Author: Admin Admin
Artificial Intelligence for Island Community Conservation
In 2022 Island Nature Trust (INT) was awarded funding from RBC Foundation through RBC Tech for Nature to implement a technology-based project, “LandSteward: Artificial Intelligence for Island Community Conservation.” Through this project INT collaborated with Korotu Technology Inc. (Korotu) to create, launch, and pilot “LandSteward” – a cutting edge technology utilizing remote sensing data and artificial intelligence driven analysis tools to monitor changes in the landscape – allowing INT to explore ways that technology can help the organization achieve its vision of a network of protected areas across Prince Edward Island.
Celebrating a true Island steward
Prince Edward Island has lost a great champion of our land and water with the passing of Dr. John Andrew of Charlottetown (East Royalty) on January 24th. John learned the importance of soil and water quality on the family’s multi-generational, mixed farm and Andrew’s Mills property. He used this knowledge and advocated for better stewardship, trail development, and enjoyment of nature in both Halifax and Charlottetown.
Women and Girls in Science
It’s no secret that Island Nature Trust relies on incredible scientists to help communicate our mission and vision and shape the work that happens in our Natural Areas, but did you know that the majority of the scientists who work at INT are women?
2022 Bank Swallow Review
Bank swallows (Riparia riparia) are insectivorous songbirds with a distinctive dark brown breast band separating their brown upperparts from their white underparts. Known for their fast, agile flights, these small passerines can be seen buzzing acrobatically through the air along Prince Edward Island’s coasts during the spring and summertime. Bank swallows nest colonially in sandstone cliffs, till bluffs, high sand dunes, and sand pits. As they fly over nearby meadows, wetlands, and agricultural grasslands they forage on insects like beetles, wasps, bees, flying ants, and mayflies. Based on this feeding strategy, bank swallows belong to a guild of birds called aerial insectivores. Like many aerial insectivores, bank swallow populations in Canada are declining due to threats contributing to the loss of their breeding and foraging habitats: land use changes and associated agricultural intensification, and the practice of shoreline armouring. Bank swallow may also be indirectly impacted by pesticide use, which reduces the abundance and availability of their insect prey. In recognition of these threats, bank swallow was listed as a threatened species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2017.
Read more
How To Deal With the Aftermath of Fiona at Home
Like many Islanders, our family is grappling with the effects of Hurricane Fiona in both our backyard and in our adopted homeland, the Island. Having moved to Prince Edward Island in 2021 from Toronto, Ontario, the lure of the night sky, the open views and the wonderful community drew us here. We purchased a hobby farm in Orwell. We grew abundant gardens, and our children ran freely outdoors, often playing in the old maple and linden trees where we hung swings. Also new in this past year was a great personal career development. I joined the Island Nature Trust as their new Fund Development Coordinator in September of 2022 and was welcomed by an incredible team of engaged and generous co-workers, all sharing the goal of the protection and preservation of our Island’s natural areas.
As it was for many of our friends and neighbours, Hurricane Fiona drastically altered the landscape of our community and of our property. In the days preceding the storm we prepared as best we could. In the garden, I harvested all that I could from our apple trees. I brought in tomatoes that were barely blushing and the children kept busy harvesting grapes. We checked on the tree supports for our tender new plantings that had gone in during this past spring. The work felt meaningful, and on Friday night before the storm, I walked the land with our St. Bernard puppy Rose, feeling the transition of the weather as the storm winds started to pick up.
By morning, as the gale winds howled, we truly saw the scale of the devastation outside our home. As we gave thanks for the safety of our home and family, our eyes were drawn over and over to the uprooted 200-year-old linden tree, the limbs fallen from the large maple and the 50-foot fir trees, snapped in two. The Annabelle hydrangeas that cheerily engulfed the base of our front porch were barren and battered and our raspberry patch looked more like trampled sticks, denuded of all their foliage.
Returning to the Island Nature Trust office post storm, the team gathered and the shared grief over the destruction of the natural wonders of our island was couched with the deep gratitude explored by the stewardship team who so eloquently shared with us how the natural features of our island protected us and absorbed the very worst of the storm.
Now, as we get back to work and the urgent need for funding to protect our natural areas is greater than ever, we look not only towards what can be done island-wide but also in our own backyards. The incredible connectivity of nature is more apparent than ever as we steward our own choices moving on from the chaos of the storm.
I wanted to share our path forward as we start to assess the changes to our backyard ecosystem and offer some suggestions as we let nature take the lead in healing our island. With the help from our incredible ecologists here at INT, we have come up with some tangible and actionable options for caring for your own patch of PEI.
Stewardship at Home Tips:
01
Observe and assess; the implications from the storm and how it has impacted your local ecosystem around your home may not be apparent within even the first few weeks post-storm. Observe what has changed and take note. It may be useful to look back through old pictures or your camera roll to see how the storm has changed the landscape and what plant materials have been damaged or removed.
02
Choose a closed-loop system; where the space permits, keeping the storm debris and using it for composting or wood chips allows the organic materials from the trees and plants on your land to regenerate your property.
03
Give thought to a replanting plan; you may want to choose to plant native varieties where non-indigenous ones once stood. The resilience of these plants can be greater when faced with major storm events as they are adapted to our specific climate and conditions.
04
Expand the variety of plant material on your land by choosing plants that have different ecological functions. Adding plant habitats and food sources for birds, pollinators, insects and beyond will have a real impact on the island’s restoration.
So, what does that look like in our little homestead? Follow along as we endeavor to move through the four-step process above. We’ll be sharing photos, plant lists and more and welcome your questions and feedback.
Be A Champion For Nature
We all share a unique connection to nature, and our supporters express it in diverse ways.
They are our Champions of Nature, coming from various backgrounds – from hands-on volunteers to
digital advocates, creative fundraisers, and generous donors.
What kind of Champion for Nature are you?
Are you passionate about hands-on conservation efforts or getting directly involved in nature protection?
Are you interested in supporting nature through financial contributions or potentially donating land for long-term protection?
Are you an artisan or entrepreneur and enjoy using your creativity to raise funds for nature conservation?
Do you love using your voice to raise awareness and advocate for environmental causes in your community?
Get in touch
Connect with our team
Sign up
To Our
Newsletter
Be the first to know about
future events, news and
campaigns.
Follow Us
#givingbacktonature
Private Steward Jeanne Maki
Jeanne Maki is one of the private land stewards that has taken the safekeeping of PEI’s natural areas into her own hands. Jeanne protected two forested properties in 2019 under the PEI Natural Areas Protection Act, the 40.5-acre Page and Maki Natural Area in Lewes and the 50-acre Jeanne Maki Natural Area in Iona. Jeanne has been a fixture in the conservation community for many years and was the 2020 recipient of the Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award for her significant work in increasing and improving natural areas in PEI. Here are a few thoughtful words from Jeanne about her choice to protect her land:
Read moreDeroche Pond Celebration
2019 is a big year for Island Nature Trust and Nature PEI; it’s INT’s 40th anniversary and Nature PEI’s 50th. To celebrate, we hosted a joint event at one of INT’s oldest protected areas, the Deroche Pond Natural Area.
Various activities took place throughout the day, including: canoe trips across the pond, guided nature tours, and kids games.
A full schedule of the events and accompanying map is below!
Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award Recipients – 2019
Congratulations to Helen MacPhail and her brother in-law, Eric MacPhail, the recent recipients of the 2019 Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award!
The Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas award is an award program established by the Island Nature Trust to honour an individual, group, or agency who/which has made a significant contribution to the protection of natural areas in Prince Edward Island.
The MacPhails donated an 80-acre piece of mature Acadian Forest located in Elmwood to the Island Nature Trust in 2015. This was done through the Ecological Gifts Program administered by the Government of Canada which encourages owners of significant ecologically important land to donate it for conservation. The recipient was the Island Nature Trust who now holds the deed for this property. The land has subsequently been legally designated for protection under the Natural Areas Protection Act.
Past Winners of INT Awards
YEAR:
1987 Harold Jenkins – establishment of private waterfowl sanctuary.
1989 Col. Patrick & Ann Wootton – protection of Herring Island and Thomas Island.
1990 Hon. J. Angus MacLean – protection of an International Biological Program site on his property.
1991 Mike & Cathy Edward – protection of hemlock stands on their property, part of an IBP site.
1991 Piping Plover Partnership – Piping Plover protection program in the Prince Edward Island National Park: – Canadian Parks Service, – Parks & People Association, – Cavendish Tourist Association
1992 Col. Denny Hopping & Indian River Conservation Development Project – establishment of a nature trail and public education at the Indian River Wildlife Management Area.
1993 Gary Schneider & Macphail Woods Project – active management and educational programs at the Sir Andrew Macphail property, part of which is an International Biological Program site.
1994 Therese d’Amour – establishment of a private nature preserve and for public education. A contributor to Island Nature Trust projects.
1995 Garry McAdam & Leo Hendricken of Georgetown Elementary Environmental Group for their work.
1996 Dave Biggar for all his work on the Trout River Natural Area, Prince County.
1997 Concerned Citizens of Eastern Kings for successfully preventing the peat mining of Baltic Bog. Dan McAskill for his life time achievement for outstanding contributions to natural areas preservation.
1998 Dr. Ian MacQuarrie for his lifetime efforts towards protection of natural areas.
1999 Trout River Environmental Committee for work to restore wildlife & fish habitat along Trout River Watershed, Queens County. Daryl Guignion for his lifetime efforts towards protection of natural areas.
2000 Garnet Buell of Murray River for protection of 100 acres of woodland and wetland. Bruce Smith of Stratford for over two decades of conservation work on Prince Edward Island.
2001 George Webster for all the work on his land in Maple Plains. Gary Griffin for conserving almost 100 acres of his land. Ruth Enman for all her efforts in protecting Hermitage Creek.
2002 Dr. Doug Sobey for his classification of the Island’s forest system and Modhaicdh Farms for implementing a variety of good land stewardship initiatives.
2003 Hon. Gilbert Clements for his contributions to natural areas protection and legislation.
2004 The late Harvey Moore for establishing Moore Bird Sanctuary in Milltown Cross.
2005 Bruce Pigot for all his natural history conservation efforts over the last four decades.
2006 Sisters of St. Martha for creating a wetland just off Mt. Edward Rd. and Rosemary Curley for her lifetime efforts towards the protection of natural areas.
2007 TARRP for their outstanding work to ensure the Eagles Landing Tracadie Bog was protected under the PEI Natural Areas Protection Act.
2008 Diane Griffin for her lifetime efforts towards protection of natural areas.
2009 James & Barbara Munves for protecting two Natural Areas.
2010 No nominations received.
2011 Wendell M. Profitt of Charlottetown for many years of dedicated work for natural areas and Provincial Parks
2012 Dr. Douglas Sobey for his outstanding contribution to natural areas protection.
2013 Upton Farmland Trust for their work to permanently protect & manage green space in the Charlottetown area
2014 Charles Perret & Gloria McKinnon-Perret for donating 187 acres of land at Cable Head East to the Island Nature Trust
2015 Jackie Waddell for all her efforts towards protecting natural areas on PEI.
2016 Nature Conservancy – PEI Chapter & Julie Vasseur for protecting natural areas on PEI.
2017 Edward & Agnes Laughlin for donating their 20.4 acre property at Foley’s Pond in Kildare.
2018 Randy Dibblee for spearheading the mapping of wetlands with scores based on the wildlife values for Prince Edward Island.
Greater yellowlegs at Tracadie Harbour by Shirley Gallant
Celebrating 40 Years of Conservation
2019 marks Island Nature Trust’s 40th Anniversary! To celebrate this milestone, Island Nature Trust hosted a very special fundraising event on May 10th. The event was held at the PEI Brewing Company and featured live entertainment, a buffet meal, silent auction items, and opportunities to sign up for some incredible workshops and nature-oriented experiences guided by knowledgeable Islanders that will be taking place throughout the year.
Congratulations to Pat McIntyre who won the draw for the stunning life-sized Great Blue Heron carving crafted by Dave Broderick of Alberton!
