A pristine piece of coastal property along the Baie Verte shore that was once home to a Girl Guide camp will be preserved, thanks to the efforts of the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
The 159 acres of land, said to be one of the largest remaining undeveloped properties along the southern reaches of the Northumberland Strait, was recently acquired by NCC as part of its commitment to protect ecological-significant coastal habitats in the province.
Denise Roy, the conservancy’s land securement officer for the Atlantic region, said the Baie Verte property provides sanctuary to more than 200 types of birds, as well as large mammals such as black bear and moose. The site contains all the classic characteristics of the Strait, including sandy beaches, extensive salt marshes and oak islands.
“It’s a habitat for many different species . . . and it’s an area that’s been of high priority for NCC and its partners,” said Roy.
Many agencies and organizations have come together to help secure the Baie Verte property including the Crabtree Foundation, Eastern Habitat Joint Venture, Heritage Developments Ltd, MacDonald Paving & Construction Ltd, Modern Enterprises Ltd, the Open Space Institute’s Transborder Land Protection Fund, the province of New Brunswick and the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service.
With a pricetag of about $265,000, the NCC purchased the property from the Girl Guides of Canada, who has used the site for its annual Camp Wegwamageek since purchasing it in 1962.
Roy said if NCC hadn’t purchased the property, the mature forest, freshwater wetlands, salt marsh, dunes, beaches and wooded islands would most likely have been subdivided and developed as recreational property.
And that’s exactly what the Girl Guides organization wanted to prevent, according to longtime guiding district commissioner Audrey Hicks.
“There’s an emotional attachment (to the camp) for guiding leaders and for the community members who have helped out us along the way . . . so it’s the history, the fun and the memories that’s important to preserve.”
With the local Guiding unit amalgamating with Moncton and Riverview Guides two years ago to form the new Tidewater division, Camp Wegwamageek was no longer a top priority as there were two other camps within the region that could be used for summer fun.
“It was a lot to maintain,” said Hicks.
So when NCC came calling, it was a natural choice to sell to them, she said, even though other offers were on the table.
“Their great interest in habitat and protecting the shorelines . . . that all fits in with the Guiding program and what we try to teach our girls,” said Hicks. “We just wanted to make sure that it would go to someone who would take care of it.”
The Baie Verte property is bounded by expansive salt marshes, eel grass beds and tidal creeks on the east side and by mixed forest and farmland on the west.
The natural area is also home to 25 percent of New Brunswick’s population of nationally endangered piping plover. Other nationally listed endangered species found there include the wood turtle, red knot, short-eared owl, and the olive-sided flycatcher.
This latest acquisition, one of 10 “Gifts to Canadians” announced last week by NCC in celebration of Canada Day, pushes the total area under protection in New Brunswick above 12,000 acres.
