Nature Conservancy of Canada Receives Largest Bequest Ever Made for Conservation in Canada

EDMONTON, Sept. 29 /CNW/ – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) today announced that it has received a bequest of $4.3 million, believed to be the largest bequest ever made in support of conservation in Canadian history. The bequest was made by Roberta Langtry of Ontario. Today, her close friends and the executor of her estate, Robert and Jenny Borden, were thanked by NCC’s
National Board at its semi-annual meeting in Edmonton.

“By making this bequest in support of the protection of our country’s natural heritage, Roberta Langtry has left an incredible legacy that will have long-term benefits for all Canadians. We are extremely grateful for her vision and for her generosity,” said NCC President John Lounds. “It has been a pleasure to work closely with her executor, Robert Borden, to find the best way to use this gift to advance conservation and focus on her areas of interest.”
Born in Manitoba in 1916, Roberta Langtry lived much of her life in Ontario. She worked as a public school teacher and speech therapist for the East York Board of Education for over 55 years. She was passionate about the need to protect Canada’s natural heritage and had been a supporter of NCC’s work since 1999. Miss Langtry passed away on August 13, 2005 at the age of 89.
Roberta Langtry’s gift will be put to work in support of direct wetland conservation across the country, assisting in communicating NCC’s science work, supporting activities to raise awareness and funds, and direct conservation in the Oak Ridges Moraine area of Ontario, an area she had a strong connection to. In recognition of her generous gift, a boulder with a
plaque in her memory will mark a property protected by NCC in the Happy Valley Heritage Forest, on the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is a national non-profit conservation organization that works with landowners to protect Canada’s natural habitats. Its plan of action is to build partnerships and develop creative conservation solutions with individuals, corporations, community groups, conservation groups and government agencies. Since 1962, NCC and its supporters have helped to protect more than 1.9 million acres (765,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land across Canada.