Newly Protected: Grant Islands Nature Reserve

Thanks to the generosity of Doug and Ruth Grant, five beautiful islands in Wah Wah Taysee are now protected as the Grant Islands Nature Reserve.

This small island cluster is a meaningful addition to conservation efforts on eastern Georgian Bay. The property includes a central island surrounded by four smaller granite outcrops to the north and south, totaling 1.16 acres. The outcroppings, shaped by the region’s geology and prevailing winds, are classic granite barren communities—predominantly exposed bedrock with sparse vegetation adapted to thin soils and extreme conditions. Despite their simplicity, these sites play an important ecological role by offering shelter and microhabitats for aquatic flora and fauna, and by providing warm, open basking surfaces that support a range of reptile and amphibian species. The main island features a more complex ecological structure, supporting three distinct vegetation community types, including one that is provincially rare. 

Together, the island and its satellite outcrops form a small but ecologically significant refuge within Georgian Bay’s coastal archipelago. Their protection ensures the persistence of rare plant communities, specialized shoreline habitats, and the species that depend on them. This donation protects interconnected habitats that support wildlife, strengthen ecological connectivity across the Bay, and preserve the rugged beauty that defines this remarkable region for generations to come.  

Thank you Doug and Ruth for your generosity, and your commitment to conserving Georgian Bay’s natural places.