MACTIER, Ont. -- July
30, 2010 -- On behalf of Canada's Environment
Minister, the Honourable Jim Prentice, the
Honourable Tony Clement,
Canada's Minister of Industry and Member
of Parliament for Parry Sound-Muskoka, today
announced the donation of the 800th Ecological
Gift since the program's inception in 1995.
A conservation easement of 9.25 hectares
(23.12 acres) of Chief Island, located in
the Muskoka region of Ontario, was donated
in February by Elizabeth Mason to The Muskoka
Heritage Trust.
"Under the Ecological
Gifts Program, landowners and recipient
organizations such as the Muskoka Heritage
Trust, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Nature
Conservancy of Canada and many others across
Canada have conserved more than 136,439
hectares to benefit wildlife and its habitat,"
said Minister Clement. "This is a key
milestone we can all be proud of."
"Landowners and
the Government of Canada are working together
to conserve wildlife and habitat for the
benefit of all Canadians," said Minister
Prentice. "The Chief Island Ecological
Gift is an excellent example of a federal
income tax incentive program creating a
strong stewardship partnership that will
conserve important landscapes for generations
to come."
More than one-third
of these Ecological Gifts protect areas
of national or provincial significance,
due to the endangered status of some of
the species or the scarcity of the habitats
identified there, and many are home to species
at risk. The 800th ecogift announced today
is valued at $1.6 million.
"This donation
by Elizabeth Mason is important to the Muskoka
Heritage Trust as it represents a first
step towards preserving much of Chief Island,
" said George Snider, Director of the
Muskoka Heritage Trust. "The property
is a classic example of an original forested
island in the Muskoka Lakes and we are honoured
to be responsible for preserving these 23
acres of ecologically sensitive and historically
important land."
Ecological Gifts are
as varied in type as the Canadian landscape,
ranging from wetlands, shores and forests,
to grasslands and rocky cliffs. Each donation,
no matter how small, makes a substantial
contribution to reducing habitat loss in
Canada, which is one of the greatest threats
to many species at risk. By conserving large
areas of ecologically significant land,
species are provided with safe havens in
which they can survive and thrive.
The Ecological Gifts
Program complements other national initiatives
such as the Natural Areas Conservation Program
and the Habitat Stewardship Program and
provides enhanced tax benefits to Canadians
who generously donate ecologically sensitive
land for conservation. This important program
allows Canadians to create an important
natural legacy and protect our environment
so that Canada's wildlife and natural heritage
can remain abundant and diverse.
+ More
Government of Canada
and Nature Conservancy of Canada conserve
valuable habitat in Stettler, Alberta
STETTLER, Alta. -- July
21, 2010 -- Kevin Sorenson, Member of Parliament
for Crowfoot, on behalf of Canada's Environment
Minister Jim Prentice, today announced the
Nature Conservancy of Canada's successful
acquisition of the Rockland Bay property-59.8
hectares (149.51 acres) of land near Stettler,
Alberta, secured in part with funding from
Environment Canada's Natural Areas Conservation
Program. The Government of Canada is a major
contributor in this project which has an
overall budget of $380,610.
"As part of the
International Year of Biodiversity, funding
from Environment Canada is helping to secure
this important and ecologically-sensitive
area," said MP Sorenson. "Through
conservation planning and habitat restoration,
future generations of Canadians will be
able to enjoy this important area. The diversity
of the habitat in this area helps species
that call the Rockland Bay property home,
such as mule deer, coyote, moose and red-tailed
hawk."
"This acquisition
marks another achievement under our government's
Natural Areas Conservation Program. With
this investment, we are taking real action
to protect and conserve our ecosystems and
sensitive species for present and future
generations," said Minister Prentice.
"Your actions, large or small, will
help to protect the abundance and variety
of life that is part of our natural heritage."
The Rockland Bay property
is located approximately 25 km north of
the Town of Stettler and 2.4 km north east
of Buffalo Lake in Stettler County. The
property falls within the Red Deer River
Natural Area, and is identified as an ecologically
important area by NCC's Conservation Blueprint
for Prairies and Parklands. The conservation
targets are? Native Parkland and Prairie
Pothole Wetlands. The property consists
of aspen stands, shrublands and wetlands.
Upland forested communities, accompanied
by a species-rich understory are dominated
by Trembling Aspen and Balsam Poplar. Rockland
Bay has a moderately undulating topography
which allows for abundant ephemeral ponds
and wetlands.
The Red Deer River Natural
Area is an important waterfowl area, and
the Rockland Bay property acquisition marks
a significant contribution to the North
American Waterfowl Management Plan's (NAWMP)
overall goal to secure 3.44 million hectares
(8.5 million acres) of wetlands and associated
upland habitats that migratory birds and
species at risk call home.
"These Gifts to
Canadians are tangible examples of what
we are able to achieve by working together.
By designing and managing networks of protected
areas we fulfill our national and global
responsibility to protect Canada's natural
treasures for the future," said John
Lounds, President & CEO of the Nature
Conservancy of Canada. "What better
way to celebrate our nation than by protecting
the spectacular lands and wildlife that
our country is known for around the world."
The Government of Canada's
$225-million Natural Areas Conservation
Program is an important on-the-ground initiative
that takes real action to preserve Canada's
environment and conserve its precious natural
heritage for present and future generations.
It is through the ongoing contribution from
all donors that we can ensure the protection
of natural areas in Canada. As of March
2010, under the Natural Areas Conservation
Program, over 138,600 hectares (342,500
acres) have been secured, protecting habitat
for over 79 species at risk.
