When we think about our lives after we’re gone, our greatest hope is that we will be remembered fondly and that our children, grandchildren, and generations to come will live safe, happy, full lives. For many, that also means ensuring all will have the opportunity to enjoy the special habitats, beautiful coastlines, and enormous benefits the natural world has to offer.

Today we are featuring the legacy left behind by the late Victor Raymond “Ray” Titterington.

Ray spent the last 25 years of his life carefully crafting his seven-acre property in Port L’Hebert, in Shelburne County along Nova Scotia’s South Shore. He created his abode piece by piece, from the floors to the doorframes to the carousel of horses. The heart of Ray’s home was his greenhouse, which he filled with a range of cacti, some of which grew to touch the glass-topped ceiling and his workshop where he spent countless hours working on his carvings. The house was completely and uniquely his own.

While Ray was quietly living his life in Port L’Hebert, he decided to bequest his entire estate to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust to support their mission of protecting Nova Scotia’s natural legacy, and in November 2020, his property was sold! The home, land, and contents were sold as one. Because of Ray’s incredibly generous donation, the funds from the sale will be used to save and protect Nova Scotia’s breathtaking natural beauty, endangered species, and wild spaces.

The new owners plan to repair and restore the home Ray built as they determine how to best honor Ray’s legacy. One thought is to open a gallery to showcase all of Ray’s handcrafted woodworking. The exhibit would not only display Ray’s carvings for all to admire; it would also tell the story of his life and work.

Another consideration is to turn the property into a home-away-from-home rental, giving visitors the chance to experience this remarkably unique property first-hand. With so many possibilities, a final decision will take time.  It’s important to remember that as the new owners contemplate what is best, the home remains privately owned. We ask that you please not trespass as we wait to hear what will happen next.

In the meantime, two of our amazing volunteers at the Nova Scotia Nature Trust are writing and compiling Ray’s story to celebrate and honour him in the most deserving way.

Thanks to Ray’s quiet kindness, more Conservation Lands will be saved forever. Stay tuned for more about this story in 2021.

If you’d like to find out more about making a bequest to the Nature Trust, please contact Barbara@nsnt.ca