The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust has seen the positive momentum of the Highlands Corridor conservation project grow in the past few months. Letters of support or passed resolutions have been submitted from a variety of stakeholders including the County of Haliburton, the Municipality of Trent Lakes, Kawartha Conservation and both Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners’ Association and North Kawartha Lakes Association.
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
Diverse groups like the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) recognize the value of this project by stating in their endorsement letter that, “the OFAH feels strongly that the Highlands Corridor initiative is a true win-win for conservation and for the people of Ontario.”
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Most recently, the Nature Conservancy of Canada has endorsed the project and state that, “protecting this important wildlife corridor contributes to the health of our lakes. Healthy lakes support a variety of wildlife habitats and contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of our community. We understand the importance of private landowner support for this initiative and commend the Land Trust’s Partners in Conservation program.”
Partners in Conservation Program
The number of Partners in Conservation (PIC) continues to grow with private landowners joining the PIC program taking advantage of the complimentary Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MFTIP) offered by the HHLT through a grant from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada. Other landowners have joined the PIC program, without the benefit of the MFTIP grant because their conservation interests are aligned with those of the HHLT and the Highlands Corridor. It appears that the concept of the Highlands Corridor as a nature-based solution to building climate change resilience, protecting lands and waters, and maintaining biodiversity is resonating with a wide range of individuals and groups!
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