Oulton family donates P.E.I. land to Nature Conservancy of Canada

Land that has been owned by a P.E.I. family since 1911 has been donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

The 61 hectares are described asan exceptional shorebird habitat on theCascumpecSandhills, part of a chain of near-shore islands. The conservancy says the area isoften considered the Island's last true wilderness.

Ian Oulton, who grew up in the Albertonarea, says the land was left to him when his father died. He says he had plans to spend a lot of time there but it didn't work out.

"My father and particularly his sisters were always very enthusiastic about keeping it in its natural state so I figured the best way to keep it in its natural state would be to donate it."

Decision to donate made now

Oultonsaid the area is beautiful and undisturbed.

"There's not a lot of areas around left like that and hopefully many people will have an opportunity to visit it."

Oulton said it seemed easier for him to make the decision to donate the land now rather than leaving it to his family to do it.

In a release, the conservancysaid theCascumpec Sandhills are located in an internationally recognized Important Bird
Area (IBA), andare a critical nesting site for the piping plover, listed as endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act.

"This is one of the most wild and undisturbed habitats on PEI and we are thrilled to be able to protect this critical nesting area for endangered shorebirds," saidJulie Vasseur, PEI Program Director, Nature Conservancy of Canada.

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