2008 WAYLAND DREW NATURAL HERITAGE AWARD

Peter Alley

Peter was a consultant in strategic management  in Toronto for 30 years but much of his spare time was spent at his cottage on Muldrew Lake near Gravenhurst.  His property would have been a natural candidate for a Natural Heritage Award since his shoreline was almost untouched and he had a managed forest plan in place for the remainder of his property.  But it is for his vision regarding The Land Between that we are recognizing Peter with this year's Wayland Drew Natural Heritage Award.

In the late 1990's,when MNR was developing the system of new protected areas through Ontario's Living Legacy, several new areas were identified in the vicinity of Muldrew Lake.  Peter felt that more area around Muldrew Lake should have been part of the system.  He noticed that the lands surrounding his cottage did not resemble those areas to the north (Canadian Shield), nor did the land appear similar to the fields and farms of the south (St. Lawrence Lowlands) and that in fact this ecotone zone extends from Muskoka to the St. Lawrence River near Kingston.  He called this area The Land Between, and through his dedication and persistence, Peter inspired many people to appreciate this landscape. 

Ultimately, in 2005, Peter partnered with the Couchiching Conservancy and Kawartha Heritage Conservancy, both of which had already been developing programs for the region.  It was a natural fit.  The Land Between Collaborative with Peter as chair of the steering committee was born.

The collaborative, which is not-for-profit and non-government, has been successful in engaging partners, securing funding and hiring a program coordinator.  It maintains links to networks for volunteers and stewardship groups and supports projects that enhance the distinct ecological, cultural and economic characteristics of the areas.  Peter's legacy and devotion to this project continues.  To quote from the The Land Between website (http://www.thelandbetween.ca/): He has lit the torch for The Land Between and has passed it along to all of us.