbell, neighbour and long time friend to Carolyn. They’re standing in front of the whaleback formation of glacier-sculpted Canadian Shield. Photo courtesy of Janet Mason.)
On Friday, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) honoured Carolyn Canfield for her generous donation of the 15.7 acre Whaleback Woodland Reserve in the Carp Hills in West Carleton.
Carolyn gave a passionate speech about the importance of preserving our biodiversity and letting the land evolve naturally. In the photo Carolyn is standing in front of the largest whaleback formation on the property. The Friends of the Carp Hills will assist MMLT by providing stewardship and oversight of the Reserve. You can read more about the Whaleback Woodland Reserve here…
For over forty years property owner Carolyn Canfield has been interested in permanent conservation of important ecological lands, particularly those facing mounting recreational and residential pressures.
The Carp Hills comprise almost 10,000 acres of environmentally significant forests, wetlands, and rock barren uplands in the rural northwest of the City of Ottawa. This largely undeveloped area supports a Canadian Shield ecosystem similar to that found in Gatineau Park and parts of Algonquin Park. The area is divided into many large, undeveloped lots. The City of Ottawa owns about 2,200 acres or one fifth of the area, with the remainder in private hands. MMLT is partnered with the Friends of the Carp Hills who share the goal of connecting the patchwork of City-owned land parcels into a contiguous, protected area. The Friends will serve as stewards of the Reserve, assisting MMLT in monitoring the property.
