Toronto – Wildlands League is celebrating Parks Canada’s announcement of acquiring 1,324 hectares (3,272 acre) of land including coastline to expand permanent protection of Bruce Peninsula National Park. Hon. Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Minister responsible for National Parks was in Toronto for the special announcement.
“We applaud this purchase and are grateful to both Parks Canada and the Bruce Trail Conservancy for their role in the acquisition,” says Janet Sumner, Executive Director of Wildlands League and co-chair of the National Advisory Panel. “It increases the ecological integrity of Bruce Peninsula National Park and demonstrates the commitment of the federal government towards meeting its target of 17% protection of Canada’s lands and fresh water by 2020,” Sumner added.
The newly acquired lands include 6.5 km of spectacular coastline. “The Bruce” as it’s often called, is popular for its rugged cliffs plummeting into the stunning clear waters of Georgian Bay. It also contains rare alvars (meadows of rare plants growing on limestone plains), eastern North America’s oldest trees (millennium-old cliff side cedars), and is an island of refuge for fisher, black bear, northern flying squirrel, barred owl and 10 species at risk. It contains a rich and irreplaceable mix of wildlife habitats.
Wildlands League has supported expanded protection of Bruce Peninsula National Park for over fifteen years. This unique area is highlighted in the group’s Northern Bruce Peninsula Ecosystem Community Atlas, originally published in 2005.
“Our Community Atlas promotes the protection of natural values in and around Bruce Peninsula National Park and is intended to
support good decisions for the ecological and economic health of this remarkable area,” says Anna Baggio, Director, Conservation Planning for the group. “The purchase of this property is an example of what we envisioned. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that could not be missed”, Baggio added.
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Explore our Northern Bruce Peninsula Ecosystem Community Atlas here.
For interviews, contact Anna Baggio, Director of Conservation Planning, 416-453-3285
Wildlands League is a leading conservation group. We are a team of relentless policy experts protecting Canada’s natural world. For more information please visit wildlandsleague.org.
