Peter Warner and his late wife Esther cultivated an area of thriving biodiversity in Grand Bend in Ontario, Canada, over the course of nearly three decades.
Thanks to an incredibly generous donation, that hard work and devotion will now be protected for years to come.
The area spanning 22 hectares (54 acres) and containing more than 10,000 native trees has been gifted to the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy. It has been officially named as the Warner Preserve in honor of its previous owners.
After buying the land in 1988, Peter and Esther set about turning it into an ecological haven. According to The Observer, it boasts diverse soil types that have helped with the growth of a wide range of plants and trees, and it has also benefited the local wildlife.
It's said over 70 species of trees can be found on the land, including Carolinian species that are rarely seen in such a northerly area. It could soon be set to welcome more types of tree, too, with $55,000 CAD (about $40,000 USD) raised by the Rotary Club of Grand Bend for the creation of an arboretum.
"It's really important if we're to co-exist with nature to have these natural areas where nature can flourish and thrive," said chairperson of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy, Max Morden. "This is a real lifeline for plants and wildlife who are endangered."
The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, which has been involved with the land since 2011, has observed that the Carolinian forest zone holds around 40% of the area's biodiversity in just 1% of the county's land mass. Protecting it is key for the survival of native plant and animal species and for a healthy and functioning ecosystem.
Under the watchful eye of the Huron Tract Land Trust Conservancy, this crucial patch of land will be restored and protected, and it will also host educational events.
At an unveiling ceremony for the newly named preserve, Peter Warner said he knew he made the right decision to keep this vital green space out of the hands of developers.
"This is certainly a very special day," Warner said, per The Observer. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you. And I'm sure Esther is smiling."
Similar land gifts, including an area of the Adirondack Mountains in New York and a 120-acre patch in North Carolina's Brushy Mountains, are helping to ensure ecologically important and naturally stunning areas will be protected from overdevelopment and deforestation. Thanks to generous people like Peter and Esther Warner, there's hope for our natural world.
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