Nature Conservancy of Canada Announces the Acquisition of Governor’s Island and Reynold’s Island

Above, Governor's Island in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Photo by David Lowther
Above, Governor's Island in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Photo by David Lowther

Congratulations to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) for the acquisition of the following two islands totalling 115 acres (46 hectares) in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, for conservation purposes:

  • Governor’s Island (84 acres/34 hectares), located in Hillsborough Bay,:

    • is primarily wooded and contains wetland areas
    • it has some of the oldest geological (mudstone) formations in PEI
    • shallow water around the island is used extensively by one of PEI’s largest great blue heron colonies, along with numerous migrating ducks
    • Hillsborough Bay is heavily used by Canada geese, American black and long-tailed ducks along with common and red-breasted mergansers
  • Reynold’s Island (31 acres/12 hectares), located in Murray Harbour,:

    • features salt marshes, sandy beach and wooded areas which create ideal stopping and feeding grounds for various colonial nesting birds such as terns, gulls, herons and several species of waterfowl
    • tree species include red maple, yellow birch, balsam fir and black spruce, along with various shrubs and other plants
    • harbour seals frequent the sand spit in the northeast of the Island
    • Murray Harbour is an important feeding area for Canada geese and various ducks

Please click here for further info about the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

PRESS RELEASE

Long Sought Off-shore Islands Receive Protection

February 22, 2012

115 acres of key habitat secured in Hillsborough Bay and Murray Harbour PEI

Stratford, PEI

Two off-shore islands on Prince Edward Island – a target of conservation groups for 40 years – have been conserved by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). NCC representatives joined Minister of National Revenue Gail Shea, and Provincial Environment, Labour and Justice Minister Janice Sherry, to announce the acquisition of two islands totalling 115 acres (46 hectares): Governor’s Island and Reynold’s Island.

Governor’s Island (84 acres/34 hectares), located in Hillsborough Bay, is primarily wooded and contains wetland areas. It has some of the oldest geological (mudstone) formations in PEI. The shallow water around the island is used extensively by one of PEI’s largest great blue heron colonies, along with numerous migrating ducks. Hillsborough Bay is heavily used by Canada geese, American black and long-tailed ducks along with common and red-breasted mergansers.

Reynold’s Island (31 acres/12 hectares), located in Murray Harbour, features salt marshes, sandy beach and wooded areas which create ideal stopping and feeding grounds for various colonial nesting birds such as terns, gulls, herons and several species of waterfowl. Tree species include red maple, yellow birch, balsam fir and black spruce, along with various shrubs and other plants. Harbour seals frequent the sand spit in the northeast of the Island. Murray Harbour is an important feeding area for Canada geese and various ducks.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) recognizes its PEI leadership donors Frederick (Fred) and Shirley Hyndman for their generous contribution towards securing Governor’s Island, the Government of Canada’s Natural Areas Conservation Program, which contributed to both projects, and the Government of Prince Edward Island, which helped fund Reynold’s Island.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada also wishes to acknowledge PEI citizens for their kind support, including Tim Banks and Carrie McNabb, and Dr. Regis and Joan Duffy. Contributions were also made by Amalgamated Dairies Ltd, Maritime Electric and PEI Mutual Insurance.

Quotes

“I wish to thank each and every one of our partners who contributed to this major conservation success,” said Linda Stephenson, Atlantic regional vice president with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

“These Islands have a rich history and were recommended for protection by the Maritime Panel of the International Biological Programme in 1972. All of PEI’s offshore islands are important for waterfowl and other species and are necessary for the movement of certain colonies of birds and for shallow water feeding sites.”

“This acquisition marks another achievement under our government’s Natural Areas Conservation Program,” said Canada’s Environment Minister Peter Kent. “We continue to take real action across Canada to protect our ecosystems and sensitive species for present and future generations. Your actions today will help to protect the abundance and variety of life that will constitute our natural heritage tomorrow.”

“The Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to protecting environmentally sensitive lands to preserve our natural heritage,” said Environment, Labour and Justice Minister Janice Sherry. “We are very pleased to partner with the Government of Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada to assist us in our efforts to protect ecologically significant sites across the province.”

Learn more

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is the nation’s leading land conservation organization, working to protect our most important natural areas and the species they sustain. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to protect more than 2.2 million acres (890,300 hectares), coast to coast. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has conserved more than 4,500 acres (1,821 hectares) on PEI. For further information visit www.NatureConservancy.ca/at.

The Government of Canada’s Natural Areas Conservation Program is a $225-million investment to assist non-profit, non-government organizations to secure ecologically sensitive lands to ensure the conservation of our diverse ecosystems, wildlife, and habitat. The Nature Conservancy of Canada has been entrusted to lead the program and has committed to raising matching funds for each federal dollar received.

Learn More
Visit: www.natureconservancy.ca
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