The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has announced a new conservation area in Manitoba.
(Image – Cuthbert property – NCC)
A 31 acre (12.5 hectare) property in Portage Creek, home to at least 220 different species of birds, is to be protected – and the Nature Conservancy of Canada is working with land owners Cal and Elaine Cuthbert on a conservation agreement.
The riparian (flood plain), grassland and forested property in the Interlake has been in the Cuthbert family since 1884, through four generations.
(Image – Cal Cuthbert – NCC)
The Cuthberts are a family are nature enthusiasts and want to see this habitat conserved forever.
Some highlights of the site:
– Over 220 different species of birds have been identified on or from the property. The area acts as a migration corridor for many birds, including three species at risk, Canada warbler, Golden winged warbler, and Olive-sided Flycatcher. It is also breeding habitat for Eastern wood pewee (special concern), barn swallow (threatened). Short-eared Owl and Bobolink have been observed in the grasslands and open riparian areas on the property.
– The riparian forest contains Green Ash trees, considered critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It acts a buffer area for forest birds and mammals, including the endangered Little Brown Bat.
– The protection of the property will benefit the water quality of the creek, as it flows into the Delta Marsh coastal wetlands and Lake Manitoba.
– The Delta Marsh coastal wetlands are identified as a wetland of international importance under the IUCN, are recognized as a “Manitoba Heritage Marsh”, and are an international Important Bird Area (IBA) for migratory birds and waterfowl.
(Image – Cuthbert property – NCC)
