“Protecting the ecosystems and natural landscapes of our Island community is a priority for government,” Minister Brown said.

In 1988, the province enacted the Natural Areas Protection Act to protect recognized natural landscapes. In 1991, the province approved the Significant Environmental Areas Program (SEAP) and has approved over 100 sites for inclusion in this program. Sites in it are eligible for designation under the Natural Areas Protection Act.

Since the creation of the Act, 6744.8 hectares (16,666.3 acres) have been designated as protected natural areas. Prince Edward Island’s commitment is to protect seven percent of the Island’s land base or 97,843 acres as Natural Areas.

The first parcel (PIN 108043) is within the Basin Head Sand Dunes. The 13.0 ha (32 acre) area is a relatively undisturbed sand dune system bordered by a saltwater estuary which is a Marine Protected Area. This property was acquired with monetary assistance from the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to help ensure preservation of the sand dune communities. The funding agreement with NCC includes a clause that the area be designated under the Natural Areas Protection Act.

The remaining 11 parcels under consideration for NAPA designation include important stands of hardwoods.

Bear River Hardwoods – PINs 114694, 114843, 114868, 114876, 114892 and 688291, totalling 117.2 ha (289.6 acres), are in New Zealand and Clearsprings of northeastern Prince Edward Island, an area of gently rolling hill lands and wetlands locally noted for tolerant hardwoods. Approximately 98% of the forest on these properties have never been ploughed. The properties are now mixed tolerant hardwood and conifers with a mixture of intolerant hardwood. A variety of very rare plants are present. The stands have heights ranging from 10 to 18 or more metres. This type of forest cover is considered to be part of the Acadian Forest Region and the majority of the plants are representative of this forest region.

Beach Grove Hardwoods – PIN 388736. Within a 6.4 ha (15.7 acres) portion of this property is one of the last standing areas of tolerant hardwood forest left in Charlottetown. The core area is older red maple, sugar maple, yellow birch, American beech and white birch. There are a few red oak present, as well as a variety of other species. Most of the core area has never been ploughed although slit tenches were dug in part of the area during military training at the Beach Grove Training Centre. A portion of this property includes the Beach Grove Memorial Forest which was dedicated on June 11, 1995 to the memory of all Islanders who died in the service of Canada during the Second World War while serving in the Navy, Army, Air Force and Merchant Navy. The property also has a section of Charlottetown’s Routes for Nature and Health recreational trails.

Brookvale Hardwoods – PINs 225920 and 928234, 77.3 ha (191 acres), are in Brookvale within the Bonshaw Hills area of Queens County. Much of the forest on these two properties has never been ploughed. The property is mixed shade tolerant hardwoods, mixed intolerant and tolerant hardwood, and regenerated fields. The shade tolerant hardwood areas have heights ranging from 14 to 17 or more metres. This type of forest cover is considered to be part of the Acadian Forest Region and the majority of the plants are representative of this forest region.

Naufrage River Riparian Zone and Hardwoods – PIN 144600, 13.7 ha (33.8 ac), is situated along a relatively undisturbed forested watercourse of the Naufrage River. The property is now mixed intolerant and tolerant hardwood with heights ranging from 9 metres to 17 or more metres. This type of forest cover is considered to be part of the Acadian Forest Region and the majority of the plants are representative of this forest region.

Richmond White Ash – PINs 52290 and 52647, with an area totalling 21.4 ha (53 ac), is situated in the Sugar Bush Road area in Richmond. The property is now mixed intolerant and tolerant hardwood with heights ranging from 9 metres to 17 or more metres. Approximately 90 per cent of the forest on these two properties have never been ploughed. This type of forest cover and the associated plants are part of the Acadian Forest Region.

For more information on these sites and the designation process, please see the website at www.gov.pe.ca/envengfor/index.php3?number=1015518

So far this year, the province has designated four parcels of private land and is consulting on the designation of 13 parcels of publicly owned land as NAPA - designated areas.