George and Sylvia Plater are placing a conservation easement on a 25 hectare site to protect a rich floodplain area along the Meander River, supporting old hardwood forest and several species of rare plants. The first step in drawing up an easement for this site is a survey, which the Department of Natural Resources has agreed to provide in-kind. We would like to extend our appreciation to the Department for this generous assistance. A small salt marsh along Rines Creek is the second property to be protected. It has been donated to the Trust by Dr. Alberto Trillo.
Salt marshes are an integral and important part of both the marine and coastal ecosystems.
The Hants project has had the added benefit of stimulating the preservation of natural areas outside of the county. In particular, two properties now have formal protection. These properties are discussed in more detail in subsequent articles. There are several other properties throughout the province for which we are currently seeking protection. We greatly appreciate the generosity of these landowners in making a significant contribution towards natural areas preservation.