United Way WRC believes in acting on the expertise of local service providers. We believe in investing in key interconnected areas that meet practical needs and address barriers. Our funded partner, rare Charitable Research Reserve seeks to increase sustainability and takes care of community land through conservation, research, and education. As a community-based urban land trust and environmental institute, rare protects highly sensitive land over 1200 acres in Waterloo Region and Wellington County.

rare acknowledges that people are part of the environment. By working together as a community, we can collaborate in protecting our natural spaces. Earth Day is coming up on Monday, April 22, 2024. rare has many exciting events taking place and they are calling on everyone to participate.

Earth Week Shoreline Cleanup on Sunday, April 21, from 1:00-4:00pm

• Meeting at their Lamb’s Inn Offices (1679 Blair Road) and you’ll trek down to the Grand River, cleaning as you go.
• The event is free, but people are asked to register here: https://raresites.org/events/earth-day-shoreline-cleanup-blair-flats/

Voluntary Road Toll on Monday, April 22, from 7:30 – 9:30 am and 2:30 -5:30 pm

• Parking lot of their Lamb’s Inn Offices (1679 Blair Road)
• Free coffee and snacks will be available for drivers.

Over 12,000 cars a day drive along Blair Road as it passes through rare, so we’re inviting these drivers to pull into our parking lot and make a small donation while learning more about rare and the importance of conservation in our community. The funds raised will go to our Turn the Map Green initiative – our grassroots effort to ensure the protection of our environmentally sensitive lands. Every $2 raised ensures another square metre of land at rare is protected now and for the future.

Conversation for Conservation with Adam Shoalts on Wednesday, April 24, at 7pm

• Slit Barn for a Conversation for Conservation around Adam Shoalts’ book, Where the Falcon Flies, covering his wilderness journey from Lake Erie to the Arctic Circle in Quebec.

Adam is a professional adventurer and Westaway Explorer-in-Residence at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. The talk is sold out, but you can contact James (james.bow@raresites.org) to be added to the waiting list.

In addition to these events, rare will also be around the community to support other Earth Day events, including:

• Earth Day with North Dumfries, at Schmidt Park in Ayr from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday April 20.
• Hanlan Creek Tree Planting Educational Fair, at 335 Laird Road, Guelph, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 27

In a collaborative effort, rare Charitable Research Reserve strives to co-create solutions to environmental practices and stewarding the land for ecological stability. Now is the time to protect the land for our enjoyment and well-being today, but also in the future.