Andrew Robinson, our Volunteer Writer, recently spoke with one of our newest monthly donors, Patrick Reid.

Hi Patrick, thanks for taking some time to chat. And thank you also for becoming one of the latest people to sign up as a monthly donor to the Nature Trust

No problem, it’s nice to be able to chat to someone outside my house right now! With the COVID-19 situation we are all managing as best we can of course. And it is the current situation that prompted me to sign up for monthly donations. I’ve made lump sum donations before, but making this regular commitment felt like the right thing to do. With everything going on, I was worried that donations might see a drastic decline, so giving a little to the Nature Trust each month is my way of helping in a time of need.

What do you like about being able to donate monthly?

Well, for a start, I’m actually donating more this way than I did in lump sums, so that has to be good. I will still make one-off donations of course, but those are usually for a specific cause, and often there is an incentive, such as donor matching, but being a monthly donor makes me feel connected in a different way. The Nature Trust always needs money to keep the lights on, and sometimes that’s harder to raise funds for. The special campaigns are great, and highly visible, but to do those you need to take care of the basics.

That’s a great way of looking at things. So what is it about the Nature Trust that makes you want to support us?

Well, about 5 or 6 years ago when I was in my early 20s I started to travel. I started overseas and I really came to appreciate diversity in all its forms; people, cities, landscapes, eco-systems. When I came home I decided I wanted to discover my own country and my home province more deeply. I started camping – tenting I mean, not ‘glamping’ and hiking. As I did so, I became more aware of the challenges we face in Nova Scotia with private land ownership, and I came across the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Nova Scotia Nature Trust. I spoke with volunteers about what they did and I decided to get involved myself. I think of it as a quid pro quo – a payback, if you will, for the tremendous personal satisfaction I get from being in nature.

Do you have a favourite place in Nova Scotia?

Gaff Point would be one trail, for sure, from the open expanse of Hirtle’s Beach and out along the cliffs, it is a majestic place. For camping, I would have to say Kejimkujik. There are so few disturbances and the lakes really stole my heart. The Grafton Woods loop has become a favourite birthday hike for me. With a Fall birthday I get to really immerse in the majesty of autumnal colour.

And what would you say to someone considering donating to the Nature Trust

I would say do it. I think it is wonderful that we have organisations like the Nature Trust taking steps to conserve the natural beauty all around us, and they are doing so with the public in mind. I see my monthly donations almost like a membership, allowing me to enjoy stunning natural beauty whenever I want – at least, once the virus has passed!

Patrick’s support is all the more welcome as we deal with the impacts of COVID-19. To find out more and to sign up, please visit our Monthly Giving page.