Media Release
Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula — December 12, 2025 — The Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC) is honoured to announce the permanent protection of two ecologically significant parcels of land on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula: the 20-acre Tamarack Corner Nature Preserve and the 100-acre Alguire Nature Preserve. Both properties were generously donated by their owners, representing profound acts of conservation leadership and marking important milestones in the organization’s Wild Future Campaign. The nature preserves are located within the ancestral territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and we acknowledge their long history and careful stewardship of land on the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula.
Together, these new nature preserves protect more than 120 acres of high-value habitat within a region globally recognized for its outstanding natural heritage. The Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula supports one of Ontario’s richest concentrations of biodiversity, shaped by its unique geology, microclimates, extensive wetlands, and its connectivity to larger protected areas. The donations of Tamarack Corner and Alguire further strengthen ecological corridors, safeguard carbon-storing landscapes, and help protect species at risk that rely on intact habitat.
Tamarack Corner Nature Preserve: A Wetland Refuge of Provincial Importance
Located near Miller Lake, the Tamarack Corner Nature Preserve encompasses a diverse mosaic of tamarack and cedar wetlands, mixed forest, and groundwater-fed lowlands that support a wide array of plant and animal communities. Wetlands on the Peninsula act as vital ecological engines—filtering water, regulating hydrology, and providing irreplaceable habitat for amphibians, turtles, migratory birds, and pollinators. The alvar pavement hosts a remarkable collection of flora across the seasons, including showy orchid, lesser fringed gentian, dwarf lake iris, and other species at risk.
Part of a larger network of protected lands, Tamarack Corner plays an outsized role in supporting vulnerable species, including the threatened Massasauga Rattlesnake, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Hill’s Thistle, and Midland Painted Turtle. Bruce Peninsula National Park borders the property to the north, while the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy’s Fedy Nature Preserve lies directly to the east. Together, these conservation lands maintain wildlife corridors, giving animals safe passage across the landscape. Tamarack Corner’s intact forest cover also contributes to local climate resilience by storing carbon, moderating temperatures, and providing continuous canopy for wide-ranging mammals such as Black Bear, Fisher, White-tailed Deer, and Porcupine.
Alguire Nature Preserve: Honouring a Family Legacy While Protecting Wildlife Habitat
Situated near Stokes Bay, the Alguire Nature Preserve contains a rich mix of mature forest, regenerating woodland, and small wetland pockets, creating essential connectivity between other natural areas conserved by the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy and adjacent public lands. Just minutes from Lake Huron, the preserve includes undeveloped forest, productive wetlands, and a seasonal creek that feeds into a sensitive aquatic ecosystem.
The property forms a key link within a growing conservation network across the Peninsula, helping counteract habitat fragmentation, a significant threat to species requiring large, undisturbed territories. With its blend of upland forest and wetland habitat, the Alguire Nature Preserve supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife, including Monarch Butterflies, Massasauga Rattlesnakes, and at-risk birds such as the Golden-winged Warbler and Red-headed Woodpecker, species facing rapid habitat loss elsewhere.
The wetlands on the property further enhance regional water retention and groundwater recharge, buffering the impacts of extreme weather events and contributing to healthier aquatic ecosystems downstream. The donation ensures that this ecologically valuable landscape will remain protected for generations to come.
The addition of Tamarack Corner and Alguire is part of the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy’s Wild Future Campaign. These new preserves secure vital wildlife corridors, enhance climate resilience across the Peninsula, and support the long-term ecological health of one of Canada’s most treasured landscapes.
