In The News
Nature Conservancy of Canada and Georgian
Bay Land Trust urgently working to purchase critical habitats
of Sandy Island
Largest fundraising effort underway on Eastern Georgian
Bay Coast for two conservation organizations
 Parry
Sound, ON: Together, the Nature Conservancy of Canada
(NCC) and the Georgian
Bay Land Trust (GBLT) are engaged in an urgent fundraising
effort to raise over $2 million to purchase and steward a
large portion of Sandy
Island, located on the
Eastern Georgian Bay Coast west of Parry Sound. Known
for its incredible biological value, Sandy Island is a top
priority for the partner organizations, who are collaborating
to achieve significant conservation on the world's largest
fresh water archipelago.
"GBLT has had the opportunity to work very closely with
the local community toward the protection of Sandy Island.
The Island's protection has been at the top of the priority
list for the region for more than 20 years. This very significant
conservation success would not be possible without GBLT's
ability to bring together the resources of NCC and local interests,"
says John Stark, President of the Georgian Bay Land Trust.
The project area comprises approximately 450 acres (182 hectares)
of interior and coastal habitats. Striking Provincially Significant
Wetlands consist of coastal meadow marshes, deciduous swamps,
thicket swamps, bogs, shore fens and other community types.
This complex provides important habitat for both fish and
wildlife, particularly waterfowl that frequent the network
of wetlands along the western shore. Several older growth
forest types including stands of Red Oak-American Beech and
Eastern Hemlock define the interior of Sandy Island.
Sandy Island is known to support at least 17 reptile and
amphibian species, including threatened Blanding's Turtle,
Eastern Foxsnake and Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake. Ideal
habitat for Eastern
Hog-nosed Snake is also present. The Island has been identified
as important fish spawning grounds, and several portions of
the shore have been identified by fisheries scientists as
high quality fish habitat. Several sheltered bays along the
western shore include extensive areas of aquatic vegetation
that provides habitat for Smallmouth Bass and Longnose Gar.
 "NCC
has several innovative conservation programs in place that
have been designed in partnership with provincial and federal
governments. By matching people's private donations to
the Sandy Island project to our government programs, we can
effectively double the impact of their contribution,"
says Erica Thompson, Georgian Bay Huronia Program Manager
with NCC. The total project cost for Sandy Island is over
$2 million, which includes land costs and establishing a stewardship
fund to ensure the ongoing care of the property after it is
secured. All project funds must be in place prior
to the closing date of October 15, 2007.
To find out how you can support this important project, contact
NCC or GBLT, or visit their websites at www.natureconservancy.ca/on
or http://www.gblt.org/.
Since the mid-1990s, NCC and GBLT have worked together to
protect priority sites along the Eastern Georgian Bay Coast.
In November of 2005, they renewed their joint commitment to
the Georgian Bay landscape under a new Memorandum of Understanding.
This revitalized commitment will see continued collaboration
on projects that will further the organizations' shared
objective of achieving significant conservation on Georgian
Bay.
Their joint efforts focus on securing and stewarding properties
of outstanding biological diversity, research and mapping,
community capacity building as well as ensuring, through appropriate
stewardship activities, the long-term health of protected
areas. Together, the two organizations have succeeded in protecting
significant sites in such areas as Bone Island, the Alexander
Islands and Lookout Island on eastern Georgian Bay. Both organizations
are committed to the long-term stewardship and management
of all their properties for future generations. NCC and the
GBLT continue to collaborate on new projects of mutual interest
as they arise. Their priorities are defined by the Great
Lakes Conservation Blueprint for Biodiversity and
the Eastern Georgian Bay Coast Natural Area Conservation
Plan; science-based documents that identify key species
and habitats in need of conservation.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is a non-profit organization
that takes a business-like approach to land conservation and
the protection of biological diversity. Its plan of action
involves partnership building and entering into creative conservation
solutions with any individual, corporation, community group,
conservation organization or government body that shares its
passion. Since 1962, NCC and its supporters have protected
nearly 2 million acres of ecologically significant land nationwide.
The Georgian Bay Land Trust is a not-for-profit, registered
charity, whose goal is to protect the uniqueness of the eastern
shore and North Channel of Georgian Bay through the securement
and ongoing stewardship of land that has ecological, geological
and historical importance. The GBLT is a grassroots, primarily
volunteer-based organization that enjoys the support of the
various communities that make up this unique area.
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Images of Sandy Island available upon request.
Contacts:
Erica Thompson
Georgian Bay Huronia Program Manager
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Office: 705.424.1479 ext 152
Mobile: 705.791.9993
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