Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust secures 360-acre [146-hectare] Red Horse Highlands for $1.5million

Athens – The Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust (TIWLT) is proud to announce the successful purchase of the 360-acre [146-hectare] Red Horse Highlands Property, a biologically rich and ecologically vital landscape within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere.

This landmark $1.5 million acquisition was made possible through generous financial support from:

1. Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks, through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership, administered through the Ontario Land Trust Alliance
2. Wildlife Habitat Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program – Land Trust Conservation Fund
3. Ontario Conservation Accelerator (OCA), and the charitable funders who contributed through them: the Schad Foundation, the ECHO Foundation, and the Waltons Trust.
4. Individual local community donors, whose contributions made up an impressive 29% of the total project cost.

Meeting a thrilling November deadline, TIWLT and its supporters rallied to raise the full amount, ensuring that the Red Horse Highlands is now permanently protected under the stewardship of the Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust.

In August, TIWLT shared news of an ambitious new conservation effort – the protection of the 360-acre [146-hectare] Red Horse Highlands, a dramatic expanse of Frontenac Arch landscape that had come onto the open market and required swift action to secure. The project was a clear conservation win but a daunting prospect, with a fundraising goal 200% larger than the largest project in TIWLT’s history at that time.

By early November, the response from the community was nothing short of extraordinary. Local individual supporters rallied behind the cause, contributing over $400,000 toward the project – nearly 30% of the total cost of conservation. Their generosity pushed the campaign over its fundraising goal and allowed TIWLT to move forward with the acquisition, ensuring this ecologically significant property is protected for generations to come – 4ever!

“This has been exhilarating,” says Calder Schweitzer, TIWLT Executive Director, “For TIWLT to take this big swing at a huge property, with a seven-figure price tag, and a rapid-fire deadline – all systems were go! For all of us. But then, to see the community rally around this goal in the mind-blowing way that they did – it has shown us just how important conservation and environmental protection are to a broad community here in Eastern Ontario.”

“I’m pleased our government is supporting the Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust in its acquisition of the Red Horse Highlands property with a $331,875 grant through the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks’ Greenlands Conservation Partnership,” said Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. “The Partnership’s support of the Watershed Land Trust on projects like this helps them leverage private donations to protect more of our region’s majestic natural areas, ensuring they are preserved for future generations to enjoy.”

TIWLT has worked in close partnership with the Ontario Conservation Accelerator (OCA) to achieve this monumental goal. The OCA was founded by a group of conservation experts in 2024 with an aim to boost conservation in Ontario through mentorship, funding support, and their own innovative approaches to conservation.

The Red Horse Highlands Property lies along the northwestern boundary of Charleston Lake Provincial Park in Eastern Ontario. With 2,000 feet of shoreline on the west side of Red Horse Lake, it occupies a central and ecologically significant position within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere – a globally recognized UNESCO region that connects the Adirondack Mountains to the Canadian Shield, with migrational movement that extends well beyond. Located just east of Lyndhurst, north-west of Brockville, north of Gananoque and the St. Lawrence River, and about an hour and a half south of Ottawa, this protected area helps preserve one of Canada’s most important migratory corridors for wildlife.

“This geography matters – to our water, our air, our health, and the health of countless species of animals and plants,” says Schweitzer. “By protecting this property, we’re safeguarding habitat for Gray Rat snake, Black Ash and Butternut Trees, Wood Thrush, and Eastern Wood-Pewee. It’s also home to Bobcat, Black Bear, Fisher, Weasel, Deer, Coyote, Bald Eagle, and Barred Owl populations.”

Schweitzer’s enthusiasm for the project is echoed throughout the Land Trust, from the Board of Directors who champion its protection to the biologists who study the land. TIWLT Head Wildlife Biologist Maggie Stevenson identified many of the interesting and at-risk species on the property, noting their significance. The Red Horse Highlands encompass 360 acres [146 hectares] of
quintessential Frontenac Arch terrain – a dramatic landscape of pink granite ridges and valleys, elevated wetlands, mixed forests, and striking cliff-top vistas. This ecologically rich mosaic provides critical habitat for numerous species at risk. “It’s one of the most significant conservation projects in our history,” Schweitzer adds. “And with its extensive shared boundary with Charleston Lake Provincial Park, it plays a vital role in maintaining habitat connectivity across the region.”

“Securing the Red Horse Highlands is a major achievement for conservation in Ontario. This 360-acre property strengthens natural resilience and connects important landscapes near Charleston Lake Provincial Park,” says Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks. “Through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, we’re proud to protect Ontario by supporting projects of this scale that safeguard ecosystems and deliver lasting benefits for communities.”

The Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature), confirms that “Forests and wetlands like those in the Red Horse Highlands are the foundation of healthy ecosystems. By protecting this property, we are ensuring habitat for species at risk, preserving clean water, and maintaining the natural connections that sustain both wildlife and communities across the Frontenac Arch.” Provost’s
perspective is further supported by her colleague, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature, who stresses that, “The Protection of the Red Horse Highlands is a remarkable achievement for conservation in Ontario. By securing this ecologically rich landscape, we are safeguarding habitat for species at risk, strengthening the health of our forests and waters, and ensuring that future generations can continue to benefit from the natural heritage of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere.”

The Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust is excited for a future that includes the caretaking of such a magnificent part of the Canadian landscape.

For more information, please visit: https://tiwlt.ca/