Referring to Bill Grierson as a conservationist is an understatement.
The Rockwood native, his wife, three daughters, five horses and four dogs all live on an 80-acre farm near Milton that functioned as a lumber mill until 1920. Today, the former “Sayers Mills” property is a shining example of a diverse ecosystem.
However, when he first acquired the property almost 20 years ago, Grierson says it was in complete disrepair. The creek could not flow due to discarded garbage, and it was polluted with livestock manure. The house was almost condemned and few trees and wildlife existed on the land.
“The property has so much history and the mill was very successful. But after it closed there was no purpose for the property anymore,” he explained. “The mill pond was a dump… believe it or not, I pulled out a mattress, stove and bags of garbage. Now it flows pristine and the pebble bottom has returned for the first time in 80 years.”
Grierson has planted approximately 10,000 native trees on the property since 2010, re-established the formerly destroyed creek (winning an award in the process) and rehabilited wildlife with help from local vets (using on-site shelters he built). Studies by local biologists have also shown the growth of populations of species that only live in pristine waters. He is also an environmental ambassador in public forums as means of raising awareness.
This dedication is what encouraged Conservation Halton forestry technician Jennifer Roberts to nominate Grierson for Trees Ontario’s Green Leader program. The title is give to private landowners who’ve participated in the government of Ontario’s 50 Million tree program and made a considerable contribution toward enhancing the province’s forest cover.
“I nominated Bill because he is a very dedicated landowner who wants to do the right thing for the environment, and he has been educating himself on how to improve his property so that it has the greatest positive impact on the natural surroundings,” says Roberts. “He cares about every aspect of nature, whether it be fish and wildlife habitat, pollinators or water quality. He has a strong tie to his land and it shows in all of the projects he has taken on.”
Grierson said he originally struggled to plant trees on his own, but was relieved when he discovered he was eligible for the 50 MTP and would not only benefit from subsidies but also the opportunity to work with local forestry experts.
“The trees the Griersons have planted are helping to fight climate change and re-green Southern Ontario,” said David Orazietti, Minister of Natural Resources. “Trees are an important part of the biodiversity of this beautiful province, and I commend the Griersons for being such good stewards of the land.”
“My goal was to create a diverse eco-system (on the property)… Right now I’m doing everything I can to ensure the long-term success.”
The goals of the 50 Million Trees Program are to sequester carbon, enhance and diversify Southern Ontario’s landscape, increase the capacity to withstand climate change, and increase wildlife habitat. It is designed to significantly reduce the costs to landowners of large-scale tree planting and thereby increase the number of trees planted across the province.
