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Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation

About Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation (ABCF) is a charitable organization that raises funds to support programs and projects that protect and improve ecosystem health, and all living things in the Ausable Bayfield Watersheds.  

Founded in 1974, the Conservation Foundation works closely with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), and other organizations throughout our watershed.

The Conservation Foundation is a self-governing body with Director membership comprised of up to nine volunteer watershed residents.

Directors

  • Dave Frayne, Chair
  • Charles Miner, Vice Chair
  • Bob Radtke, Past Chair
  • Janet Clarke
  • George Irvin
  • David McClure
  • Anne Melady
  • Roger Lewington
  • Robert Norris
Staff and Advisors
  • Tina Crown, Treasurer
  • Abigail Gutteridge, Secretary
  • Jackson Janmaat – Foundation Assistant
  • Davin Heinbuck, ABCA General Manager and Secretary-Treasurer
Contact information:

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation
71108 Morrison Line, RR 3 Exeter, ON 
N0M 1S5
Phone 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610
Email: info@abca.ca

Donations
Making a donation

To donate online, follow the link below and choose where you would like your donation to be directed:

 You may also donate by phone or in person.  

Contact Jackson or Abbie at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 or visit us at 71108 Morrison Line.

Cheques should be made payable to the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation and mailed or delivered to: 

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation
71108 Morrison Line, RR 3 Exeter, ON 
N0M 1S5

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation accepts donations by e-Transfer. 

If you would like to receive a charitable gift receipt for income tax purposes please be sure to include your mailing address and/or email address in the e-Transfer message box. 

Please specify if it is for the Foundation and if the donation is for a specific project. Thank you.

For e-Transfers please use the address payments@abca.ca

Options for making donations

The Conservation Foundation appreciates all donations and provides receipts for income tax purposes for charitable gift donations of $20 or more. 

There are several reasons and ways to donate: 

  • One-time, monthly or annually; 
  • To celebrate life’s milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or Christmas;  
  • In memory of loved ones. 

Your donations can be put to work quickly for immediate projects or designated for a future project. 

Donors can also identify a specific project, program or conservation area, or allow the donation to be used as needed.

Here are some ways to donate:

  • Monetary donations are accepted by cash, credit card, debit, cheque or e-transfer. 
  • The Conservation Foundation also accepts pledges or donations of property, stocks, bonds, life insurance annuities, or bequests in estates. 
  • The Conservation Foundation and Exeter Lions Club hosts an annual fundraising dinner and auction and seeks donations of services, merchandise or cash. You can support Foundation projects by donating to the event or purchasing the items for sale. 
  • Organize a special event to support Foundation projects. 
  • You can also leave a local legacy through planned giving. Individuals are encouraged to think about a charitable gift through a pledge, will, life insurance, annuity, or publicly-traded securities. Planned giving comes in all sizes, from a few dollars to much larger bequests, yet all are needed to make a lasting difference in your community. Discuss your wishes with a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, insurance agent, financial or estate planner.
Giving Tuesday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been popular days for shopping and to buy things. As those retail mega-days wind down, we ask you to consider a different kind of day – Giving Tuesday. 

Giving Day is not a day to buy things ... but to give a gift of a different kind, a gift to nature and to your community.  

The next Giving Tuesday is Tuesday, December 2, 2025. 

Find out more:

Support projects in your community

As a locally-based organization, donations are used to support local projects. 

Donation can be used right away or be designated for a future project or endowment fund. 

Funds raised by the Foundation support many efforts in our watershed.

Learn more: