Georgian Bay Land Trust

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Georgian Bay Land Trust

Protecting Georgian Bay’s wilderness lands

The Georgian Bay Land Trust acts to protect wilderness lands and species along the eastern shore of Georgian Bay and the North Channel and its near watershed, through strategic conservation planning, land securement, stewardship, research, and education.

06/11/2026

Pride Month is here 🌈 and we want to take a moment to celebrate the values of inclusion, connection and belonging.

At Georgian Bay Land Trust, we believe that everyone should feel safe and welcomed in nature, in our communities and in our work.

We're proud to have LGBTQ+ members on our team and broader community, and this month, we’re standing in solidarity with all those who continue to advocate for equity, expression, and joy.

Because just like our protected places, people thrive when they feel safe, seen, and supported.

Happy PRIDE! 🩷💚

06/06/2026

We have a brand-new protected haven on the Bay, and it’s time to celebrate! 🥳

You are warmly invited to join us for the official property dedication of the Payne-Meinig Nature Reserve.

→ When: Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
→ Where: Longuissa Bay, Cognashene

Generously donated to conservation late last year by Tom Payne and Elaine Meinig, this stunning 16-acre shoreline property is a massive win for local biodiversity. The reserve features a gorgeous mix of mature forests, open rock barrens, a small island, and provincially rare wetland ecosystems.

Come out to explore the land, enjoy some light refreshments, and learn all about the unique plant and animal species that call this protected habitat home.

🚤 Important Boat Access Details:
Please note that this location is boat access only. Limited dock space is available at the neighbouring cottage, so please arrive in small boats if possible, and/or be prepared to beach or anchor your vessel.

Let’s gather to honour this incredible legacy and the future of a wilder Georgian Bay!

👉 Space is limited, so please register ahead of time here: www.gblt.org/events/payne-meinig-dedication

06/05/2026

Today is World Environment Day, a global reminder that the health of our planet depends on the choices we make and the places we choose to protect.💚

Here on Georgian Bay, we see the impact of conservation firsthand. Every acre of preserved wilderness helps safeguard clean water, carbon-storing forests, biodiversity, and the delicate ecosystems that sustain life.

Our work is part of something much bigger. It's a collective effort to protect what’s wild, resilient, and irreplaceable. 🌎

Thank you to everyone who supports this work through stewardship, donations, advocacy, and love for the land.

If you can, consider making a donation to support the protection of Georgian Bay’s wild spaces for today and for the future.

Every gift, no matter the size, helps protect what’s irreplaceable.

If you can, donate here → https://www.gblt.org/donate-now/

06/04/2026

Hidden in Plain Sight: Our First Whip-poor-will Nest of the Season! 🪵🥚

Exciting news from the field! Our research team discovered our very first Eastern Whip-poor-will nest of the year during their night surveys this past Tuesday.

But here’s a fun twist: although we call it a "nest," whip-poor-wills don’t actually build one at all! Instead, they lay their eggs directly on the ground among the leaf litter.

Here is what makes these birds so fascinating:

→ They typically lay two speckled eggs (just like the ones pictured here!). Because they sit right on the ground, they rely entirely on camouflage for protection. It is incredibly effective and very easy to walk right past one without ever noticing it's there.

→ These eggs will incubate for about 20 days before hatching into very fluffy, well-camouflaged chicks.

→ Whip-poor-wills are a threatened species. We are actively studying their breeding habits and habitat use on Georgian Bay so we can better manage and protect the specific environments they need to survive.

A huge thank you to research student Evan Lewis for capturing these incredible shots! 📸

Want to dive deeper into the secret life of these nocturnal birds? Read our "Diary of a Whip-poor-will" to see what a season on the Bay looks like through their eyes:

👉 gblt.org/news-and-stories/diary-of-a-whip-poor-will

05/31/2026

Today is National Stewardship Day, a time to honour the hands that do the heavy lifting to keep Georgian Bay wild. 🙏

Protecting 41,000 acres is a huge achievement, but the real work begins after the land is secured. Stewardship is a "forever" commitment, and we couldn’t do it without our incredible team of over 100 dedicated volunteers.

What does stewardship look like on the Bay?
It’s more than just a title; it’s a story of local people taking care of the places they love. Last year alone, our stewards completed 272 monitoring visits to ensure the ecological health of our 80 properties.

A Steward's Story:

→ The "Phrag" Fighters: Across 3 different properties last year, our stewards spent their summer days in the water, manually removing invasive Phragmites to give native species room to breathe.

→ The Species Watchers: From reporting Eastern Foxsnake sightings to monitoring Bald Eagle nests, our stewards are our "eyes on the ground," helping us track the 50 species at risk that call our lands home.

→ The Guardians of the Trail: Whether it's educating visitors on responsible land use or identifying new conservation priorities, our stewards ensure that human impact remains low and biodiversity remains high.

As we move forward with the Georgian Bay Corridor Project, our stewards will be more important than ever, monitoring the 75,000 acres of priority habitat we aim to link.

To our volunteers: Thank you for your muddy boots, your sharp eyes, and your tireless love for the Bay. You are the reason these lands will stay healthy for generations to come.

Want to join the team? We are always looking for passionate people to help us!

👉 Learn more about becoming a volunteer steward: www.gblt.org/steward

05/27/2026

Watch your step! Turtle nesting season is here! 🐢🥚

Late May marks the beginning of a very busy (and slow!) season on the Bay: Turtle Nesting Season.

As temperatures rise, female turtles are leaving their wetlands to find the perfect sunny spots to lay their eggs. Often, this "perfect spot" is the soft gravel found along road shoulders or the sandy clearings near our cottages.

How can you help our prehistoric neighbours? Let's get into it:

🐢 Drive with care: Keep a sharp eye out for small "bumps" on the road, especially near wetlands and bridges.

🐢 Give them space: If you spot a turtle nesting, please keep pets and curious feet away. The nesting process is exhausting, and a spooked turtle might abandon her eggs.

🐢 The direction matters: If you see a turtle crossing the road and want to help, always move them in the direction they were already heading. They have a specific destination in mind!

Let’s help the wonderful creatures reach the finish line! 🏁

05/23/2026

Today is World Turtle Day, and on Georgian Bay, that means celebrating some of our most ancient (and determined) residents. 🐢🌊

Did you know that Georgian Bay is home to six species of turtles, and all are considered species at risk? 🤔

That makes the work we do here more critical than ever.

How we’re helping turtles cross the finish line: 👇

🐢 Protecting the Nursery: The 41,000+ acres of land we help protect include vital wetlands and sandy nesting sites where turtles like the Map Turtle and the rare Blanding's Turtle lay their eggs safely.

🐢 Building a Corridor: Turtles are slow travellers! By working to link 75,000 acres through the Georgian Bay Corridor Project, we are creating a continuous, unfragmented wilderness that allows them to move between feeding, wintering, and nesting grounds without the danger of roads.

🐢 Active Protection: With over 53 ecosystem types protected, we ensure the specific "turtle real estate" like sun-drenched logs and deep-water overwintering sites are preserved forever.

You can be a Turtle Hero!
When you are out and about this season, keep a sharp eye out for our friends on the road. If it is safe to do so, help them across in the direction they are already heading!

By supporting the Georgian Bay Land Trust, you are ensuring that these prehistoric neighbours have a home on the Bay for generations to come.

Learn more about our species at risk: 👉 www.gblt.org/species-that-live-here

Photo: Blanding's Turtle by Don Ford

05/22/2026

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity, a day to celebrate the incredible variety of life that calls Georgian Bay home. 🐢

From the windswept pines to the hidden interior fens, the Bay is one of the most biodiverse regions in the country, but that diversity depends on us.

What's our role? Let's get into it.

🦋 We directly protect over 10,000 acres of ecologically significant land. These aren't just scenic spots; they are critical lifelines for the 50 species at risk that rely on our preserves for survival.

🦋 We protect 53 distinct ecosystem types, ranging from coastal wetlands to rock barrens, ensuring every species has a place to thrive.

🦋 Our Georgian Bay Corridor Project aims to link 75,000 acres of priority land. By creating an "unfragmented wilderness," we allow species to move, adapt, and remain resilient in a changing climate.

Did you know: in 2025, our team and over 100 volunteer stewards completed 272 monitoring visits and removed invasive Phragmites from priority sites to keep native biodiversity strong?

Every acre we protect, like the recently expanded Fairwood Nature Preserve or the Southern Corridor, adds another piece to the puzzle of a healthy, vibrant Bay.

You are a BIG part of the solution. When you support the Land Trust, you aren't just saving land; you are protecting the entire web of life that makes Georgian Bay a global treasure. 🙏

Please learn more about our Conservation Plan: 👉 www.gblt.org/plan

05/20/2026

Bees are more than just busy, they are essential! 🐝

As pollinators, they help sustain ecosystems, support biodiversity, and keep native plants thriving across Georgian Bay.

Pollinators are under pressure. Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change are putting their survival at risk. That’s why protecting wild spaces, like the lands stewarded by the Georgian Bay Land Trust, matters more than ever. 🌿

Let’s give pollinators the space (and flowers!) they need to keep doing what they do best.

🌼 Want to support pollinators?

✔️ Plant native flowers
✔️ Avoid pesticides
✔️ Protect natural habitat

Small changes = big impact. Let’s keep the buzz alive.🐝

Thank you to Matt Murphy, John Strung and Viv Lynch for these incredible photos!

05/19/2026

24 Hours. 122 Species. One Mission. 🐦🏆

What a day! Our 2026 Big Day Birdathon has officially come to a close, and our team is back from the field with full checklists.

It was a non-stop race to document the incredible biodiversity of Georgian Bay and Muskoka.

The Unofficial Results:
✨ Total Species Seen/Heard: 122!
📍 Locations Visited: 61
🦉 Highlight of the Day: Snow Goose and Mute Swan, which are both rare for this area.

Every bird we tallied on Saturday is a testament to why protecting unfragmented wilderness is so vital. These aren't just numbers, they are the species that rely on our "refuelling stations" to survive their long migrations, and that nest in our forests and wetlands.

To everyone who pledged, donated, and followed along with our live updates, thank you! Your support fuels our conservation work all year round.

It’s not too late to turn our sightings into conservation funding! Pledge your support here: 👉 www.gblt.org/bigday

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Toronto, ON

Telephone

+14164401519

Website

http://www.gblt.org/

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