FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OCTOBER 29, 2020
FREDERICTON, NB

On Saturday, October 17th, 2020, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick hosted its 2019 - 2020 Annual General Meeting virtually via Zoom.  With an exciting first year of the Conserve Y(our) NB: Protect the Places You Love campaign; the Nature Trust announced the protection of five new nature preserves and the extension of two existing preserves.

The Nature Trust added to its Board of Directors with the induction of four new members. The newest members named to the board included Dr. Tom Beckley, Gabriel Bourgeois, Wendy Carty, and Eric Hadley.

“The Nature Trust has made very significant strides towards the protection of our most beloved natural spaces”, said Wayne Burley, Past President of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick. “To date, we have conserved more than 9,000 acres of ecologically significant land in the province in 67 beautiful nature preserves. We are exceptionally proud of the progress made towards our organizational goals of conservation, stewardship, and engagement in 2019 while adapting and adjusting to the restrictions of COVID-19.  We are happy to add over 1000 acres of conserved land to the protected areas network in New Brunswick for the 2019 – 2020 year.”

The Nature Trust has protected five new nature preserves and extended two existing nature preserves throughout the province.  The newly conserved/extended preserves include: the Big Rock Nature Preserve in Springfield, the Louis W. Bassett Nature Preserve in Pokiok Settlement, the Frye Island Nature Preserve in Saint George (extension), the Bliss Island Nature Preserve in Saint George, the Minister’s Face Nature Preserve (extension) in Kingston, the Nicol Family Nature Preserve in Grand Bay-Westfield, and the Speer Hillside Nature Preserve in Woodstock. The protection and extension of the nature preserves were made possible by the Government of Canada, through the Nature Heritage Conservation program, part of Canada’s Nature Fund, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canada Nature Fund – Challenge Fund, the Government of New Brunswick’s Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development, New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund, Canada's Ecological Gift Program, and the conservation-minded land donors.

The conservation of the new nature preserves was the result of the first year of the Conserve Y(our) NB: Protect the Places You Love campaign, a 10-year conservation campaign created by the Nature Trust of New Brunswick to increase the amount of land the organization protects to 15,000 acres by 2030. To learn more about the campaign, individuals may contact the Nature Trust at naturetrust@ntnb.org or by calling (506) 457-2398.

In addition to the protection of nature preserves, the Nature Trust continues to grow the network of stewards and volunteers throughout the province, continues engagement through landowner outreach programs, and through the establishment of the Passport to Nature program.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Cheyenne Currie
Acting Communications and Engagement Manager
Nature Trust of New Brunswick
cheyenne.currie@ntnb.org