Ontario Land Trust Alliance’s 20th Anniversary Story
To commemorate OLTA’s anniversary, we have created a Story Map to share OLTA's milestones, successes, and stories
Who is the Ontario Land Trust Alliance?
The Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) is celebrating our 20th anniversary this year! To commemorate our anniversary, we are sharing key milestones, successes, and stories.
OLTA is a registered charity that strengthens land conservation by building and supporting a strong land trust movement in Ontario. We support our Ontario land trusts members and associates to achieve their missions, through education and training, grants, and promotion of our collective impact.
OLTA has a staff team of 10, and 12 board of governors.
OLTA's Vision
A landscape rich with connected and protected spaces, supported by a thriving conservation community.
OLTA's Mission
Empowering a vibrant and enduring land trust community in Ontario.
OLTA's land trust members!
OLTA member land trusts as of 2022. If you are interested in one of our members, visit https://olta.ca/land-trust-members/ for more information!
Ontario Land Trust Alliance is made up of 45 land trust members and associates. Land Trusts are charitable, not-for-profit organizations that focus on stewarding, protecting, and restoring land, including forests, wetlands, water, and natural habitats.
They are community-based organizations that aim to achieve conservation of private lands by acquiring properties and protecting lands that are rich in ecological diversity. OLTA’s land trust members span from Northwest to Rainy Lake and Thunder Bay, East to Cornwall and South to Windsor.
Members collectively protect over 117,000 acres and 1,100+ properties of ecologically significant lands valued at $110.3 million! In 2002, our members collectively secured 16,000 acres and less than 200 properties. That means that the amount of land protected and managed (in acres) increased by over 500% in 20 years!
Swipe the line left and right to see the change of areas where our member land trusts operate.
OLTA's Summary Timeline
"The Natural Heritage League is remembered as a powerful agent of change during the decade of the 1980’s that radically altered how we protect Ontario’s natural heritage, including keen pioneering efforts in private land stewardship and un-taxing nature as well as encouraging and promoting the land trust movement..." - Bryan J. Howard (History of Land Trusts in Ontario)
Stew Hilts, one of the prominent leaders of the land trust movement in Ontario, was the first person to receive an award from the Ontario Land Trust Alliance! Stew is pictured here with Melissa Watkins and April Weppler in 2008 receiving this OLTA award.
Ron Reid received an award from OLTA in 2012 for his leadership in establishing the land trust movement in Ontario.
Formation of the Alliance
Mid 1990's
The Natural Heritage League was active until the mid 1990's, when funds from the Ontario Heritage Trust (previously Ontario Heritage Foundation) were limited and the Natural Heritage League dissolved.
1997
Once the Natural Heritage League dissolved, several active members created a committee with the Federation of Ontario Naturalists (now known as Ontario Nature) to continue furthering the conservation work of Ontario land trusts and non-profit conservation groups. Later in 1997, this became the Ontario Nature Trust Alliance (ONTA), with 14 founding members.
1999
Ontario Land Trust Assistance Program (OLTAP) funding started OLTAP was an important funding program to support OLTA’s work and the work of OLTA’s land trust members, which spanned over a decade. OLTAP aimed to advance the protection of biodiversity and contribute to the long-term environmental health and sustainability of Ontario by supporting the acquisition and management of ecologically sensitive lands and protecting species at risk (SAR).
2002
By mid 2001, with a membership of 23 land trusts and a small group of incredible and dedicated volunteers, including Stew Hilts, Dave Walker, Paul Peterson, Ron Reid, Ian Attridge, and Andrea Kettle, to name a few, it was decided to fully incorporate as the Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA Inc.). The letters patent for OLTA were approved on July 2, 2002, and OLTA became the official provincial association for the Ontario land trust movement! This change better reflected the activities of all its members, which now included natural heritage properties, as well as recreational, agricultural, and built heritage.
16,000 acres and 199 properties were collectively managed and protected by Ontario land trusts in 2002. Funds available through OLTA for land securement in Ontario totalled $14,000. OLTA held its first Land Trust Gathering in 2002 as Ontario’s official provincial association.
OLTA's Annual Gatherings
Before OLTA was incorporated and over the course of OLTA’s life, annual gatherings have remained a strong cornerstone. These gatherings date back to around 1994!
In 2002, Georgian Bay Land Trust hosted the Annual Gathering in partnership with OLTA.
The Annual Gatherings include workshops, learning and training, and networking opportunities. Sometimes there is even a fun campfire!
Picture is from the 2016 Annual Gathering.
Gatherings have taken place all across Ontario and many land trust members, associates, and partners participate in the gatherings.
Picture is from the 2019 Annual Gathering.
We have received amazing positive feedback about the Annual Gatherings over the years!
Picture is from the Annual Gathering hosted in 2015.
"The OLTA Gathering has been a key event for Muskoka Conservancy staff and volunteers to engage with the broader land trust community over the years. It has been an invaluable training tool and an opportunity to share mistakes and successes to the benefit of all. The connections made at this annual event have helped us build a better land trust." -Muskoka Conservancy
Picture is from the Annual Gathering in 2014.
Instead of a provincial Annual Gathering this year, we collaborated with the new national Alliance of Canadian Land Trusts, Land Trust Alliance of British Columbia and Réseau de milieux naturels protégés to jointly host the National Land Trust Summit in October, 2022!
The 2022 Canadian Land Trust Summit was a great opportunity to get together in person, share learnings, and collaborate on land protection throughout Canada.
Various topics covered during this 2022 Summit were: conservation easement agreements, Indigenous Protected Areas, stewardship, nature-based climate change solutions, and more, with speakers and attendees from across Canada!
During this Summit, the new national partnership of the Alliance of Canadian Land Trusts was also showcased!
Visit ltacanada.ca/2022-summit (English); ltacanada.ca/fr/sommet-2022 (French) to learn more.
Present Day OLTA
- Now, OLTA is comprised of 45 Land Trust Members and Associates, and 10 staff members
- OLTA runs 11 programs! See the list of programs and examples of two programs below
- OLTA has supported the protection of conservation lands valued at $110.3 million
- 117,000+ acres and 1,100+ properties are collectively managed and protected by Ontario land trusts
- More than $4 million in funds have been available through OLTA for land securement and stewardship in Ontario!
- Recovery actions for at least 74 species at risk have been taken with OLTA’s support
- Individuals collectively engaged:
- 180,000 reached through e-news and social media
- 75,000 event attendees and property visitors
- 120,000+ supporters, including members, volunteers, and donors
OLTA's Strategic Plan (2021-2024)
- OLTA is committed to supporting Ontario land trusts to achieve their missions, through education and training, grants, and promotion of our collective impact.
- This work is guided by OLTA’s Strategic Plan (2021 – 2024)
- Our Strategic Plan lays the foundation for where we want to be as an organization, and how we will realize our shared vision:
- A landscape rich with connected and protected spaces, supported by a thriving conservation community.
OLTA's Current Programs
- Climate Action Program
- Conserving Species at Risk Program
- Engaging New Canadians with Nature
- Fee for Service for Land Trusts
- Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program
- Land Trust Conservation Fund (LTCF) - Capacity Building Program
- Land Trust Knowledge Sharing
- Organizing for Land Trusts - Community of Practice (OLTCOP)
- Protected Areas Database
- Strengthening Ontario’s Ecological Gifts Program (EGP) and Protected Areas (PA) Network
- Wetlands Conservation Partnership Program
Two examples of OLTA's programs:
Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program aims to conserve ecologically important natural areas, including wetlands, grasslands, and forests, as well as increase the availability of green spaces and trails for people in Ontario to enjoy. With four years of funding from the Ontario government, the Greenlands program provides matching funds to our land trust members and partner organizations. Funding support is given for land acquisition, as well as for restoration, stewardship, and outreach.
OLTA is currently in its third year of this program! In the first two years of the program, 22 projects were completed, over 1885 hectares conserved, and habitats were conserved for 130 species at risk, including 55 distinct species.
Currently, in year three of the project, 15 projects are underway. See below a map of project areas funded by the Greenlands Conservation Partnership Program:
Properties that received funding via the GCPP in 2020-21 and 2021-22 program years
Engaging New Canadians Program
The Engaging New Canadians with Nature is a program in partnership with CultureLink, a Toronto-based multicultural settlement organization, and supported by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, to empower newcomers to Canada to connect with and learn about nature and conservation in Ontario.
In the first two years of this program, OLTA conducted 12 interactive nature events, collaborated with 8 nature organizations and engaged over 200 newcomers. Continuing the success of this program, we have secured funding for a third year!
OLTA's Member's Featured Properties
Some of our members are showcasing their properties that are open to the public. Learn about properties that you can visit, Land Trust's amenities/trails, or their interesting initiatives.
Note: To exit the map tour view once you've entered it, please click the X on the bottom left of the screen.
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What's Next?
Land Trusts activities will continue to play a key role in conserving the land we love.
OLTA will continue to work on our strategic priorities, which are to:
- Promote organizational excellence
- Increase influence and visibility of community land conservation
- Provide leadership to advance diversity and inclusion in land trust practices
- Grow organizational capacity
OLTA is committed to supporting Ontario land trusts to achieve their missions, through education and training, grants, and promotion of our collective impact.
Land Trusts play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change through nature-based solutions. We will have some big news to announce about OLTA and land trust’s role in this area in the coming months.
We give a big shoutout to everyone who is actively engaged in the land trust community in Ontario, and invests their time, energy, and passion. We make an impact because of your strong support.
"Land trusts play a crucial role in each and every community – connecting people with nature, advocating for biodiversity, water source protection, providing climate solutions, and providing many other co-benefits. I started working with land trusts in Ontario soon after I arrived in Canada – then and now you are all an inspiration to me. OLTA will be here for you for the next 20 years, and beyond until there is no need for land trusts, because protection and living together with nature is second nature to everyone." - Alison Howson, OLTA's Executive Director
Find out more about land trusts:
Land Acknowledgment:
Ontario Land Trust Alliance acknowledges and is grateful to all the original stewards of the land in which our community is built upon. For thousands of years, Indigenous Peoples have inhabited, cared for, and used these lands and waters, applying original instructions, Indigenous knowledge systems, and laws.
Today, this land is still home to many Indigenous People across Ontario; the Ontario Land Trust Alliance respectfully acknowledges Indigenous Peoples, and other peoples, who currently live, work, play, and learn on the lands around us.
To learn more about Indigenous territories around you, you can visit www. native-land.ca
Visit OLTA’s website to read more about how OLTA is advancing our Indigenous conservation partnerships , as well as access Indigenous learning resources .
Donate to OLTA to help kickstart the next 20 years to continue our work with the land trust community!
