An initial meeting of persons interested to set up a land trust in Essex County was held on September 6, 2001. Those who accepted an invitation to set in motion a local land trust were David Ainslie, Terry Anderson, Bill Balkwill, Tom Hurst, Faye Langmaid, Betty Learmouth, and Patricia Rhoads. Dana Young, a lawyer with expertise in the formation of volunteer charitable organizations attended the land trust's second meeting, assisting with the land trust's incorporation.
Land trust members Faye Langmaid and Betty Learmouth attended the Ontario Land Trust Alliance's Gathering, October 19 - 21, 2001 at the Opinicon, Chaffey's Lock in the heart of the Rideau Lakes, north of Kingston, Ontario. A series of informative and useful workshops were attended with the opportunity to meet other land trust members from around the Province of Ontario, including members of two neighboring land trusts, Lambton Wildlife Inc. and Thames Talbot Land Trust in Middlesex County.
At the November 2001 directors meeting, the name Canada South Land Trust was accepted as an appropriate name for this most southerly land trust in the Carolinian Life Zone. Dana Young attended this third meeting, assisting the Canada South Land Trust directors to understand a model by-law. Work on the by-law continued at the December 2001 and January 2002 meetings. Treasurer Tom Hurst recommended that a single Canada South Land Trust membership fee be $20.00 while a family membership be $25.00 with a membership for persons under eighteen years of age be set at $5.00.
During the February 2002 directors meeting, two copies of a completed Application for Incorporation were circulated for signatures with the completed application forwarded to the Corporations Directorate, Industry Canasda on February 8, 2002. An article concerning the Canada South Land Trust appeared in The Windsor Star on February 12, 2002.
Canada South Land Trust directors attended an Ecological Gifts Workshop at the LaSalle Municipal Offices on February 23, 2002, hosted by Essex MP Susan Whelan. Presenters at this morning workshop were Environment Canada staff person Graham Bryan and lawyer Paul Peterson.
Canada South Land Trust directors considered an Application to Register a Charity at its March 2002 meeting. Patricia Rhoads, organizer of the upcoming Restoration Conference, asked if the directors would be agreeable to announcing the land trust's establishment in the opening session of the conference on March 30, 2002. Any proceeds from the conference are to be placed in trust for the land trust.
On March 18, 2002, a package was received from Industry Canada with the Canada South Land Trust's incorporation document enclosed, dated February 11, 2002.
During the April 2003 meeting, directors prepared the materials for the Application to Register a Charity Under the Income Tax Act, with the package placed in the mail on April 9, 2003.
At the May 2003 CSLT meeting, the directors spoke about long range planning, considering the Thames Talbot Land Trust's publication entitled Blueprint for Action, a five year plan for that land trust. Locally the Essex Region Conservation Authority's soon to be released Essex Region Biodiversity Conservation Strategy prepared by Staff Biologists kDan Lebedyk would be useful as the Canada South Land Trust prepares its planning document.
As part of gathering of information for long range planning for the Canada South Land Trust, CSLT directors met with Nature Conservancy of Canada staff members Michelle Kanter and Graham Buck on May 22, 2003 to discuss the NCC's program, the first of a number of resource persons that the land trust directors would meet with over the coming months.
During the June 2003 CSLT directors meeting, a decision was made to request Consulting Ecologist Gerry Waldron to write a guiding document with funding to be obtained through an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant.
At the July 2003 CSLT meeting, ERCA biologist Dan Lebedyk provided CSLT directors with information on the Essex Region Biodiversity Conservation Strategy such as the status of our natural habitat, significance of Essex Region natural habitat, restoration planning and guiding principles to protect and restore natural habitat.
In August 2002 Treasurer Tom Hurst called the Charities Directorate to discover that our Application to Register a Charity Under the Income Tax Act had not been received, so the required documents were quickly put together at the September 2002 meeting. An application for funding from the Ontario Trilliuim Foundation was reviewed during the September 2002 meeting, then mailed on September 13, 2002.
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Chief Ecologist Allen Woodliffe attended the October 3, 2002 CSLT meeting to discuss natural areas in the Municipality of Chatham-Kent with CSLT directors. The Ontario Land Trust Alliance welcomed the Canada South Land Trust as a member organization following the fall OLTA conference, joining over thirty other land trusts across Ontario.
During the CSLT November 2003 meeting, director Faye Langmaid provided CSLT directors with background information on the City of Windsor's acquisition of private lands on the Spring Garden Prairie Area of Natural and Scientific Interest.
Environment Canada staff member Graham Bryan travelled to Essex County on December 5, 2002 to present a PowerPoint presentation to CSLT directors concerning the Ecological Gifts program.
Marian Stranach, Point Pelee National Park's superintendant, provided an update on Park activities at the CSLT January 9, 2003 meeting.
During the February 6, 2003 CSLT monthly meeting, Pelee Island land owner Dave Kraus shared his experience with CSLT directors regarding a conservation easement which Dave donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Director Faye Langmaid bid farewell to CSLT directors at this meeting as Faye had taken a new position with the Municipality of Clarington in the Durham Region to the east of Toronto .
The Canada South Land Trust received notification in mid March from Canada Customs and Revenue Agency of its status as a charitable organization effective January 1, 2003.
On March 22, 2003 Canada South Land Trust wrote a letter of application to the National Coordinator of the Ecological Gifts Program to be accepted as a qualified registered charity to receive gifts of ecologically sensitive lands.
During the April 2003 CSLT directors meeting, directors brainstormed for appropriate ideas for a land trust logo. Two CSLT directors attended a one day Ontario Land Trust Alliance meeting in London, Ontario on April 12, 2003. Speakers included Kim Gavin and Jeremy Collins of the Ontario Heritage Foundation who spoke on Conservation Gift Options. Graham Bryan spoke on donor advantages of the Ecological Gift Program. Stew Hilts presented Standard and Practices for Land Trusts.
A letter dated May 9, 2003 was received from the Ecological Gifts Program National Secretariat welcoming the Canada South Land Trust as an environmental charity eligible to receive ecological gifts.
During the CSLT June 2003 meeting, Terry Anderson presented the newly created CSLT Power Point presentation with photographs taken by Bill Balkwill and Gerry Kaiser included as well as photographs obtained from Ojibway Nature Centre, amd the City of Windsor Community Services. The Ontario Trillium Foundation has made a generous contribution towards the establishment of the Canada South Land Trust by providing funds over the next twelve months.
Bob Finlay, a qualified appraiser of ecologically significant lands, was CSLT's guest at the July 3, 2003 meeting. Mr. Finlay has undertaken work for the Nature Conservancy of Canada on Pelee Island with regard to conservation easements and fee donations / transfers. Mr. Finlay states that "few appraisers are qualified for this type of work and the number of assignments does not create an interest in specializing in this field. Often the appraiser has problems with market data, and must go out of his area to find good comparables. Due to the lack of resales of lands emcumbered by "Conservation agreements," the appraiser is challenged in trying to back up his report."
CSLT members did not meet during August 2003, but did meet on September 4, 2003 to discuss a logo design presented by graphic artist Scott Hughes. Planning was also underway for a public meeting to introduce the land trust to the community on November 6, 2003. A further planning meeting was scheduled for September 11, 2003 to discuss a mailing list and tentative program for the evening. A second planning meeting was held on September 25, 2003 to prepare a flyer for mailing. Mary Celestino kindly allowed the CSLT to illustrate the flyer with Mary's drawing of Elm-leaved Goldenrod. At the October 2, 2003 final arrangements for the November 6, 2003 meeting were discussed.
The Community Gathering of November 6, 2003 in the Council Chambers of the Essex Civic Centre was attended by thirty persons who enjoyed two presentations, one about conservation easements by Environment Canada staff person Graham Bryan, and a second by ECFNC President Phil Roberts who spoke about Holiday Beach Conservation Area and its Prothonotary Warbler population.
The Fall 2003 Gathering of the Ontario Land Trust Alliance held in King City and hosted by the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust from November 21 - 23, 2003 was attended by one CSLT director. The Gathering featured useful workshops for land trust members on such topics as fund raising, conservation easements, and a proposed Agricultural Land Trust.
The directors considered the land trust's logo once again at its regular December 2003 meeting, providing feed back to graphic artist Scott Hughes.