History
1. What is the Branchton Village Land Trust?
2. When did the Branchton Village Land Trust develop?
3. Who started the Branchton Village Land Trust?
4. Why is the woods not a Township Park?
5. Who helped create the Land Trust and purchase the property?
6. Has the Land Trust won awards for its efforts?
Management
1. What is the goal of management of the Branchton Forest?
2. Who pays the taxes?
3. What are the management challenges?
4. Can I donate to the Land Trust?
MANAGEMENT
1. What is the goal of management of the Branchton Forest?
The overall goal of the management of the Branchton Forest is forest conservation.
2. Who pays the taxes?
The Branchton Village Land Trust is responsible for all land taxes.
3. What are the management challenges?
There are several challenges in managing this significant forest.
One challenge is the invasion of foreign weeds from nearby housing. The invasive plants include Garlic Mustard and Dames Rocket.
A second challenge is encroachment by adjacent landowners. We have found some adjacent landowners dumping yard waste, old equipment, concrete waste, and wood. In two caseswe have asked adjacent landowners to remove structures that they had built on the Land Trust Property. The Land Trust Board is vigilent in stopping such encroachment whenever itoccurs.
4. Can I donate to the Land Trust?
The Branchton Village Land Trust is a registered charity. Donations are gratefully accepted to defray conservation expenses.
HISTORY
1. What is the Branchton Village Land Trust?
The Branchton Village Land Trust is a local public-interest group dedicated to the preservation of the significant natural lands in the Branchton area. TheTrust’s goals are to protectnatural lands thr ough their purchase and protection. The most immediate concern of the Trust is the protection of an upland forest in the Village of Branchton that is part ofBranchton Swamp Forest Environmentally Sensitive Area.
2. When did the Branchton Village Land Trust develop?
The Branchton Village Land Trust started in 1993 as a public spirited effort to conserve a valuable woods in the Village of Branchton. In 1994 the Land Trust approved operatingBylaws. In 1995 the Land Trust purchased the woods from a housing developer.
3. Who started the Branchton Village Land Trust?
The first Board of Directors of the Branchton Village Land Trust consisted of:
James Voll, President
Paul Eagles, Vice-President
Todd Salerno, Publicity
George Alzevedo, Treasurer
Carol Tilley, Secretary
Robert Porter, Fund Raising
4. Why is the woods not a Township Park?
In 1993 the current owner of the Branchton Forest, a local businessman and developer, offered to dedicate the upland woods portion of the Branchton Forest and SwampEnvironmentally Sensitive Area in the Town of Branchton to the Township of North Dumfries as parkland. The Township Council refused the offer and demanded money in lieu ofparkland. This action resulted in the creation of the Land Trust and its purchase of the land. The Branchton Village Land Trust land is private land and is not open for public recreation. The overall purpose of the land is for conservation.
5. Who helped create the Land Trust and purchase the property?
The Nature Conservancy of Canada provided important advice on all aspects of Land Trust creation and operation. The Ontario Heritage Foundation was an early supporter. TheRegion of Waterloo has provided support to the Land Trust as the conservation efforts of the Trust are in line with the Regional Official Policy Plan policies for these lands?
6. Has the Land Trust won awards for its efforts?
Yes, the Branchton Village Land Trust was given a conservation award by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo for its public-spirited, conservation activities
MANAGEMENT
1. What is the goal of management of the Branchton Forest?
The overall goal of the management of the Branchton Forest is forest conservation.
2. Who pays the taxes?
The Branchton Village Land Trust is responsible for all land taxes.
3. What are the management challenges?
There are several challenges in managing this significant forest.
One challenge is the invasion of foreign weeds from nearby housing. The invasive plants include Garlic Mustard and Dames Rocket.
A second challenge is encroachment by adjacent landowners. We have found some adjacent landowners dumping yard waste, old equipment, concrete waste, and wood. In two caseswe have asked adjacent landowners to remove structures that they had built on the Land Trust Property. The Land Trust Board is vigilent in stopping such encroachment whenever itoccurs.
4. Can I donate to the Land Trust?
The Branchton Village Land Trust is a registered charity. Donations are gratefully accepted to defray conservation expenses.