Conservation strategy .

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P. E. |.'s Conservation Strategy

Can you imagine fields that have been so poorly managed that they will no longer grow crops, streams which no longer contain many fish, and are totally lacking sought-after species such as salmon which were at one time abundant, harbours which at one time floated large schooners yet you.can now walk across with knee-high boots, or which must be periodically dredged so that even lobster boats may use them, estuaries which were at one time important for navigation but are now so polluted that they cannot even be used for aquaculture? What about a P.E.I. landscape no longer made up of a patchwork of small agricultural fields and hedgerows, or a forest no longer containing an interSpersion of hardwoods and softwoods.

All of the above have happened to some degree on P.E.I., and this was of cencern to many Island individuals and organizations. It was felt that some form of all- encompassing conservation program was required to ensure that environmental degrada- tion did not continue or at least was minimized.

At the time of the election, last April, the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation decided to raise its concern to all political parties. The Liberal party went so far as to make environmental issues an integral part of their election platform. As many of you may remember, in June of last year the Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs, the Honourable Gilbert Clements announced the initiation of a P.E.I. Con- servation Strategy. Prince Edward Island was the first province to take this position.

The task of developing the Strategy was “presented” to John McClellan. One half of John's time was "loaned" to the Policy Board in order to develop this Strategy. John has a great deal of insight in dealing with land management and planning problems through his experience as Executive Director of the P.E.I. Land Use Commission over the last l3 years.

John's initial action was to gather together-a group to help in developing the _, Strategy. Those whose help John sought and the agencies they represent were as ' follows:

Central Committee: Diane Griffin - Island Nature Trust Art Smith - P.E.I. Fish 8 Wildlife Division Daryl Guignion - Biology Dept., University of Prince Edward Island

Ian HacQuarrie - Biology Dept., University of Prince Edward Island Joe Arbour - Environment Canada

Peter Townshend - P.E.I. Soil and Cr0p Improvement Association Paul Gallant - P.E.I. Wildlife Federation

In order to ensure a co-ordinated effort, 80 per cent of Bruce Smith's time was "loaned" by Provincial Parks for 9 months. Doug Pollard who is with the Canadian Forestry Service in Ottawa, and is co-author of the Canadian response to .

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