A little piece of Springwater will now be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
John and Rosemary Dunsmore donated 114 acres of conservation land to the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) through Environment Canada’s EcoGift program.
On Tuesday morning, they gathered with local dignitaries as well as representatives from the NVCA and Environment Canada to celebrate the unveiling of a stone monument at the entrance to the Springwater Township site that carries the Dunsmore name.
The land, located just north of Barrie at 2775 Old Second Rd. S., has been in the Dunsmore family for nearly 200 years, with John and Rosemary owning the land themselves since the 1980s.
“We wanted to protect this area as a natural area for future generations to enjoy for all it has to offer,” said John.
There four species of tree in the area that John and Rosemary wanted to preserve through the donation: the elm, the beech, the ash and the butternut. There are also multiple wetland features and animals that call the area home.
“Lastly, we wanted to protect (the land) from urban sprawl. To me, it’s a very big threat to our countryside,” said John.
While John and Rosemary considered a few different names for the land once making the decision to donate, they settled on their namesake.
“My cousin Leonard and I are the last Dunsmores to be farming in this area,” said John. “We’re the last descendants of our family.”
John told stories of working for more than 30 years on the land, using selective cutting techniques (when the dead, dying and diseased trees are cut down). He said that during the oil scare of the 1980s, the demand for fire wood was very high.
“We couldn’t manage it. We managed to sell all the wood from thinnings. We would thin 10 to 12 acres a year,” he said.
The NVCA has agreed that the Dunsmore Management Area will continue to be sustainably harvested under a managed forest plan, which will bring in long-term revenue from the sale of the timber, said Wasaga Beach Coun. George Watson, who is also chair of the NVCA.
“From an environmental point of view, the forest offers a refuge for wildlife and serves as a wildlife corridor between significant wetlands in Dalston and Barrie,” he added.
Environment Canada’s EcoGift program provides a way for Canadians with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and leave a legacy for future generations. It offers significant tax benefits to landowners who donate land or a partial interest in land to a qualified recipient.
“We’re hoping the conservation authority will be able to keep this land intact for the future, barring cuts from our provincial government,” said John.
For more information on Environment Canada’s EcoGift program, click here.
