Thomas Island in Murray Harbour secured by nature conservancy

Thomas Island in Murray Harbour has been acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

The 30-acre island is the last in an archipelago of five islands in the harbour to be protected under the province's Natural Areas Protection Act, which safeguards against future development or subdivision.

The other islands (Cherry, Gordon, Herring and Reynolds) are protected by the province and the Island Nature Trust, says Julie Vasseur, P.E.I. program manager for the conservancy.

The five islands were identified as a conservation priority in 1972 and, since that time, conservation groups and the province have been working toward protecting the islands in perpetuity.

The area is a key conservation site in eastern P.E.I. because it is home to many nesting and migratory birds, including great blue herons, says Vasseur.

The land was partially donated, while some of it was purchased from the owner.

Some funding for the project came through a partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, says Vasseur.

"Because of the international agreement for migratory birds between Canada and the United States, they'll typically fund projects within Canada that are ideal migratory bird habitat, and so Thomas Island in Murray Harbour is very ideal for that," said Vasseur.

The conservancy is now working on acquiring two other islands off P.E.I., Holman Island in Summerside Harbour and Oulton's Island in Alberton Harbour, she says.

Fundraising for those two projects is happening now.