Executive Board Members
Dr. Elizabeth McGill, Chair & Treasurer
As a respected leader in the veterinary profession, Dr. Elizabeth McGill brings a lifelong commitment to conservation and wildlife to the leadership of the Trust. She has owned and operated a clinical practice for over three decades and served as Chair of the Niagara Veterinary Emergency Clinic for twenty years. More recently, she has forged partnerships to establish Niagara’s first non-profit wildlife rehabilitation facility and has received official Wildlife Custodian Authorization from the Ontario government.
A longtime conservationist, Dr. McGill purchased a 25-acre farm with her husband, Dr. Jim Turpel. Together, they have planted 7,500 trees on the property, transforming the former farmland into a haven for native wildlife. While barn swallows and bobolinks are designated as threatened under the Species at Risk Act, their swoops and songs are now a defining feature of the revitalized landscape.
Dr. McGill’s reverence for natural spaces and habitats is central to her leadership of the Niagara Land Trust and its commitment to protecting and conserving these critical areas.
Dr. Adam Shoalts, Vice Chair
Adam Shoalts, PhD, is an historian, archaeologist, geographer and one of Canada’s most popular authors, whom CBC declared “one of the greatest living explorers” and the Toronto Star named “Canada’s Indiana Jones.”
A professional adventurer whose career has included crossing alone almost 4,000 km of Canada’s Arctic, he holds the position of Westaway Explorer-in-Residence at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and is a National
Champion of the Trans-Canada Trail. His bestselling books include Vanished Beyond the Map, Where the Falcon Flies, The Whisper on the Night Wind, A History of Canada in 10 Maps, and Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic.
Born and raised in Niagara, he has longstanding interest in protecting the peninsula’s wild places.
Tim Seburn, Secretary
Tim Seburn is a lifelong conservationist with deep roots in the Niagara region and a long-standing commitment to protecting its natural landscapes. Born and raised in Fort Erie, where he continues to live, Tim has been actively engaged in community-based conservation efforts for many years.
He has been closely involved with the Bert Miller Nature Club, contributing to initiatives focused on habitat protection, species conservation, and environmental awareness. His work has included participation in field-based ecological studies and shoreline inventories, supporting efforts to better understand and protect the region’s diverse ecosystems.
Tim’s passion for conservation was shaped early in life through formative experiences exploring the outdoors, and today he remains motivated by a desire to leave a meaningful legacy by helping to ensure that Niagara’s natural beauty can be experienced and enjoyed by future generations, including his seven grandchildren.
Board Members
Don Campbell
Don Campbell is a former Registered Professional Planner with more than 30 years of experience in municipal planning in Niagara. He holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Toronto, and his work has focused on environmental policy, sustainability, and the protection of natural heritage.
Don lives in Fonthill and is actively involved in the community, serving as a board Member of Pelham Advocates for Trees and Habitat (PATH), on the Social Planning Council of St. Catharines and Thorold and Meadowgreen Co-operative Homes, and as an active member of Welland Rotary.
An avid hiker, Don has developed a deep appreciation for Niagara’s natural history and continues to support its preservation as a member of Pelham Advocates for Trees and Habitats (PATH). He is also long-standing member of the Niagara Land Trust and remains committed to its mission of protecting the Peninsula’s natural landscapes.
Dr. Peter Fritz
Dr. Fritz has long had a deep appreciation for the natural world, one shaped by years of exploration across some of the planet’s most ecologically extraordinary landscapes, from the Galápagos and Amazon to the South Pole. These experiences have only deepened his belief that the environments we protect today define the world future generations will inherit.
Closer to home, the Niagara Peninsula holds a special place for him. He lives and works in Niagara, and the landscapes of this region, its escarpment, wetlands, and shorelines, are part of what makes this community genuinely worth protecting.
Professionally, he is a certified specialist in periodontics and the founder of a periodontal practice in Fonthill built around clinical innovation and whole patient care. His work is informed by an interdisciplinary background spanning science, business, law, and emerging technologies, and he has been privileged to lecture and contribute to academic communities internationally.
Joining the Niagara Land Trust board feels like a natural extension of values he has held for a long time: that stewardship of the natural world is not optional, it is fundamental.
Meredith Fuller
Meredith Fuller is a seasoned business executive with more than 30 years of experience developing marketing strategies for large enterprises. She was a co-owner of one of Canada’s leading B2B marketing agencies, which was successfully acquired in 2023 by a global marketing firm, where she now serves as a senior executive.
She brings expertise in organizational governance, stewardship, and leadership to the board, in addition to expertise in strategic planning and long-term, sustainable growth.
Meredith has lived in Niagara for nearly 20 years, where she and her family share a 12-acre property and a deep appreciation for the region’s natural beauty. Watching her children develop a strong connection to the land has reinforced her belief in the importance of protecting these spaces. Supporting conservation efforts that ensure future generations can experience that same connection is something she cares deeply about.
Callum Shedden
Callum Shedden is an experienced municipal lawyer and partner at the Niagara-based firm Daniel & Partners LLP, where he has practiced for more than three decades. His work focuses on municipal law, land use planning, land development, real estate, and wills and estates, advising both public and private sector clients across the region.
Throughout his career, Callum has represented clients before municipal councils and a range of administrative tribunals, including the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal, the Environmental Review Tribunal, and the Niagara Escarpment Commission. His extensive experience navigating planning and regulatory processes provides valuable insight into the intersection of development, policy, and environmental stewardship.
Born and raised in West Lincoln, Callum has deep roots in Niagara and a long-standing connection to the local community. He has been actively involved in youth sports over the years, serving as a coach and mentor in both soccer and minor hockey.
Through his professional work and community involvement, Callum brings a practical understanding of land use, planning, and conservation considerations, supporting efforts to balance responsible development with the protection of Niagara’s natural landscapes.
Tom Staton
Tom Staton is a Wainfleet-based ecological consultant with deep roots in the Niagara region and a strong connection to its natural landscapes. His work focuses on ecological management, habitat assessment, and supporting the responsible balance between environmental stewardship and land use.
Through his consulting practice, Tom has contributed to environmental studies, woodland assessments, and land-use planning initiatives across Niagara and surrounding areas. Known for his practical, field-based approach, he brings a grounded understanding of local ecosystems, with a particular focus on protecting native species, enhancing habitat integrity, and advancing sustainable land management practices.
In addition to his professional work, Tom serves as a volunteer firefighter in Wainfleet, reflecting his commitment to community service and public safety and his hands-on, community-oriented approach to protecting both natural and human environments.
Dr. Jim Turpel
Dr. Jim Turpel is an accomplished veterinary surgeon who, alongside his dedicated team, operates Upper Canada Animal Hospital. While the hospital provides comprehensive routine pet care, Dr. Turpel specializes in orthopedic surgery and regularly receives referral cases from across Canada and the United States.
For more than 15 years, he has lectured, trained, and mentored emerging veterinarians in orthopedic surgery. He is also a past president of the Lincoln County Humane Society.
Born and raised in Niagara, Dr. Turpel spent much of his youth working on local farms and exploring the outdoors. To support himself through veterinary school, he worked as a tree planter in northern Ontario, planting more than half a million trees.
Dr. Turpel has lived in the Short Hills region for more than 30 years. Together with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth McGill, he recently acquired an old farm property that they are actively restoring to its original Carolinian forest landscape. He is actively involved in the hands-on work of regeneration, from planting and habitat restoration to stewarding the property’s return to a thriving natural ecosystem.