Nature Trust Executive Director Bonnie Sutherland

On April 16, hundreds of Nature Trust supporters and nature lovers came together at the Halifax Convention Centre to celebrate thirty years of conservation success, and to recommit to answering the urgent call to protect nature before it’s too late.

In honour of all of the incredible nature you’ve helped to protect over the past thirty years, we aimed to create an unforgettable evening of immersive experience, wild wonder, art, music, food, and natural inspiration. Our aspiration was to bring some of the magic and awe that we feel when we’re outdoors in nature, into an indoor evening event.

Guests entered into the space by walking along our “Celebration Trail,” featuring a mural-style timeline of some key milestones from our thirty years, brought to life by mural and lettering artist Kristen de Palma. Once in the reception, joyful socializing was complemented by refreshments (including a tasting station by Ducks Crossing, who support the Nature Trust with $1 from every case of their wine sold in stores) and more art. We had the chance to watch Holly Carr’s Light in the Forest installation while she brought nature to life on a live-painted silk screen; Holly also invited us to pause and reflect on what we’re grateful for to create two beautiful “Gratitude Trees.” And we explored another mural by Kristen de Palma celebrating land and easement donors who have entrusted their land into the care of the Nature Trust over the past thirty years.

Onstage, host of CBC Information Morning Halifax Portia Clark emceed the evening, which featured our own Executive Director Bonnie Sutherland as well as a powerful live painting of a drum by Alan Syliboy, capturing the spirit of the night, and an incredible performance of “Mi’kmaltic” fiddle music by the Morgan Toney Trio.

Guests bidding on nature-themed artwork in the Inspiration Gallery.

Guests had the opportunity to bid on stunning nature-themed artwork that captured the the power and beauty of the wild places we work to protect. We are so grateful to the amazing artists who contributed their work to our silent auction Inspiration Gallery:

Allyson Simmie Metal Arts, Amos Pewter, Andrea Pottyondy Stoffer – Artist, Anne Bastedo of Serenity Images, Birdsall-Worthington Pottery Ltd., Hinterland Glass, Jason Dain, WaterDragon Pottery, Mark Brennan, Crescent Clay/Mary Jane Lundy, Melissa White Mi’kmaq Artist , Poppy Balser Paintings, Estate of Ray Titterington, Ron Kuwahara, Whiskey Jack Gallery, Sharon Fox Cranston, Wadsworth-Smith Art, Anne and Edward Wedler of Wedler Fine Art, and Susan Johnston Studio.

Our raffle packages were filled with nature experiences donated by nature-loving businesses.

Guests also had the chance to win amazing nature experiences in one of four raffle packages, with prizes generously donated by Nova Scotian and Canadian businesses that love to support nature, too. Our thanks to Atlantic Photo Supply, Earth Rhythms, Nature’s Way, Old Creel Canoe & Kayak, Patagonia Halifax, Ridge on the Chimney, Trout Point Lodge, and Valley Stove & Cycle for their generous gifts, and for helping four lucky winners get out in nature!

And of course, none of it would’ve been possible without our amazing sponsors: our presenting sponsor, Michelin Canada; our Conservation Champions Nature’s Way and TD Bank Group; our Habitat Heroes CarbonRun and Stewart McKelvey; and our in-kind sponsors Allen Print, Encore, and Ducks Crossing.

It was a joyous and inspiring night.

But the celebration was about so much more than just one lovely evening.

Our thirty years of conservation have been possible because of you. Thousands of you, from across Nova Scotia, across Canada and beyond, supporters who have been with us from the beginning and who have just become part of the Nature Trust family recently – all of you are part of the achievements we celebrated, and of the wins for nature we look forward to celebrating in the future.

In this short video, we gathered together just a few voices from these first thirty years, sharing their inspiration for protecting nature in Nova Scotia. We are so grateful to our entire community of supporters for being inspired by nature, and for joining together with us to turn that inspiration into action.

Here’s to our first 30 years together—we have never been more inspired to keep saving more nature, faster than ever before, thanks to your support.