An almost 400-acre expanse of old forest and lakeside wetlands are now protected forever, thanks to a generous donation through the Canadian Ecological Gifts program.

The 397-acre property surrounds the entirety of Lynch Lake in Annapolis County, in the settlement of Perotte located southeast of Annapolis Royal. It is characterized by mixedwood Wabanaki forest, with patches of mature and potentially old-growth forest throughout.

Old White Pine at Lynch Lake. Photo by Jaimee Morozoff

Mature and old-growth-like forests in this part of Nova Scotia are particularly important for fostering climate resilience by maintaining biodiversity, stabilizing ecosystems, and providing refuges for species vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change. Additionally, these forests have the potential to serve as vital carbon sinks, storing significant amounts of carbon in their biomass and the organic soils they produce, contributing to climate change mitigation. They also support a diverse array of organisms, from soil fungi and invertebrates to mosses, lichens, plants, and animals that rely on the living, dying, and decaying trees for habitat and resources.

Common Nighthawk and Monarch Butterfly, both species at risk, were observed on the property. The lake and wetlands throughout the property are in pristine condition and may provide habitat for various species including waterfowl like Ring-necked Duck, and American Beaver, both observed on the lake. The property is also likely to provide habitat for multiple bird species of conservation concern including Canada Warbler, Olive-Sided Flycatcher, and Chimney Swift.

The newly protected property abuts crown land to the south and is close to the provincially protected Lambs Lake Nature Reserve, enhancing the connectivity of protected habitats in this area.

The property was donated to the Nature Trust by Bryan and Leslie Lorber through the Ecological Gifts program, which offers significant tax incentives for gifts of ecologically important land. Bryan’s father had spontaneously purchased the land together with his friend and law partner in 1971, during a road trip to Nova Scotia from their home in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. The family returned to the land to go camping; as an adult Bryan continued to visit, bringing friends along to hike and get to know his Nova Scotia community.

As the years went on and Bryan retired, he began thinking about what would happen to the land after he died. He talked with his adult children who expressed an appreciation for it but lacked the desire to take on the responsibility of ownership.

Northern Pitcher Plants at Lynch Lake. Photo: Bryan Lorber

Bryan’s friend Tom Berry, a Perotte neighbour and (now retired) forester, suggested that he look into the Nova Scotia Nature Trust as an option. “I was aware that this was a very special piece of land,” Bryan explains. Bryan worked as a hospital-based RN but also holds a BA in Art History. As a “lifelong learner” he’s interested in everything from art to zoology and so paid close attention to the incredible nature and wildlife he shared the land with. “I would hear Barred Owls coming down the edge of lake when I was there camping. And I remember the first time I discovered Northern Pitcher Plants on the property, and I was so excited.” Tom had also explained to him how rare it was in Nova Scotia for an entire lake to be completely enclosed by a single property owner.

While the EcoGifts program helped to facilitate the donation process, Bryan says that his true incentive was to protect the land from any development. “People who actually care about the land are doing it properly,” he says, with obvious deep respect for the responsible foresters with whom he has formed close relationships over these many years. But he didn’t want to risk the forest he grew up caring for being lost. Instead, Bryan says, “I wanted to keep it forever wild.”

Fortunately, that happens to be precisely the Nature Trust’s mission, and Bryan’s initial conversation with the Nature Trust’s team quickly resulted in this incredible gift: almost 400 acres of old forest and the full perimeter of Lynch Lake protected – forever.

“I love Canada,” says Bryan, “and the people of Nova Scotia in particular. This is my gift to them.”

This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change’s Priority Places for Species at Risk Program.

Our thanks as well for generous support from the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust, a critical source of land securement funding for Nova Scotia’s land trusts.

We are so grateful to all of our generous Nature Trust donors, whose support makes the protection of this property and all of our other conservation achievements possible.