Farmer Jim Lyle and his family have donated 35 acres of their home farm to the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority, a significant step towards habitat restoration in Southwold Township.
The property donated is adjacent to the Deer Ridge Conservation, which was donated by the Lyles’ neighbors, Ted and Duggie Gill. The land of both Deer Ridge and the newly donated 35-acres were both originally part of the Lyle family’s farm.
The land was purchased in 1874 by Jim Lyle’s great-grandfather, David Lyle, and was named Hope Farm. The farm was renamed Stenhouse Muir by Jim’s grandfather, Stanley Lyle, in the early 1900s.
“My brother John and I are the last generation to farm these lands,” says Jim Lyle. “It was important to restore part of the farm to how my great grandfather found it in the 1870s. KCCA’s ability to protect and restore the lands was a big factor in our decision to donate.”
A new wetland was already constructed on the property this fall, and 10 000 trees will be planted in the coming years.
While the property will now be managed by KCCA, it will be known as the Stanley Lyle Grove.
“This donation is a way for our family to remember my grandfather and honour the land that we have farmed and called home for generations,” explains Jim.
“The purpose of these lands has come full circle” says Grant Jones, KCCA’s Chair and Mayor of Southwold Township. “It’s incredibly responsible and generous of the Lyle family to recognize the importance of preserving our natural heritage and when we can enhance it for the future.”
Written by: myFM/Parkside Collegiate co-op student Emily Ryckman
