Growing up surrounded by farmlands, fields, and pockets of forest, Jeff Newbery’s connection to nature began in the Valley, where he grew up. As a lifelong explorer of the province’s quieter corners and out of the way places, he has witnessed both the beauty of Nova Scotia’s landscapes and the loss that can occur when the environment is not protected.

He had known about the Nova Scotia Nature Trust through traditional and social media for many years, as well as previously being a volunteer. More recently, after some significant changes in his life, he began re-evaluating his priorities and decided that contributing as a monthly donor was something he wanted to start doing alongside his brother, who was already a monthly donor.

When asked why it is important for him to support the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, Jeff responded, “Well, having been a nature lover all my life, it was instilled with me as a young kid, really. And I’ve always been somebody who’s wandered around outside and poked around, so I’ve always seen innate value in nature.”

With age, Jeff finds that the importance of nature has deepened even more. While many people think first of exercise, for him the benefits of being outdoors are rooted in mental, spiritual, and environmental well-being. Knowing that the Nature Trust secures land forever is what resonates most deeply with him.

Monthly giving offers Jeff an easy, reliable way to support this mission. Because it’s automatic, it doesn’t require ongoing decisions or reminders, yet it consistently supports the organization’s work. Jeff still contributes in practical ways when he can, but he values monthly giving as a simple, dependable way to ensure his support is always there.

“I truly believe that it does make a difference, on the financial side and the big picture. It’s not a lot, but I think when many people give ‘not a lot’, it adds up. So when you hear about something like the Blanche Peninsula, you think, OK – I actually contributed a little bit to that in my own way. You feel it a little bit in your heart and I think that’s kind of cool.”

Jeff recognizes that conservation is more than purchasing land; it relies on the ongoing work of stewardship, administrative, and operations supported by staff and volunteers. Monthly giving, for him, is a meaningful way to help sustain all of that essential work.

He values staying informed about the organization’s work. He appreciates the email updates from the Nature Trust as something he looks forward to reading and reinforcing to him that his contributions are making a difference.

To anyone considering becoming a monthly donor, Jeff encourages starting small, saying that a contribution doesn’t need to be large to have impact as what’s important is consistency for organizations like the Nature Trust.

Jeff is an avid hiker, walker, and wanderer. He finds a deep sense of renewal in the woods and along the coast. Recalling the province-wide woods ban this past summer, he made an ethical decision at the time and chose not to walk on his forested trails as well and spent more time along the shore and on local field roads. When he was finally able to walk back into the forest, the experience was more emotional than he anticipated. Standing again beside an old-growth hemlock lifted his heart and spirit and showed him how essential nature really is for him.

For Jeff, monthly giving isn’t just a donation – it’s a commitment to the places that have shaped his life. And it’s a way to ensure those landscapes remain protected, thriving, and accessible for generations to come.

Thank you to Jeff Newbery for his monthly commitment as a donor. Want to learn more about our monthly donor community of NatureMakers who are dedicated to saving and protecting Nova Scotia’s irreplaceable natural places? Learn more here.