(St. Andrews, NB) The Nature Trust of New Brunswick has protected 75 hectares (185 acres) of sensitive mixed forest and Skutik (St. Croix) River shoreline habitat near St. Stephen. The newly protected area, now known as the Beausoleil Nature Preserve was made possible with the help of Patrick Beausoleil and Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canada Nature Fund, through a generous Ecological Gift. This is the first property in the area conserved by the Nature Trust, which supports habitat for rare and uncommon species only found in southwestern New Brunswick.

“The Beausoleil Nature Preserve is the first area in the St. Stephen region protected by our organization, and the 15th preserve protected by the Nature Trust in Charlotte County,” said Wayne Burley, President of the Nature Trust. “We were pleased to work with Patrick Beausoleil and Environment and Climate Change Canada to protect this pristine property for the benefit of future generations.”

The nature preserve provides a variety of habitats for New Brunswick flora and fauna, including a mixed forest of tolerant softwood like white pine, red spruce and cedar, and young intolerant hardwood like poplar, white and grey birch and red maple, floodplains comprised of Silver Maple, the sheltered Strachan brook, a wetland, and the shorelines of the magnificent Skutik (St. Croix) River.

In a 2011 report done by the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (ACCDC), several rare and uncommon bird and other wildlife species were heard and seen on or near the property. In total, there are 11 different species found in this property that contain a status that is vulnerable (found in 80 places or fewer), imperiled (found in 20 places or fewer) and critically imperiled (found in 5 places or fewer in New Brunswick). The remaining areas of this property have yet to be surveyed and could have potential for more rare and uncommon species.

“With the recent announcement of the global biodiversity assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, which paints a bleak picture of the future of global biodiversity, it is more important now than ever to pursue and support conservation of significant habitats,” said Burley. “The Beausoleil Nature Preserve does just this by protecting a significant portion of land where rare and uncommon biodiversity are found in the region. We are thrilled to welcome this preserve to our network of protected areas throughout the province where it will be protected in perpetuity.”

 

The Nature Trust is currently working with the Peskotomuhkati First Nation to create a co-stewardship agreement for the property. The preserve is accessible to the public and is restricted to designated trails for hiking and bird watching only. Motorized vehicles are not permitted; as there are sensitive wetland habitats found on the land.

Passport to Nature: Step outside and discover New Brunswick’s natural spaces

To celebrate the protection of the Beausoleil Nature Preserve and the other 61 Nature Trust properties, the Nature Trust has collaborated with the Alcool NB Liquor (ANBL) Community Foundation to announce a one-year partnership to publish the Passport to Nature, a promotional booklet that connects New Brunswickers with outdoor spaces in their region through outdoor adventures. The passport also aims to engage with youth and teach them about the importance of nature.

“The Passport to Nature was created with all New Brunswickers in mind in order to connect people with natural places in the province that they may not have known existed before,” said Wayne Burley, President of the Nature Trust. “The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is pleased to partner with the Alcool NB Liquor Community Foundation in the development of this passport with the goal to get people out into nature.”

The Passport to Nature contains information for 40 free, guided outdoor events throughout the province, taking place from May 2019 to March 2020 at over 20 Nature Trust conserved properties. These events vary from unique volunteer opportunities like invasive species removal and boundary monitoring, to gentle excursions and hikes, to paddles down the Wolastoq (Saint John) River, and more.

“We are honoured to partner with the Nature Trust of NB. ANBL is proud to be a part of initiatives such as this one; helping protect nature and encouraging New Brunswickers to connect with the outdoors. It’s an important value that ANBL instills in our team and it plays a pivotal role in building a healthy culture within our organization.” – Brad Cameron, Interim President and CEO

Participants who register for the events and who attend can make their mark by gathering stamps to be eligible to win one of three grand prizes. If five stamps or more are collected, participants can enter a draw to win Alcool NB Liquor gift cards, Nature Trust t-shirts and other swag, as well as a private excursion, led by a Nature Trust expert, in a nature preserve in their region.

Interested participants can register for events on the recently updated Nature Trust website. Most events will run rain or shine, however, some may be cancelled or moved to a rain date.

English and French copies of the Passport to Nature can be found at select Alcool NB Liquor stores across the province and is available for download on the updated Nature Trust website, at www.naturetrust.nb.ca.

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Media Contacts:

Danielle Andrus
Communications and Engagement Manager
Nature Trust of New Brunswick
T: (506) 457-2398
C: (506) 447-2259
danielle.andrus@ntnb.org

Tom Tremblay
Public Relations Specialist
ANBL
C: (506) 429-2091
Tom.Tremblay@anbl.com

About the Nature Trust of New Brunswick

Since in 1987, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick is a registered charitable conservation organization dedicated to preserving the province’s ecologically significant landscapes. To date, the Nature Trust has conserved over 8,000 acres in more than 60 beautiful and diverse nature preserves in New Brunswick. For more information, visit www.naturetrust.nb.ca.

About the Alcool NB Liquor Community Foundation:

The ANBL Community Foundation program is closely aligned with our company’s overall mission – To responsibly manage a successful business for the people of New Brunswick; vision –  We are an engaged team delivering the B.E.S.T. retail customer experience; and strategy. It supports both province-wide organizations as well as local initiatives throughout New Brunswick.