Finding information on public lands in your community is now only a mouse click away. With overwhelming public response to the recently released Prince Edward Island Public Land Atlas, the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry has launched a new online version.
Minister Jamie Ballem said development of the atlas in the hard copy and on-line versions was one of the commitments in PEI’s new Forest Policy released last fall. The idea is to increase visibility of the 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) of public lands that the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry manages. This includes Provincial Forests, Wildlife Management Areas and Natural Areas. The atlas also includes Provincial Parks, the PEI National Park and other areas of interest such as lighthouses and fishing locations.
“Public lands are managed and used for wildlife habitat, timber and non-timber products, and outdoor recreation such as fishing, hunting, trapping and birdwatching,” said Minister Ballem. “We want more people to visit these properties – to see how they are managed, to give us their suggestions for the future of these lands, and most importantly, to simply enjoy these beautiful properties.”
The online version of the Public Land Atlas divides the Island into 41 maps. Users can click on the map of the area they are interested in to access information. The maps are offered in PDF format but due to speed and size limitations for some users, the level of map detail is scaled down to allow for shorter download times. The atlas can be found at www.gov.pe.ca/gis
Both the hard copy and the online versions of the Public Land Atlas were developed by staff in the department’s Geographic Information Section which produces high quality maps for a wide range of purposes. Minister Ballem acknowledged them for their dedication and excellent work.
The hard copy Public Land Atlas is available for sale at the J. Frank Gaudet Tree Nursery complex in Charlottetown and through Island Information Service for $30 + GST. Copies of the older Prince Edward Island Atlas are also available at these locations and online at www.gov.pe.ca/gis