Sauble Dunes North © Smera Sukumar
Permanently Protected
Ontario Nature is thrilled to announce its successful acquisition of the 26.7-hectare (66 acre) Sauble Dunes North property. This strategic conservation action expands Ontario Nature’s existing Sauble Dunes Nature Reserve and strengthens a vital ecological corridor in the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula, permanently protecting 77.78 hectares (192 acres) of rare coastal dune, wetland.
This conservation milestone is only possible because of our generous community. Together, we raised more than $400,000 to permanently protect this special place. This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change, as well as through the support of the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks’ Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, the Echo Foundation, Waterloo Region Nature, and many Ontario Nature members.
Thank you for helping us permanently protect this globally rare habitat. With your support, we are safeguarding this incredible place forever.
Marsh feature inventory © Smera Sukumar
Globally Rare Habitat
The Great Lakes coastal dune habitats found along the Lake Huron shoreline are among the most rare and sensitive ecosystems in Canada. Forested dunes and wetlands offer many different microhabitats, making them extremely biodiverse ecosystems. The property is located inland from the eastern shore of Lake Huron and forms an important connecting corridor.
The landscape includes fen, marsh and swamp and is vital for migratory birds like the Canada warbler, as well as black bears and snapping turtles—all of which are under threat from expanding development along the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula.
Property inventory © Smera Sukumar
Protection
The property directly abuts Chief’s Point Wetland, a Provincially Significant Coastal Wetland complex, partially on Saugeen Ojibway First Nation reserve land. It is also a part of the Sauble Falls North Area of Natural and Scientific Interest.
By acquiring this 66-acre parcel, Ontario Nature expanded Sauble Dunes Nature Reserve to 192 acres, establishing critical landscape connectivity and strengthening the area’s resiliency to the threats posed by development and climate change. Critical coastal habitat is now secured forever along Lake Huron shoreline
Snapping turtle hatchlings © Joe Crowley
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