Robin Rivers
Communications Manager
The Nature Trust of British Columbia
Thanks to the donation of land by the Hautala family and the support of the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program and Focus Corporation, The Nature Trust of BC is pleased to announce that a new conservation property has been added to those previously secured in the Columbia River Wetland complex.
The Hautala property is located near Castledale, BC, in the East Kootenay Trench and features 14 hectares (35.6 acres) of wetland and riparian habitat which is an important ecological component of the Columbia River Wetlands ecosystem.
The Columbia River Wetlands is one of the special featured freshwater wetlands primarily due to the fact that this complex is the largest contiguous wetland network in North America.
The wetlands cover more than 26,000 hectares (64,000 acres) where 260 resident and migratory bird species have been identified including rare species such as prairie falcon and American avocet. The Columbia Wetland Wildlife Management Area is also one of three internationally recognized Ramsar wetlands in BC.
“The Nature Trust is honoured to be conserving this special wetland property in our 40th anniversary year. Partnerships and contributions of ecologically important lands are important in terms of our success and this is a wonderful demonstration of partners in action,” says Doug Walker, CEO of The Nature Trust.
The Nature Trust of British Columbia is celebrating 40 years of conservation in 2011. As a leading non profit land conservation organization dedicated to protecting BC’s natural diversity of plants and animals through the acquisition and management of critical habitats, The Nature Trust has invested more than $70 million to secure over 61,000 hectares (150,000 acres) across British Columbia.
