Conservation-minded neighbours kick off National Volunteer Week by making trails safe

Welland, ON – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) celebrated the beginning of National Volunteer Week yesterday with a Conservation Volunteers event aimed at making trails at the Lathrop Nature Preserve in Pelham safe for visitors. Sixteen volunteers turned out on Sunday to help NCC in an ongoing effort to maintain trails by eliminating hazards such as man-made structures and dangerous holes. Many people visit the Preserve every year to catch a glimpse of species at risk like Hooded Warbler.

“The efforts of our volunteers will help make the Lathrop Nature Preserve, which is open to the public, safer for visitors while they wander and look for rare birds in the forest canopy,” remarked Mhairi McFarlane, NCC’s Southwestern Ontario Science and Stewardship Coordinator. “Volunteers help us complete necessary management work on our properties that we couldn’t do with staff alone and this event achieved 100% of what we set out to accomplish.”

The benefits of environmental volunteering for participants has been well-documented including improved mental wellbeing and physical health, and increased connectedness to nature. It also has the ability to empower individuals to make environmentally beneficial changes in their day-to-day lives.

The Lathrop Nature Preserve was generously donated to NCC by Whiting and Margaret Lathrop in 1998. Forest cover on the property protects the headwaters of Twelve Mile Creek which supports the last remaining Brook Trout population in the Niagara Region. The property also supports several species considered rare in Ontario and Canada including Hooded Warbler, Butternut and American Chestnut. Visitors are welcome to explore the trails here to catch a glimpse of these at-risk species.

NCC’s Conservation Volunteers program engages people in the protection of Canada’s biodiversity while providing a meaningful, hands-on educational experience in ecologically significant natural areas. Carefully designed projects ensure that volunteers’ time is dedicated to critical conservation action. To find out more about how to become involved with NCC’s volunteer events, please visit the Conservation Volunteers website at www.conservationvolunteers.ca.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s leading land conservation organization. Since 1962, NCC has helped to protect more than 2 million acres (800,000 hectares) of ecologically significant land nationwide.

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Contacts:

Annie Benko
Conservation Volunteer and Intern Coordinator
1-800-465-0029, ext. 251
annie.benko@natureconservancy.ca

Mhairi McFarlane       
Southwestern Ontario Science and Stewardship Coordinator
519-640-6822 ext. 24
mhairi.mcfarlane@natureconservancy.ca