As the summer comes to an end, so does our Farmland Birds program. This program is a partnership with the provincial department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, as well as the federal program for Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands.
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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:
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Fluttery new beer launched by Lone Oak Brewery in partnership with INT aims to raise awareness for the endangered Monarch butterfly
On Thursday, July 21, 2022, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature announced that the Monarch butterfly has been place on the international endangered list. Coincidentally, Lone Oak Brewery in partnership with Island Nature Trust are today launching a limited-edition beer in tribute of the iconic species.
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Island Nature Trust showcases never-before-seen drone footage of recently acquired natural areas
To celebrate the record-breaking success of last years Saving Our Island campaign, the Trust is launching a series of short videos revealing a birds-eye view and first glimpse of the natural areas acquired in 2021. The purchase of these ecologically rich properties was only made possible because of the generosity of Islanders.
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MacKay Family Donates 268 Acre Lowland Forest and Wetland to Add a Patch
Last year, five parcels were donated to the Add a Patch campaign to be protected in perpetuity. The largest of these properties was donated by the MacKay family in 2021 – sitting next to Strang Road in Haliburton, Prince County – it features a sizeable area of carbon absorbing peatland and bog. The habitat is known to support Canada warbler, while housing several uncommon, tracked flora such as royal fern, Vermont blackberry, white fringed orchid and rose pogonia.
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Islanders & INT conservation partners team up to successfully raise $600K for natural area protection in PEI
Futures Protected: Island Nature Trust announces first major campaign fundraising success as conservation partners quadruple donations from Islanders
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Island Nature Trust protects land and wildlife with donation from PEI liquor stores
A five-year agreement with PEI Liquor Control Commission and partnering suppliers, has helped the Trust acquire natural areas in Alexandra and significantly accelerated its protection program.
First of its kind donation sees American family return forest and wetland back to Islanders
A game-changing cross-border partnership between Island Nature Trust and American Friends of Canadian Conservation – launched to help American landowners donate their land for conservation purposes – is celebrating its first win.
American ownership is approximately 3.5% of the total land on PEI, yet for many years, American landowners interested in donating land for conservation purposes have experienced disproportionate legal and financial barriers. However, thanks to INT and American Friends initiative forged in 2018, significant tax relief is now secured for American donors.
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Donor Profile: Phillips Agri Services
Island Nature Trust is enormously grateful for the long-term partnership with Phillips Agri Services.
What started as selling bags of bird seed on the back of a truck has evolved to become an all-year round fundraising alliance.
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An Introduction to Ecosystem Services
By Janell Smith
What are ecosystem services and why are they important?
Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides to humans and are often categorized into provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural. You may be most familiar with provisioning ecosystem services – including food from forests, fields, and oceans; lumber for timber and firewood; drinking water; and even natural gas and oil. Other provisioning services include plants for clothing and materials, as well as natural medicines.
Regulating services provided by natural ecosystems include climate regulation, pollination, purification of water, erosion control, flood control, and carbon storage. Supporting services include the processes that often go unseen but are fundamental to human health, such as soil formation, nutrient cycling, and water cycling. Cultural services are the non-material benefits provided by nature through spiritual enrichment, inspiration, recreation, and aesthetic value (as you can see, ecosystem services are vital to our everyday lives!). As with all life, the categories of ecosystem services are interconnected. For example, fruit trees (provisioning service) rely on the soil (supporting service) and pollination (regulating service) to thrive.
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