After $1M donation, Nova Scotia Nature Trust moves closer to doubling the land it protects

Thanks to a $1-million donation, Nova Scotia Nature Trust has moved closer to its goal of doubling the amount of land it protects.

"This step up to $1 million is just so, so generous and such a great gift not just to nature, but to all Nova Scotians," said executive director Bonnie Sutherland.

The organization is in the midst of a four-million dollar fundraising campaign called Twice the Wild. The group's aim is to bring the amount of land under its stewardship from 15,000 to 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares) by 2023.

The David and Faye Sobey Foundation committed $900,000 to the campaign. Paul and Marsha Sobey contributed an additional $100,000 to bring the Sobey family's donation to $1 million.

"We're proud to be helping the Nova Scotia Nature Trust save our most beautiful and important natural areas so our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy our wild rivers, lakes and forests, just as we have," Janis Sobey-Hames, who chairs the David and Faye Sobey Foundation, said in a press release.

Sutherland said the donations build on past contributions from the Sobey family.

Sutherland said the nature trust has partners that have agreed to matching contributions during the campaign. She said that will allow the trust to start moving ahead on some of its land projects, as well as have more money to maintain current land.

"We do have to be actively out on the ground looking after the land, dealing with invasive species or people inadvertently damaging the property, cutting down trees that they think are on their property or those kinds of things," she said.

Sutherland said donations are still needed. She said the nature trust is about eight per cent shy of its goal.

"All of this funding is going directly into securing land through purchase or donation or conservation agreement and ensuring the long-term stewardship and monitoring of those lands," said Sutherland. "It's all going to help protect nature."

She said the pandemic has turned a lot of people's attention to nature.

"We're in a race against time and nature needs us now more than ever," she said.

"If people are appreciating being able to be out in nature or appreciating that nature exists and that we have these protected spaces, we encourage them to make a difference themselves and donate."