Nature Conservancy needs $1M to protect Miramichi River tributary

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is launching a campaign to raise $1 million for the largest private land conservation project in New Brunswick's history.

Program director Paula Noel says by purchasing 2,100 acres of land along the Bartholomew River, which is a tributary of the Main Southwest Miramichi River, the entire watershed will benefit.

"So all the little streams and tributaries that flow through these properties and into the Bartholomew River are very important in maintaining the salmon habitat," Noel said.

"The Bartholomew River itself is really important within the Miramichi system, it's actually recognized as one of the nursery streams that's really productive for breeding salmon."

The parcel of land is adjacent to another protected natural area so Noel says if the purchase goes ahead it would create more than 10,000 acres of protected habitat.

The largest contribution that we've had out of the gate is the fact that they are selling this at a greatly reduced  price from what the market value is.- Paula Noel, Nature Conservancy of Canada

This is the first project for the Nature Conservancy along the Miramichi River. Noel says they couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase such a large parcel of private land.

"This doesn't come along too frequently — to protect this much private land and then the fact that it's adding on to another larger protected area and connecting up these two river systems … to maintain the diversity of our natural Acadian forest and all the species that depend on it."

Miramichi salmon returns hit a record low in 2014, according to the Miramichi Salmon Association and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

Land owners 'conservation-minded'

The Bartholomew River land had been owned by an American company but was purchased several years ago by two New Brunswickers as an investment, says Noel.

"They were putting it on the open market when we found out about it but they are actually quite conservation-minded themselves so they were very happy that the Nature Conservancy of Canada was interested," Noel said.

"In fact the largest contribution that we've had out of the gate is the fact that they are selling this at a greatly reduced price from what the market value is."

Noel says the Nature Conservancy will now try to raise $1 million by the end of November to purchase the land, which is easily worth more than twice that amount.

She says parts of the land have been harvested in the past but there are also areas of old growth.

"There are some pretty significant old stands remaining so some areas where there are really old trees — along the river especially there are stands of old hardwood, yellow birch and eastern white cedar."

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is a not-for-profit, registered charity that works with private land owners to protect sites throughout the country permanently.