Welcome to The Muskoka Heritage Trust

Across North America, the Land Trust movement has been gaining momentum. At the same time, many people in Muskoka are recognizing the need to protect the ecologically significant areas that make it such a special place. Responding to this, the Muskoka Heritage Foundation created a sister organization in 1996, named The Muskoka Heritage Trust. We are a charitable organization with a small staff that support eleven dedicated and knowledgeable volunteer board members.

What is a Land Trust?

The term Land Trust refers to non-profit, charitable organizations that have as one of their core activities, the acquisition of land or interests in land (such as conservation easements) for the purpose of conservation.

Land Trusts are not government agencies. They are independent organizations that work with landowners who are interested in protecting natural space. Because they are private organizations, land trusts can be more flexible and creative than public agencies - and can act more quickly - in saving land. Additionally, land trusts' nonprofit tax status brings them a variety of tax benefits.

What We Do

We help people protect the natural values of their Muskoka land by guiding them through the necessary steps towards permanent land protection.

The Muskoka Heritage Foundation established The Muskoka Heritage Trust specifically for the purpose of preserving Muskoka's heritage assets. This includes significant natural lands and built heritage artifacts and architecture. We accomplish this both by land acquisition, and by the negotiation of conservation easement agreements.

Hours of volunteer time, careful consideration, and planning are involved in the process of protecting land. The Muskoka Heritage Trust is proud to say that, at the beginning of 2008, we have protected more than 1000 acres of land as nature reserves as well as over 50 acres of land as conservation easements.

In all ways and at all times, the Trust will act as a good and prudent steward of all assets under its control. The assets of the Trust have not been inherited from past generations but rather they have been borrowed from our children. In the case of natural areas, the Trust recognizes that it exercises stewardship for the benefit of the plant and animal communities that have an intrinsic value independent of human use and enjoyment.

Benefits of Land Donation or Conservation Easements

Protection in Perpetuity
With the creation of nature reserves and conservation easements, the important ecological values of the property are considered and protected through good stewardship - even if the property changes hands.

Financial Incentives
Several substantial tax initiatives may be available for landowners who donate to a registered land trust. Depending on the qualities of your property and the type/extent of your donation, you could qualify for significant property, income, and capital gains tax incentives.

Flexibility
A conservation easement is a non-governmental agreement and is flexible, allowing the landowner to customize it to suit the individual conservation goals of each property. This means that the landowner can continue to own and use the land while protecting its valuable ecological qualities, now and forever.

The Muskoka Heritage Trust gratefully acknowledges the financial support of Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program.

This funding supports the Trust’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Development Project which allows us to train volunteer technical advisors (biologists, foresters, ecologists, GPS experts and consultants) who help the Trust better manage and monitor its present lands and assess the ecological values of a number of potential properties being considered by the Trust.