Social Networking - Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust

MISSISSIPPI MADAWASKA LAND TRUST
2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Cover photo of the
Keddy Nature Sanctuary
by Simon Lunn
President’s Message
For me - a poignant moment. Stan Errett, a founding member, is stepping down from the Board. What
a yeoman service he provided. Stan, as long as he draws breath, will be physically and spiritually available
in unwavering support. I can’t help but reflect on the founding group of which he was a part. I do so only
because Stan, like all of us, rejoices in the knowledge that others have and will join the board who have the
skills and vision to take us to the next plateau. Volunteers continue to join us and the expertise, experience,
and dedication they bring to this magnificent cause is breath-taking. MMLT is in good hands!!
That small founding group came together with such impossible dreams. If I were able to time-travel back
and show them MMLT’s accomplishments, I know there would be hugs and shedding of tears. They were
a people of vision. Illustrative was their belief that their goals were to protect for all times the beauty and
majesty of our wilderness areas along with the companion goal of using wilderness as a healing backdrop
to meet the physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual needs of people. I know of no other land
trust that captured this duality of purpose as clearly as MMLT.
Our founders believed biodiversity was protected, not by looking for the odd species at risk here and
there, but by preserving large tracks of wilderness with a rich variety of habitats wherein species can
prosper and thrive. Today MMLT ranks in the top 5 land trusts in Ontario in the number of acres under protection. Where else, close to
major urban centres, will you find the stark beauty, wildness, and inspiration found in these sacred spots?
They also believed, that unless people experience nature they will not love it and you don’t protect what you don’t know and value.
MMLT properties have enticed thousands of visitors, young and old, to discover for themselves how nature reaches and addresses our
hidden hungers.
There is a unity. Children today and children of tomorrow share the common need to be nourished by nature. The founding members,
members today, and future members down the vista of time join in an unbroken unity. What a legacy!!!
HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014
LOOKING AHEAD
•• In 2014 we finalized two additional conservation easements, bringing our total of •• We have formed a partnership with the Friends
conservation lands to 2180 acres.
of Huntley Highlands to launch our new Carp
Hills initiative to preserve wilderness land
•• We were the recipients of a number of grants which allowed us to work on some exciting
in the Carp Hills and to help landowners
projects we’ve wanted to do for a while. These included the High Lonesome Woodlands
understand the role they can play. The Carp
Ecosystem Restoration Project as well as our Soundcapes Project for bioacoustic
Hills Opportunity Fund has been set up with
monitoring of wildlife on our properties and for introducing the public to new ways of
an initial donation of more than $50,000 to
listening to that natural world.
be used for expenses directly linked to the
•• We completed the second year of the Capacity Building project funded by the Ontario
acquisition or donation of land or to the
Trillium Foundation, a project that has had a significant impact on MMLT’s capabilities.
establishment of conservation easements in
the Carp Hills.
•• We hosted a variety of interesting events on our properties to introduce people to these
beautiful places. At High Lonesome we held our first-ever Creativity Blitz to encourage •• Mountain Equipment Co-op awarded us a
visitors to let nature inspire them to be creative with dramatic results: poetry, eco-art,
$11,950 grant in December 2014 to repurpose
music, painting and nature journaling.
the garage at High Lonesome Nature Reserve
into a Visitors’ Welcome Centre. This will allow
•• In June, MMLT hosted a successful BioBlitz on the newly acquired Keddy Nature Sanctuary.
visitors to enjoy to the fullest all the nature
•• The fall Nature is Sense-ational event focused on exploring nature with all the senses.
appreciation and recreation opportunities
•• We developed a Property Monitoring Procedure to guide us to ensure that we fulfill
on the property.. We’ll be looking to our
our responsibility to steward the properties under our care and we began training some
supporters to participate fully in this project
volunteers to help us.
with donations of materials and time to make
this project a reality.
•• We shortened our name, developed a new logo and launched a new website filled with
representative photographs of our properties and information on all aspects of our •• With the great success of the 2014 Creativity
operations and events.
Blitz at High Lonesome
we’ve planned
Creativity Blitz 2015, on Saturday, May 2,
•• We joined the social network with a Facebook page where you’ll also find details of our
2015.
other events and projects posted there.
MMLT Annual Report
Page 1
2014 Financial Report
YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2014 ASSETS
Cash
Accounts receivable
Prepaid expenses
Restricted cash
2014
2013
$76,715$68,093
4,047
4,591
510
—
52,227
—
Property
Nature Reserves
Conservation Easements
Total Assets
200,000
200,000
597,501
342,500
$931,000 $615,184
LIABILITIES
Accounts payable
3,463
2,428
Deferred restricted contributions 52,227
Deferred operating revenues
Total Liabilities
Net Assets
—
24,873
28,691
$80,563
$31,119
$850,437
$584,065
MMLT Registered Charity #87859 1007 RR0001
Grants
Ontario Trillium Foundation $38,000
Year two of a two-year grant to build our capacity in four key areas:
• long term financial stability through enhanced fundraising;
• partnership development with a focus on the community use of the lands under MMLT protection;
• improved communications and outreach; and
• the establishment of a volunteer management program.
Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund $9,800
The High Lonesome Woodlands Ecosystem Restoration Project involved the planting of 3000 native tree and shrub seedlings in several
areas of High Lonesome Nature Reserve formerly used for pasturing and for log clearing. Some interpretive signage was also funded.
Shell Fuelling Change $10,000
MMLT was voted by the general public as a runner-up in this Shell Environmental Fund contest. It allowed us to purchase more equipment
and hire a technician to expand our bio-acoustic monitoring program. It also provided funding for more outreach programs.
Ottawa Sustainability Fund $4,000
The Community Foundation of Ottawa awarded a grant from its Ottawa Sustainability Fund to install interpretive signage along the network
of trails at High Lonesome Nature Reserve. This funding addresses MMLT’s goal to use its protected properties for nature education.
MMLT Annual Report
Page 2
2014 Financial Report
2014 Revenues: $93,358
OPERATING REVENUE
2014
Donations & membership
2013
$30,014
$26,826
50,323
53,245
Event income
11,555
12,802
Investment income/Misc
1,466
8,589
Grants
Donations &
memberships
Grants
Event income
Investment
income/Misc.
TOTAL REVENUE
S93,358
WHERE YOUR DONATIONS WENT 2014
Projects and programs
$101,462
$67,018
$57,592
Property care
2,076
8,513
Admin & management
8,448
7,310
Fundraising
4,443
4,817
$81,987
$78,232
TOTAL EXPENSES
2014 Expenditures: $81,897
2013
Projects &
programs
Property care
Admin &
management
Fundraising
MMLT HISTORICAL FINANCIAL TREND
Non-Property Assets
$160,000
$140,000
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
2004
2005
EverGreen
Circle
of Monthly
Givers
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
In late 2014, MMLT established the EverGreen Circle, a group of regular supporters who have their donations
automatically deducted on the same day each month. For as little as $10 a month, you can join the EverGreen
Circle and your MMLT membership will be renewed automatically each year – no need for reminders from us.
Pre-Authorized Debit is not only more convenient for members; it also helps provide ongoing predictable
donations which are crucial to MMLT’s stability. It allows us to focus more of our efforts on nature conservation,
helping to keep the lands you love Ever Green, Ever Wild.
MMLT Annual Report
Page 3
Two New Protected Properties
KEDDY NATURE SANCTUARY
The Keddy Nature Sanctuary is a 530-acre property
located in the northeastern corner of Drummond-North
Elmsley Township, between Perth and Carleton Place. It lies
within the Scotch Corners Provincially Significant Wetland
Complex, a rich wildlife haven.
Owners Paul & Cathy Keddy, both professional ecologists,
have been nurturing this property for 30 years and to
ensure that it is conserved permanently have put it under a
conservation easement agreement with MMLT.
CLYDELANDS
Clydelands is a one hundred acre wilderness property in
the northwest corner of Lanark Highlands. In the spring of
2014, it was placed under the protection of a conservation
easement agreement by Gray and Aileen Merriam.
This land is among the most rugged, wild and natural in the
county. It is traversed by the Middle Branch of Clyde Creek
which flows through a broad rock strewn valley bounded on
its sides by several 200 to 250 foot domed rocky hills with
many near vertical cliffs.
2014 Nature Education Activities
Blueberry
e Walks on
nnual Natur
her’s Day.
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on
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MMLT Annual Report
At several events Chad Clifford, our bioacoustic monitoring technician,demonstrated
our Soundscaping equipment.
The new Hemlock Trail was
featured on our tour of Rose
Hill Nature Reserve at our
August Nature Walk
Michael Runtz entertained
the crowd at our Annual
Dinner with a great
presentation about beavers
In early June w
e held a Bioblit
z at the
Keddy Nature
Sanctuary
At the Nature
Is Sense-ationa
l event at High
Lonesome we
explored natu
re with our se
with a special
nses,
focus on the te
xtures of fung
i
Page 4
Our Sincere Appreciation
THANKS TO OUR MAJOR DONORS
Champions
($5,000+ annually)
Land Preservers
($500+ annually)
Supporters
($100+ annually)
Joel Byrne
Janet Mason
Judy Buehler & Frank Roy
Anne Cameron
Bobby & John Clarke
Jim Albert
Sally Brown & Gene Nyberg
Anne Charles
Liz DeSnaijer
Janet & Bruce Duncan
Susan Gibson
Linda Harvey & John Drozdowski
Richard Hofer
Steve & Rosemary Kotze
Kamila Cislerova & Martin Lastovka
Michael & Jean Macpherson
Pauline Macpherson
Veronica Airth & John Miller
Noel & Janet Noyes-Brown
Sheila Thomson
John Willis
Anonymous (2)
Sustainer’s Circle
Land Guardians
($1000+ annually for 3 years) ($250+ annually)
Bethany Armstrong
Howard Clifford
Donna Davidson
Deborah Duffy
Ed Lawrence (lifetime)
Terry MacIver
Ted Mosquin
Mary Vandenhoff
Judy Watts
Andrea McCrady
Eric & Flora Preston
THANKS TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
Elisabeth Allison
Ken Allison
Bethany Armstrong
Marilyn Barnett
Bruce Barton
Anne Bendig
Cliff Bennett
Bob Betcher
John Bishop
Fenja Brodo
Judy Buehler
Joel Byrne
Neil Carleton
Jacqueline Chapman
Jacquie Christiani
Bobby Clarke
John Clarke
Howard Clifford
Jean Clifford
Chad Clifford
MMLT Annual Report
Donna Davidson
Ankaret Dean
Chris Delage
Melissa Dick
DeborahDoherty
John Drozdowski
Deborah Duffy
Stan Errett
Bruce Gill
BreannaHallihan
Gord Harrison
Linda Harvey
Bettina Henkelman
Margie Hill
Trever Hill
Chris Hume
Karen Hunt
Murray Hunt
Cathy Keddy
Andy Kerr-Wilson
Megan Lay
Ross Layberry
Robert Lee
Diane Lepage
Linda Ley
Carolyn Lunn
Simon Lunn
Bryarly MacEachern
Jean Macpherson
Michael Macpherson
Tania Marsh
Maggie McGovern
Judy McGrath
Dianne McIntyre
Linda Mosquin
Ted Mosquin
Janet Mrenica
Cheryl Nason
Randy Nason
Donna Naughton
James Pagé
Jennifer Pfitzer
Jim Ronson
Michael Runtz
Linda Russell
Dave Seburn
Gloria Shoebridge
Tom Shoebridge
Bob Smith
Sherryl Smith
Ken Spicer
Terry Steeves
Eleanor Thomson
Mary Vandenhoff
Emily Verhoek
Franziska von Rosen
Hans von Rosen
Judy Watts
George White
Dan Woods
Page 5
Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust
2014 Board of Directors
Howard Clifford, President
Mary Vandenhoff, Treasurer
Judy Buehler, Secretary
Ted Mosquin, Past President
Bethany Armstrong, Director
Bobby Clarke, Director
Donna Davidson, Director
Deborah Duffy, Director
Stan Errett, Director
Cathy Keddy, Director
Michael Macpherson, Director
Judy Watts, Director
375 McCulloch Rd., McDonalds Corners, ON K0G 1M0
613-253-2722 [email protected]