August 25, 2026, Kingston, Ontario – Ontario Nature is proud to announce another vital expansion of its Lost Bay Nature Reserve. The acquisition of the 17.97-acre (7.27 hectares) “Jannen III” property permanently protects an environmentally sensitive tract within the Frontenac Arch; a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve that is widely celebrated as one of Canada’s most biologically rich and diverse landscapes.
Located within the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, the newly secured property immediately adjoins the existing Lost Bay Nature Reserve, now totalling 662-acres (268 hectares). This expansion protects a critical ecological buffer and a missing section of a contiguous corridor of protected wild spaces. Situated within one kilometre of two Provincially Significant Wetlands — Lost Bay Wetland and Wiltse Creek Marsh. The property plays a critical role in preserving the water quality, hydrology and biological flow of the region.
The acquisition ensures that this key natural corridor will remain undeveloped, allowing terrestrial and aquatic wildlife to travel safely through the Algonquin to Adirondack regional corridor.
This historic acquisition was made possible through the generous financial support of the Flanagan Foundation, the ECHO Foundation and many dedicated Ontario Nature members.
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership (GCP) program also supported the acquisition, funded by the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance.
Quotes
“This is the first step toward an ambitious goal: securing at least 2,500 hectares of habitat in our key priority areas by 2031. The Frontenac Arch has long been a priority for Ontario Nature, and there is no better place to begin than a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve at the heart of the Algonquin to Adirondack (A2A) corridor.” – Andrés Jiménez Monge, Executive Director, Ontario Nature
“Ontario is proud to support valuable projects through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, which helps protect ecologically significant lands across the province. Expanding the Lost Bay Nature Reserve will help conserve wetlands, forests and wildlife habitat within the Frontenac Arch, while maintaining important connections for wildlife. By working with conservation partners, our government is helping to protect Ontario’s natural heritage for future generations.” – Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Background
- The Jannen III property features a diverse mix of interior upland forests, shallow rock ridge barrens and ephemeral wetlands that form in the lowlands between these rock barrens. The property boasts a high canopy of mature sugar maple, red oak, and shagbark hickory.
- The Frontenac Arch supports a uniquely high concentration of rare and threatened species. The property provides confirmed or high-potential habitat for 33 rare and at-risk species including cerulean warbler, monarch butterfly, Blanding’s turtle, butternut and flooded jellyskin.
- The property resides within the traditional territory of the Mississauga, Wendake-Nionwentsïo and Haudenosaunee Nations. It falls under the historical framework of Crawford’s Purchases of 1783.
Learn More
Contact
John Hassell Communications and Engagement Director, Ontario Nature
johnh@ontarionature.org | 416-786-2171
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About
Ontario Nature protects wild species and wild spaces through conservation, education and public engagement. A charitable organization, Ontario Nature represents 9,500 members, 130,000 supporters and 158 member groups from across Ontario. Learn more at: ontarionature.org.
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership program is the single largest provincial fund to secure private land in Ontario. This unique program, administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, leverages private and other non-provincial dollars to acquire, restore and manage privately owned natural areas such as wetlands, grasslands and forests. For every dollar of provincial funding provided, grant recipients match it with a minimum of $2 from other conservation partners, including individual donors, foundations and other levels of government. Since 2020, the Ontario government has invested more than $60 million into the program, which has helped to protect nearly 637,530 (approximately 258,000 hectares) of private land across the province — an area more than four times the size of the City of Toronto.
Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) focuses on providing community, knowledge sharing and support to land trusts across Ontario. It empowers and supports highly effective, well-governed land trusts that engage their communities to protect forests, wetlands, nature, and water sources and provide natural climate solutions. OLTA builds capacity through training and educational programs, connecting land trusts to each other, resources, and their communities, leading and supporting on-the-ground conservation work, sharing knowledge and best practices, reducing financial barriers to land conservation, promoting organizational excellence, providing access to current research and acting as a voice for land trusts among the public, governments, and other rightsholders. Our impact is Ontario-wide through 56 connected charities and communities. OLTA’s local land trust members currently collectively own and steward over 2,000 natural areas and green spaces across Ontario, with the leadership of thousands of supporters and volunteers annually. To support your local land trust, visit OLTA.ca.