Ontario will permanently protect 969 acres at Echo Lake, where more than 400 wildlife species are already documented; the land is planned to return to Garden River First Nation stewardship within five years

• The property carries significance that extends beyond its ecological value.
• It was historically part of the Garden River First Nation reserve before colonial-era government reductions altered the community's original boundaries, explains the online report.
• At the edge of Echo Lake in northern Ontario, a stretch of forest, wetlands, cliffs and waterways is set to become more than protected wilderness.