Halfway to Protection: Community Pushes MMLT Closer to Conserving 500 Acres of Wilderness in the Madawaska Highlands
A community-driven effort to protect two ecologically significant properties in the Madawaska Highlands has reached a major milestone. Since launching its campaign in late May, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) has already raised over 50% of its $120,000 fundraising goal — bringing the organization one step closer to permanently conserving more than 500 acres of rich forest, wetland, and wildlife habitat.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the community, MMLT has waived the financing conditions for the proposed MapleCross Newlands Nature Reserve, a 308-acre property of exceptional ecological value near Matawatchan Provincial Park. “This is a huge step forward,” said Steve Kotze, MMLT President, “Community donations and funders have enabled us to move ahead with the purchase — a real win for conservation in this region.” The purchase is set to close on August 29.
However, a second property along Aird Creek — which MMLT also hopes to protect as a nature reserve — still requires urgent funding to move forward and avoid the risk of being logged. The 200-acre site features old-growth forests, dramatic rock ridges, and a thriving wetland valley.
During a visit to the Aird Creek property in June, MMLT directors saw firsthand the aftermath of a roughly 100-acre clearcut on adjacent land — just a few scattered trees left standing in an otherwise stripped landscape. “It was shocking to see,” said director, Steve Blight. “It only reinforced how urgent it is to protect this piece of the Madawaska Highlands.”
If MMLT cannot secure the necessary financing, the privately owned property will return to the open market. The land trust team has been working hard to secure grants and additional funding, but most of it is contingent on matching community contributions. MMLT hopes to raise an additional $60,000 from individual supporters by July 31 to unlock those funds and acquire the property before it’s too late.
“We’re immensely grateful for the generosity we’ve seen so far,” said Steve Kotze. “This momentum gives us real hope that we’ll succeed in protecting both of these wild, carbon-storing landscapes forever.”
