FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WILMOT TOWNSHIP, ON — The Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT) is pleased to announce the permanent protection of the Mighton Farm through a conservation easement, securing 125 acres (~50 hectares) of productive farmland and ecologically significant natural areas. This milestone brings OFT’s total protected land base to 3,366 acres across 32 properties.
Protected in partnership with landowners Pat and Dennis Mighton, the property will continue to contribute to Ontario’s critical agricultural landscape in perpetuity, while also safeguarding environmental features. The farm remains in active production, supporting a rotation of corn, oats, wheat, barley, and occasionally beans. Its soils include a diverse mix of Class 1 through 4 and Organic Soils, underscoring its long-term agricultural value.
Beyond its agricultural productivity, the Mighton property is rich in ecological assets. The landscape features mature forest, meadow, swamp, and streams, forming an interconnected natural system. A provincially significant swamp wetland spanning approximately 27 acres (11 hectares) plays a vital role in water filtration and flood mitigation. Recognized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, this wetland is part of the broader Grand River Watershed.
“The protection of the Mighton property reflects the powerful role that private landowners play in conserving Ontario’s farmland and natural heritage,” said Martin Straathof, Executive Director. “By choosing to protect their land, the Mightons are ensuring that both food production and biodiversity can continue to thrive together.”
The property’s natural features provide important habitat for a wide range of wildlife. A seasonally wet swamp supports amphibian breeding, while meadow areas containing Common Milkweed and Goldenrod offer essential resources for pollinators, including the Monarch butterfly. Several species at risk have been observed on the property, including Monarch, Butternut, Black Ash, Barn Swallow, and Eastern Wood-Pewee.
A conservation easement ensures that the Mighton Farm will remain protected for generations, even if ownership changes, maintaining its agricultural productivity while conserving its natural features and ecological functions.
“Our government is proud to support the work of the Ontario Farmland Trust alongside dedicated landowners such as Pat and Dennis Mighton, who are taking action to protect Ontario’s natural heritage,” said Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Through our Species Conservation Program, we are not only preserving important landscapes, but we are also actively restoring habitats, supporting species at risk and helping to secure a more resilient future for Ontario.”
As development pressures continue to intensify across Ontario, voluntary farmland protection agreements like this one play a critical role in preserving working landscapes. OFT extends its sincere thanks to Pat and Dennis Mighton for their leadership and dedication to farmland protection. Their property joins a growing network of permanently protected farms that support resilient food systems, vibrant rural communities, and thriving ecosystems across Ontario.
A portion of this project was made possible through the Government of Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program, which provides enhanced tax incentives to individuals and corporations who choose to protect ecologically significant land. This project was also made possible through funding from the Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP).
The Ontario government is investing $20 million annually through the Species Conservation Program to help protect species at risk and their habitats across the province. This year’s funding will support high-impact, on-the-ground projects, including 25 community-led conservation projects, protecting a wide range of at-risk species such as Monarch butterflies, Blanding’s turtles and Butternut trees.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Martin Straathof, Executive Director
519-781-3276
[email protected]
ABOUT ONTARIO FARMLAND TRUST
OFT’s province-wide mission is to protect and preserve farmlands and associated agricultural, natural, and cultural landscapes of food production for the benefit of Ontarians today and future generations. The charitable organization advances its mission through land protection, stewardship, policy research, and education. To learn more about the project and OFT, visit www.ontariofarmlandtrust.ca.
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ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA’S Ecological Gifts Program:
Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program provides a way for Canadians with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and leave a legacy for future generations. Made possible by the terms of the Income Tax Act of Canada and the Quebec Taxation Act, it offers significant tax benefits to landowners who wish to donate land or a partial interest in land to a qualified recipient. Recipients ensure that the land’s biodiversity and environmental heritage are conserved in perpetuity.
To learn more about the Ecological Gifts Program, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/ecological-gifts-program.html
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA’S Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP)
The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique partnership that supports the creation and recognition of protected and conserved areas through the acquisition of private land and private interest in land. To date, the Government of Canada has invested more than $500 million in the Program, which has been matched with more than $1 billion in contributions raised by Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada, and the country’s land trust community, leading to the protection and conservation of nearly 840,000 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands.
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO’S Species Conservation Program (SCP)
The Ontario government is investing $20 million annually through the Species Conservation Program to help conserve species at risk and their habitats across the province. This includes the commitment of more than $12.5 million over a five-year period to the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, for work that will provide long-term benefits to species by increasing the quantity and quality of habitat for species at risk in the province.
ABOUT ONTARIO LAND TRUST ALLIANCE (OLTA)
Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) focuses on providing community, knowledge sharing and support to land trusts across Ontario. It empowers and supports highly effective, well-governed land trusts that engage their communities to protect forests, wetlands, nature, and water sources and provide natural climate solutions. OLTA builds capacity through training and educational programs, connecting land trusts to each other, resources, and their communities, leading and supporting on-the-ground conservation work, sharing knowledge and best practices, reducing financial barriers to land conservation, promoting organizational excellence, providing access to current research and acting as a voice for land trusts among the public, governments, and other rightsholders.
Our impact is Ontario-wide through 56 connected charities and communities. OLTA’s local land trust members currently collectively own and steward over 2,000 natural areas and green spaces across Ontario, with the leadership of thousands of supporters and volunteers annually. To support your local land trust, visit OLTA.ca.
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