The Nature Conservancy acquires key habitat

MONTREAL, July 4 /CNW Telbec/ – The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has announced the acquisition of a private property of 30 acres (12.5 ha) on the eastern portion of the Prevost Cliffs, in the Laurentians. This acquisition was made possible thanks to the support of major partners : the Canadian Government’s Natural Areas Conservation Program, the City of Prevost and the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l’environnement.
The property represents almost half of the eastern portion of Prevost Cliffs. These cliffs are considered outstanding for the Lower Laurentians region, partly because of their 1.5 km length, its 100 m height, and its geographic location on the banks of the North River.
On this land mainly covered with forests, escarpments and scree, some rare plants species have been identified. An important density of birds, including birds of prey such as the Peregrine Falcon, has also been documented.
“This land acquisition is important for NCC because it represents a major step in the conservation of the exceptional natural area of Prevost Cliffs”, said Nathalie Zinger, Vice-President for NCC, Quebec region. “NCC intends to establish a protected area, taking into account biodiversity protection and outdoor activities. Access may be prohibited in some sectors to protect endangered species. But otherwise, hiking and cross country skiing paths and climbing routes will be managed with the help of the City of Prevost and the Comité régional de protection des falaises (CRPF). Accordingly, visitors will be able to fully appreciate the ecological and unique characteristics of this remarkable area without threatening its integrity”.
Soon, information panels will be put up on the property to inform the
public about its new protection status and access and use rules.
“Enabling the community to harmoniously live with its environment and preserve its natural heritage for future generations is in line with the mission of the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l’environnement. The joint venture between the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the City of Prevost and land users to preserve this area motivated the Fondation to invest $105,500 in this project”, underlined Catherine Leconte, Executive Director for the Fondation Hydro-Québec pour l’environnement.
The Canadian Government is a major partner in this venture. Launched by the Government in March 2007 with an investment of $225 million, the Natural Areas Conservation Program aims to accelerate and enhance the efforts of the Nature Conservancy of Canada and other groups to protect precious natural areas for the benefit of current and future generations.
This land acquisition has also been made possible with the financial contribution of Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) and the support of the Comité régional pour la protection des falaises (CRPF).
The Nature Conservancy of Canada is a national, non-profit conservation organization that works to protect Canada’s natural habitats. Its plan of action is to build partnerships and develop creative conservation solutions with individuals, corporations, community groups, conservation groups and government bodies. Since 1962, NCC and its supporters have helped to protect close to two million acres (809,371 ha) of ecologically significant land across Canada, including 18,000 acres in Quebec. For more information visit (less than)http://www.natureconservancy.ca/(greater than) www.natureconservancy.ca