“By designating these important properties, which range from coastal land to hardwood forests, we are protecting environmentally sensitive lands in rural Prince Edward Island and preserving our ecological balance,” Minster Brown said.

Since June 2007, the province has protected 1,000 hectares (ha) under NAPA through both private and public land designations.

The designated lands include four properties owned by the Island Nature Trust, including two donated properties known as the Perret-MacKinnon Nature Area totaling 70 ha of coastal land at Cable Head, a 35-ha addition to the Townshend Woodlot and 20 ha of old growth woodland at the property known as Charnwood on the Souris Line Road.

“The Island Nature Trust is delighted that these properties can now be considered protected forever for future generations,” said Jackie Waddell, executive director of Island Nature Trust.

Also receiving designation are 24 ha of old growth cedar in Pleasant View, 4 ha of wetlands at the head of MacLure’s Pond in Murray River and 31 ha of upland hardwood forest at Thistle and Shamrock.

“We recognize that private land designations are key to reaching our conservation goal of having three percent of Prince Edward Island designated under NAPA,” said Mr. Brown. “I commend the individual private land owners who are donating or protecting their lands as well as the Island Nature Trust, the PEI Wildlife Federation and the Nature Conservancy of Canada for their commitment to protecting our natural environment.”

BACKGROUNDER

Two properties at Cable Head, with an area totalling 69.9 ha, were donated to the Island Nature Trust by Charles Perret and Gloria McKinnon Perret for the purposes of conservation and protection. The property, known as the Perret-MacKinnon Cable Head Woodlands site, includes coastal land, a fresh water stream and wetland, softwood forest, raised bog, plantations of softwoods and a small area of open field, providing a diversity of habitat for wildlife. Animals using the site include a variety of songbirds, small mammals and invertebrates.

A 34.8-ha addition to the Townshend Woodlot is owned by Island Nature Trust at Milton on the Souris Line Road with a combination of relatively undisturbed tolerant hardwood forest and younger hardwood that has or will achieve the attributes of old growth forest. 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.

The Souris Line Road site, known as Charnwood, is 20.2 ha of never-plowed stands of mature hardwoods and softwoods. 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.

The 24.3-ha site in Pleasant View was purchased by Nature Conservancy of Canada (PEI) with assistance from the Province of Prince Edward Island for conservation of forest, particularly old growth cedar. The area is of great scientific interest as 150-year-old stands of cedar are extremely rare in the province. Woodland wildlife such as pileated woodpeckers, barred and saw-whet owls, round-leaved dogwood and the threatened Canada warbler are currently found on the property.

A 4.05-ha site, at the head of MacLure’s Pond, lies within the Murray River riparian zone and contains close to one hectare of wetland and watercourse. The remainder of the property is forested. It was donated to the Prince Edward Island Wildlife Federation for the purposes of conservation and protection. The site will be managed to maintain a forested riparian zone and conserve forest cover, while allowing for native species development and wildlife enhancement.

A 30.8-ha site at Thistle and Shamrock includes sugar maple, yellow birch and beech greater than 14 metres in height, as well as hemlock and a diverse understory community of at least 60 species. Site management will ensure the protection of the woodland while allowing for educational and recreational use of the area.