Who we are, what we do and why we do it

The rare Charitable Research Reserve is a community-driven urban land trust and environmental research institute protecting over 1,500 acres of environmentally sensitive lands across Waterloo Region and Wellington County. Conservation is our priority, promoting a biodiverse and sustainable world for everybody’s health and well-being - now and for the future.

Everything is connected. As a land trust and environmental institute, rare’s ultimate goal is to make the world a more sustainable place. We do this by making the environment relevant in peoples’ lives through conservation, research and education in ways that are inclusive of different world views and all forms of inquiry. Through our Every Child Outdoors (ECO) education program, we bring children and youth face-to-face with nature, sparking a sense of wonder in the next generation of conservationists.

Unlike more traditional methods of conservation, we don’t build fences around our natural areas to protect them. We believe that people are a part of the environment and when we all work together, sustainability is achievable. Through responsible land management, we provide a trail system open and free for the public while protecting sensitive landscapes and research projects. This builds support for protecting these lands now and for the future.