Dear members and friends,
2023 marked our 10th anniversary as a registered charity focused on protecting Lake Manitou’s ecosystem. Since our founding, we completed 25 acquisitions and broadened our conservation efforts to promote ecological connectivity in the greater region with other organizations. During the year, we were gifted 110 acres of land near Lake Brazeau just west of Lake Manitou by Aileen Cagney, widow of the late Fred Barker, through ECCC’s Ecological Gifts Program. Subsequent to year-end, we purchased 221 acres adjacent to the Ivry Wildlife Crossing and to several of our properties, forming a large contiguous protected area of 547 acres. This latest acquisition brings our total land holdings to approximately 1,960 acres, just shy of our stated goal of preserving 2,000 acres within 10 years.
While donations and grants were down significantly in 2023, the prior year was a record for government grants due to the large number of land purchases made qualifying for public funding. We finished 2023 with a healthy working capital surplus and a Stewardship Fund totalling $450,000. We continue to evaluate numerous opportunities, but need to remain disciplined yet nimble in the face of mounting pressure from land developers. Our 11th Annual Meeting will be held on June 29 at 2pm at the new townhall in Ivry-sur-le-Lac where we look forward to your presence again this year.
We welcome you to please download Conservation Manitou - 2023 Annual Report.