Long-time supporters of TTLT may recognize the name “Eberhardt Farm”. In 2005, it became the first Conservation Easement Agreement (CEA) held by TTLT. After 20 years of the easement, the relationship developed into something new: TTLT now holds title to the land and will care for it as a permanent nature reserve. So, what does this mean for Eberhardt Farm?
A CEA is a legal agreement that limits how privately held land can be used by placing covenants or restrictions on the land, which are registered on title. The agreement stays with the land and if it is sold, the land itself remains protected under the CEA. With the acquisition of Eberhardt Farm, TTLT now holds title to the land itself. This gives us a direct ability to care for and steward the lands to protect its conservation values over the long term.
For Marsha and her late husband, Eric Eberhardt, protecting the farm has always been about caring for the land they inherited and leaving it a place better than they found it.
In 2004, Marsha and Eric approached TTLT because they wanted to make sure the farm would remain protected forever. The conservation easement has helped to prevent development and other major changes in land use while allowing the family to continue looking after the land. As of this year, Marsha has entrusted those 40 hectares (100 acres) to TTLT.
However, the story of this land began long before TTLT became involved. The Richardson family began restoring the land in 1910, and that work continued for decades. In 1976, The Richardsons and Eric worked together on the landscape and grew organic oats, soybeans, squash, and onions to supply local stores.
In 1990, the land came into the care of Eric and Marsha Eberhardt, and for more than 35 years, they continued to care for the land, created a dug wetland, and planted over 30,000 trees and shrubs with help from the Ministry of Natural Resources, local schools, and Scouts. The rest of the farm remains in certified organic production.
Now, in 2026, and thanks to Marsha’s commitment to nature protection, that responsibility has been passed over to TTLT. We are excited to care for the forests and wetlands in a whole new way, and it is an immense honour to continue the work that the Richardson and Eberhardt families began more than a century ago.
Eberhardt Farm sits at the headwaters of the north branch of the Thames River in an ecologically important part of the watershed. The land includes mature maple, beech and pine forest, as well as areas of restored cherry, walnut, ash and basswood. Eberhardt Farm contains 23.66 ha of forest, including 2.63 ha of interior forest. These forests and fields provide important habitat for countless types of native wildlife and Species at Risk including Snapping Turtle, Bobolink, and Black Ash. Eberhardt Farm is also adjacent to TTLT's Black Creek Heronry Reserve, helping create a cluster of protected natural land.
TTLT hopes to share the wonders of Eberhardt Farm through occasional special events, celebrations and volunteer opportunities in the years to come.
This acquisition was made possible through the generous support of the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, through its Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance; the Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program – Land Trust Conservation Fund; and the ECHO Foundation.
A portion of this project was donated under the Ecological Gifts Program. This program provides enhanced tax incentives for individuals or corporations who donate ecologically significant land.
We are grateful to everyone who has made the protection of Eberhardt Farm possible, supporting healthier habitats and greener communities for generations to come.
QUOTES:
“Through the Greenlands Conservation Partnership program, our government is helping protect Ontario’s forests, wetlands and wildlife habitat for future generations. The acquisition of Eberhardt Farm by the Thames Talbot Land Trust will safeguard an ecologically important area and demonstrate how government, conservation organizations and local landowners can work together to protect the natural spaces that communities and wildlife depend on.”
— Todd McCarthy, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
“The conservation of Eberhardt Farm highlights how local leadership can strengthen ecosystems and communities in Ontario. Thanks to the long-standing care provided by the Eberhardt family and the dedicated efforts of the Thames Talbot Land Trust, an ecologically significant landscape along the north branch of the Thames River is now protected. This conservation achievement will help safeguard important forests and wetlands, support healthy habitats, and ensure that nature continues to benefit people and communities across the region.”
– The Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature)
“The protection of Eberhardt Farm reflects another step in Canada’s goal of protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030. Through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program and the Ecological Gifts Program, our government is proud to support Thames Talbot Land Trust in securing this ecologically significant area.”
– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature
“Thames Talbot Land Trust is thrilled to play a role in the wonderful nature legacy created by the Eberhardt family. Working together, we can protect the lands that we love for future generations of all living beings – ensuring people and wildlife thrive.”
– Daria Koscinski, Executive Director, Thames Talbot Land Trust
FACTS:
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Eberhardt Farm is part of Thames Talbot Land Trust’s Nature Nearby Campaign to ensure nature is available for future generations, contributing to its goal of 1500 additional acres protected in the coming years.
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Eberhardt Farm will become a nationally recognized Protected Area, counting towards Canada’s goal of protecting 30% of terrestrial lands and waters by 2030.
ABOUT:
Thames Talbot Land Trust (TTLT) is an environmental charity with a mission to protect, restore, and nurture nature within Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford and Perth counties and the City of London. Established in 2000, TTLT has built a dedicated network of staff, volunteers, and community partners who work together to conserve important natural and agricultural lands and inspire a connection to nature at the local level. TTLT permanently protects more than 2,600 acres of land across 32 sites (and counting), which are home to more than 100 species at risk. As one of the first land trusts to receive the Conservation Excellence Award from the Centre for Land Conservation, we are committed to striving towards a greener future for all living beings.
The Greenlands Conservation Partnership program is the single largest provincial fund to secure and manage private, ecologically important land in Ontario. This unique program, administered by the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, leverages non-governmental dollars to acquire, restore and manage privately owned natural areas such as wetlands, grasslands and forests. For every dollar of provincial funding provided, grant recipients match it with a minimum of $2 from other conservation partners, including individual donors, foundations and other levels of government. Since 2020, the Ontario government has invested $60 million into the program, which has helped to protect over 637,530 acres (over 258,000 hectares) of private land across the province — more than four times the size of Toronto.
Ontario Land Trust Alliance (OLTA) focuses on providing community, knowledge sharing, and support to land trusts across Ontario. It empowers and supports highly effective, well-governed land trusts that engage their communities to protect forests, wetlands, nature, and water sources and provide natural climate solutions. OLTA builds capacity through training and educational programs, connecting land trusts to each other, resources, and their communities, leading and supporting on-the-ground conservation work, sharing knowledge and best practices, reducing financial barriers to land conservation, promoting organizational excellence, providing access to current research, and acting as a voice for land trusts among the public, governments, and other rightsholders. OLTA’s impact is Ontario-wide through 56 connected charities and communities. Local land trust members currently collectively own and steward over 2,000 natural areas and green spaces across Ontario, with the leadership of thousands of supporters and volunteers annually. To support your local land trust, visit OLTA.ca.
The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique partnership that supports the creation and recognition of protected and conserved areas through the acquisition of private land and private interest in land. To date, the Government of Canada has invested more than $500 million in the Program, which has been matched with more than $1 billion in contributions raised by Nature Conservancy of Canada, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community leading to the protection and conservation of nearly 840,000 hectares of ecologically sensitive lands.
Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program provides a way for Canadians with ecologically sensitive land to protect nature and leave a legacy for future generations. Made possible by the terms of the Income Tax Act of Canada and the Quebec Taxation Act, it offers significant tax benefits to landowners who donate land or a partial interest in land to a qualified recipient. Recipients ensure that the land’s biodiversity and environmental heritage are conserved in perpetuity.
LEARN MORE:
Visit: https://www.thamestalbotlandtrust.ca/
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CONTACT:
Daria Koscinski
Executive Director | Thames Talbot Land Trust
519-858-3442