
OUR MISSION
To protect and restore Canada’s natural environment by supporting organizations engaged in land conservation.
ABOUT US
MapleCross is based in Ontario, Canada.

THE MAPLECROSS STORY
Dr. Jan Oudenes and Dr. Isobel Ralston established the MapleCross fund upon exiting their respective business careers in 2017. They have had the opportunity to travel widely, together developing an understanding and respect of the Canadian wilderness. From hiking the Rocky Mountains and canoeing in Ontario and on the South Nahanni River (Northwest Territories) to quietly appreciating the forest on their own property, Isobel and Jan have become increasingly aware not only of nature’s beauty and splendour, but also its fragility. They created MapleCross with the intention to invest in and protect ecologically sensitive land, preserving natural features and biological diversity for generations to come. The environmental changes caused by humankind, directly and indirectly, have been staggering. Beyond the contributions of MapleCross itself, Jan and Isobel hope that this endeavour will inspire others to direct their own efforts and contributions to safeguarding our irreplaceable planet.
Jan Oudenes was born in The Netherlands, grew up in a business environment and completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in radio and nuclear chemistry at the State University of Leyden. Subsequently he moved to Edmonton in 1974 and studied at the University of Alberta. After completing a Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry, he studied at the Eidgenössische Hochschule in Zurich, Switzerland, investigating the prebiotic origin of life. Upon his return to Canada in 1982, he joined Torcan Chemical Ltd. in Aurora, a start-up laboratory company in pharmaceutical chemicals. Under Jan’s leadership the company gradually became an internationally well-known contract research, development and manufacturing organization in the field of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), particularly for very complex molecules. Jan also started an equipment company, Aurora Chemicals Ltd., which designed and marketed equipment to handle highly active products. Torcan Chemical matured into a commercial manufacturing company of a number of novel APIs and, after a decade of strong growth, Jan initiated the sale of the company in 2001 for his shareholders.
In 2003, Jan started up a new company, Alphora Research Inc., with the mission to research new chemical processes and to develop manufacturing processes for novel and very complex molecules. It took approximately a decade to build another powerhouse in the pharmaceutical market, from concept to approximately 150 personnel, laboratory and manufacturing facilities, and to develop a wealth of new manufacturing technologies to assist pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies from invention to the market place. An exciting endeavour indeed! Once the company had been firmly established, Jan sold the business in 2017 en route to yet another venture: MapleCross.
During his studies in Alberta, Jan developed an appreciation for nature, enjoying many visits to the Rocky Mountains. It left an enduring impression, together with canoeing in Ontario, and enjoying outdoor ventures to the Yukon and the South Nahanni River. Ultimately, our appreciation has led to the establishment of MapleCross and our mission: “Investing in Canada – Investing in Nature”.
Isobel Ralston holds B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of Western Ontario and the University of Alberta, respectively. She spent two years as a Research Associate at the Universität Zürich, Switzerland. Isobel has approximately 30 years’ experience in global drug development. She held senior management positions in established international pharmaceutical companies, directing clinical research and regulatory affairs. She also consulted to the emerging pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, assisting in the overall strategic development and project management of novel pharmaceutical products from proof of concept through all stages of clinical research.
Isobel has backpacked, hiked and canoed in various regions of Canada (Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and Yukon) and frequently cycles in Europe. Isobel sits on several Boards and continues art studies; her paintings have been exhibited in several group shows.
- Dave Agro
- Chris Ballard
- Trisha and Ross Beaty (Sitka Foundation)
- Ian Buchanan
- Catherine Marshall
- Machtelt Oudenes
- Bill Ralston
Our nature trust / land conservancy partners
and that be the end
of what I do there”
Brenda Berringer
PROTECTED PROPERTIES
MapleCross has made a major contribution to the acquisition of each of the following properties:
ONTARIO










BRITISH COLUMBIA






Princeton, British Columbia
1048 hectares/2592 acres
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QUEBEC


NEW BRUNSWICK

NOVA SCOTIA

SASKATCHEWAN

MANITOBA

Lake Winnipeg, MB
45 hectares/111 acres
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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND


Lewes, Kings County, Prince Edward Island
44 hectares/109 acres
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Property Summary List
Total: 9,226 hectares
Org. | Name | Location | Land Size (hectare) |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | ||||
1 | ORMLT | MapleCross Nature Reserve – King | King Township, ON | 32 |
2019 | ||||
2 | NCC | MapleCross Tract | Cockburn Island, ON | 589 |
3 | BTC | MapleCross Ridge Nature Reserve | Kemble, ON | 41 |
4 | BTC | Barrow Bay Cliffs Nature Reserve | Lion’s Head, ON | 147 |
5 | BCPF | Princess Louisa Inlet (I) | Princess Louisa Inlet, BC | 800 |
6 | NCC | MapleCross Coastline Reserve | Prince Edward County, ON | 55 |
7 | NCC | MapleCross Meadow at Staley Point | Wolfe Island, ON | 33 |
8 | NTBC | Princeton Grasslands – MapleCross Meadow (Phase I) | Princeton, BC | 447 |
9 | BTC | MapleCross Nature Reserve at River and Ruin | Lowville, ON | 28 |
10 | BTC | MapleCross Nature Reserve at Canning’s Falls | Caledon, ON | 28 |
2020 | ||||
11 | NCC | Secteur MapleCross | Shawinigan, QC | 509 |
12 | INT | Crown Point – Wji’kijek Natural Area | Alexandra, PEI | 47 |
13 | INT | MapleCross Upland Hardwood Natural Area | Lewes, PEI | 44 |
14 | BCPF | Princess Louisa Inlet (II) | Princess Louisa Inlet, BC | 259 |
15 | NCC | Buffalo Pound | Buffalo Pound, SK | 866 |
16 | NSNT | Spectacle Island | Wedgeport, NS | 24 |
17 | GBLT | Rose Island | Carling Township, ON | 116 |
18 | NTBC | Princeton Grasslands – MapleCross Meadow (Phase II) | Princeton, BC | 390 |
19 | BCPF | West Ballenas Island | West Ballenas Island, BC | 40 |
20 | BTC | MapleCross Nature Reserve at Cape Chin | Bruce Peninsula, ON | 212 |
2021 | ||||
21 | NTNB | Ross Island | Grand Manan, NB | 356 |
22 | BCPF | Edziza | Mount Edziza, BC | 3500 |
23 | NCC | Saint-André-d’Argenteuil | Saint-André-d’Argenteuil, QC | 200 |
24 | NCC | Breda Bay | Lake Winnipeg, MB | 4 |
25 | NCC | MapleCross Siglavik Wetlands | Lake Winnipeg, MB | 41 |
26 | BCPF | Lonesome Lake | Stuie, BC | 62 |
27 | NTBC | Princeton Grasslands – MapleCross Meadow (Phase III) | Princeton, BC | 213 |
28 | BCPF | Young Point | Lasqueti Island, BC | 104 |
29 | NTBC | Nicomen Slough | Nicomen, BC | 7.5 |
King Township, Ontario
32 hectares/81 acres
Cockburn Island, Ontario
589 hectares/1457 acres
Kemble, Ontario
41 hectares/100 acres
Lion’s Head, Ontario
147 hectares/363 acres
Prince Edward County, Ontario
55 hectares/135 acres
Wolfe Island, Ontario
33 hectares/81 acres
Lowville, Ontario
28 hectares/69 acres
Caledon, Ontario
28 hectares/70 acres
Princess Louisa Inlet, British Columbia
800 hectares/2000 acres
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
447 hectares/1103 acres
Shawinigan, Quebec
509 hectares/1258 acres
Princess Louisa Inlet, British Columbia
259 hectares/640 acres
Alexandra, Prince Edward Island
47 hectares/117 acres
Lewes, Kings County, Prince Edward Island
44 hectares/109 acres
Buffalo Pound, Saskatchewan
866 hectares/2140 acres
Wedgeport, NS
24 hectares/60 acres
Carling Township, Ontario
116 hectares/287 acres
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
390 hectares/963 acres
Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
212 hectares/523 acres
Grand Manan, New Brunswick
356 hectares/920 acres
Saint-André-d’Argenteuil, Quebec
200 hectares/494 acres
Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
4 hectares/10 acres
Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
41 hectares/101 acres
West Ballenas Island, BC
40 hectares/99 acres
Mount Edziza, BC
3500 hectares/8649 acres
Stuie, BC
62 hectares/153 acres
Princeton, BC
213 hectares/526 acres
Lasqueti Island, BC
104 hectares/256 acres
Nicomen, BC
8 hectares/20 acres
FUNDING
We make donations to organizations that have a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) registered charitable number. MapleCross does not accept donations from individuals or corporations.
Funds are primarily for land securement with the objective of land conservancy and the preservation of Canada’s nature.

CONTACT US
FOR ALL INQUIRIES:
For all inquiries, or if you are a Canadian charitable organization working for nature conservation and interested in partnering with MapleCross, contact us at info@maplecross.ca