‘Some places should remain natural’: New conservation area opens in Amherstburg

A new conservation area in Amherstburg opened on Thursday.

A new conservation area officially opened in Amherstburg on Thursday after years of planning between the Collavino family and the Essex Region Conservation Authority.

The Collavino Conservation Area includes 150 acres of provincially significant wetlands and environmentally sensitive land along River Canard that was donated by Loris Collavino and his family in 2022 to ensure it would remain protected permanently.

“It started back in 2005 and, when I first went around the wetlands here, I just fell in love with this location,” said Collavino during Thursday’s grand opening ceremony.

“It’s one thing to hang on to land and say, you know, it’s mine and no one else can trespass. But when I saw the nature that was here, the possibilities of people having access to this, it just made a lot of sense that it should be open to the public.”

The conservation area now features a 2.2-kilometre walking trail, picnic areas and shaded gathering spaces, with future plans including a viewing pavilion, shoreline protection work, a possible kayak launch and a memorial forest.

The Collavino family also donated $100,000 through the Essex Region Conservation Foundation to help develop the site, with another $50,000 contribution announced Thursday.

Collavino said exposing young people to nature was a major motivation behind the project.

“I think what’s important is that the more public is exposed to this type of an environment, this type of wetland, the more they’re going to appreciate it,” he explained.

“You know, we’ve lived along River Canard since 1983, and we’ve seen some of the abuses that people will do, throwing garbage into the creek. I think it’s better that the young people are exposed to this, and they’ll appreciate it that much more.”

Students from Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School attended the opening Thursday, including some of Collavino’s grandchildren.

“It means everything to them,” said Grade 4 teacher Bridget Salts.

“You see how excited they are just looking at these trays of the wildlife from the reserve.”

Salts said students will remember being part of the conservation area’s opening for years to come.

Grade 4 student Mila Collavino called the experience “really cool,” saying she learned “there’s a bunch of different types of small creatures in just this much water.”

ERCA CAO Tim Byrne said the project highlights the importance of maintaining local conservation efforts and community relationships as Ontario moves ahead with conservation authority mergers.

“It’s extremely important to maintain local accountability, local transparency and local relationship building,” Byrne said.

“This doesn’t happen when you get too big. You’ve got to keep it manageable. You’ve got to keep it that you’ve got actual people in the watershed interested in participating.”

Collavino also expressed hope the mergers will not impact local conservation authority staff and relationships.

“The merger is — I don’t know if it’s needed or not — but I hope it doesn’t affect the local people that are here, the local conservation authority and their staff because they’ve been wonderful to deal with,” he said.

Byrne said ERCA’s work protecting local natural areas will continue.

“I just like to tell anybody that’s listening that we aren’t going anywhere,” Byrne said.

“With local engagement, local participation, local decision making, these types of properties will sustain themselves for now and into the future.”

Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue called the conservation area “a real jewel” for the community and region.

“I think we all have a duty,” Prue said.

“Every person on earth has that duty to protect the green places, all the wildlife, all the species at risk.”

The site provides habitat for several species at risk, including Blanding’s turtles, eastern foxsnakes and queensnakes.

Organizers say the long-term goal is to create a destination where residents can connect with nature while ensuring the wetland habitat remains protected for future generations.