The Provincial Government is poised to protect nearly 12,000 acres of land as new or additions to existing Wildlife Management Areas (WMA). New wildlife management areas are being considered at Dingwells Mills, Dromore, Grovepine-Big Brook, Martinvale-Corraville, Mount Hope, Mount Stewart, Saint-Chrysostome, and Wellington. It is also proposed that two properties be added to the existing Southampton Wildlife Management Area. The lands being considered are Crown lands with the exception of two private properties. Open houses will be held across Prince Edward Island to allow the public to become familiar with, and make either written or oral presentations regarding the proposed areas.
"Public input is essential to this process and we look forward to hearing from local residents and interested individuals and organizations," said the Honourable Mitch Murphy, Minister of Technology and Environment. "Most of these tracts of land were originally acquired for the purposes of wildlife management conservation and public access to the wildlife resource. Designating these areas provides an opportunity to work with private and community groups in the management of the sites," noted the Minister.
The proposed Wildlife Management Areas will protect extensive tracts of Crown land and upper watersheds as wildlife habitat, ensuring greater biodiversity conservation for the province. The 149 properties encompassing 11,841 acres, will increase the amount of protected area within the Province to 3.44%, midway to the goal to protect 7% of the Province in response to the World Wildlife Fund Endangered Spaces Challenge.
Both the Round Table on Resource Land Use and Stewardship in 1997 and the Progress Report on the Round Table in December 1998 recommended the creation of wildlife management areas in six areas, one of which has already been designated as the Southampton WMA. Following a review of the Crown lands under its management, the Department of Technology and Environment proposed three additional sites as well as the addition to the Southampton WMA. With designation, the recommendations of the Round Table Report concerning Wildlife Management Areas will be fulfilled.
"Islanders learn and benefit from our natural resources, and we anticipate by the end of the year almost 49,000 acres of parks, natural areas and wildlife management areas in Prince Edward Island land will be protected," concluded Minister Murphy.
Open houses to discuss the proposed wildlife management areas are scheduled from 2:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. at each the following locations: Charlottetown, Farm Centre, Monday, May 10; Fortune Community Centre, Wednesday, May 12; Wellington, Vanier Centre, Thursday, May 13; St. Peters Community Centre, Monday May 17; and Mount Stewart Fire Hall, Tuesday, May 18. For information on the open houses contact Rosemary Curley or Dale Thompson at 368-4683.
Description of Proposed Wildlife Management Areas
Dingwells Mills Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Dingwells Mills Wildlife Management Area consists of 9 properties and portions of 3 properties totaling 1542 acres. Almost all these parcels were purchased for purposes of conserving forest and wetland wildlife habitat, including the 717 acres transferred to the province from the Agricultural Development Corporation. The lands are generally low and wet with poor soils. Black spruce is the dominant cover type.
Dromore Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Dromore Wildlife Management Area consists of 19 properties totaling 1136 acres. Eighteen of the properties were acquired by the Land Development Corporation and assigned to the Fish and Wildlife Division for management as wildlife habitat. The lands include the headwaters of the Pisquid River and Clarks Brook. Two marshes managed jointly with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) are included in the Area as well as two former DUC dam sites. In several instances, lands adjacent are managed by Forestry Division, Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Grovepine-Big Brook Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Grovepine-Big Brook Wildlife Management Area consists of 31 properties totaling 3457 acres. Nineteen hundred acres were assembled through agreement of the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture partners (Province, Federal Government, Wildlife Habitat Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada) signed October 19,1989. This included 830 Crown and Agricultural Development Corporation lands and 1071 acres purchased from the late R.A. MacDonald. Four hundred acres were purchased in 1966 to conserve wildlife. In 1996, 4 of the subject parcels totaling 294 acres were donated to the Province by Newsco Investments Ltd. Two private properties contribute another 242 acres. The remaining parcels were acquired primarily through the Land Development Corporation, some expressly for purposes of wildlife management and public access to wildlife resources. The entire site contains much of the headwaters of Grovepine Brook and Big Brook or borders the upper tidal reaches of the Fortune River. There are two dams located within the area managed jointly with Ducks Unlimited Canada. The Souris Wildlife Federation is actively involved in improving trout habitat on Big Brook. Soils are poorly drained and black spruce and larch dominate.
Martinvale-Corraville Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Martinvale-Corraville Wildlife Management Area consists of 28 properties and portions of 3 additional properties, together encompassing 2878 acres. Most of these lands were acquired expressly for purposes of wildlife management. The area includes the headwaters of the Morell River and the Midgell River. Big Indian Marsh (Martinvale Marsh), the Everglades, the Sticks and MacKinnons Bog are wetlands lying within the proposed management area. This area is such wet terrain that Meacham's 1880 Atlas incorrectly portrays the drainage system. Ducks Unlimited Canada manages 3 wetlands on behalf of the Province, while the Morell River Management Co-op and the Native Council of PEI are active leaders and participants in the management of the recreational fisheries on these rivers. One property was purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and in addition to an adjacent property is designated as part of the Morell River Natural Area. Another is part of the MacKinnon's Bog Natural Area. A significant number of adjacent upland properties are managed by the Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Mount Hope Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Mount Hope Wildlife Management Area consists of eight properties (324 acres), six of which were assembled through the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture to conserve wetland and waterfowl habitat. Property #181123 was donated to the Province in 1996 by Newsco Investments Ltd. for purposes of wildlife conservation and possible inclusion in a Wildlife Management Area. The lands consist of marshland and associated uplands in the headwaters of the St. Peters River.
Mt. Stewart Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Mt. Stewart Wildlife Management Area consists of 17 properties totaling 464 acres, the majority of which lie within the upper reaches of the Hillsborough River in the area known as the Mt. Stewart Marsh. Thirteen of the properties were purchased specifically for purposes of wetland conservation through the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture since 1990. Additional properties were transferred to the province from the Agricultural Development Corporation. Several wetland areas including Warrens Pond and the Allisary Creek Impoundment are managed jointly with Ducks Unlimited Canada. The Warrens Pond site is also designated as a Natural Area under the Natural Areas Protection Act.
Saint-Chrysostome Wildlife Management Area:
There are currently no Wildlife Management Areas west of Summerside. The proposed Saint-Chrysostome Wildlife Management Area includes 21 properties encompassing 993 acres. Most of this land was purchased by the Land Development Corporation and later transferred from the Agricultural Development Corporation to the Crown. One private property is scheduled for transfer to the Province. Two coastal wetlands are managed under agreement with Ducks Unlimited Canada. The forest cover includes species more typical of western PEI such as white ash and white cedar. Three parcels are more strictly protected under designation of the Natural Areas Protection Act.
Southampton Wildlife Management Area:
Southampton Wildlife Management Area was established in March, 1997. Two adjacent properties totaling 89 acres have since been purchased, one through the Eastern Habitat Joint Venture and one through the Provincial Resource Land Acquisition Fund. It is proposed that these be added to the WMA.
Wellington Wildlife Management Area:
The proposed Wellington Wildlife Management Area includes lands that border the East Prince Waste Management site and provide a buffer between it and the Grand River. It is also proposed to include the woodland and salt marsh adjacent to the Lot 16 Community Pasture, and the 100+ acres of salt marsh jointly managed by the Fish & Wildlife Division and Ducks Unlimited Canada. Establishment of the Wellington Wildlife Management Area would place a permanent vegetated buffer between the landfill site and adjacent marine habitats, and would protect habitats containing plants such as the yellow lady's slipper.