mfi 
     
    
   
   
    
     PARKS 
     
    
   
   
    
     PRINCE [MID ISIA‘D.CA.\ADA‘ 
     
    
   
   
    
     . 5W/ 
     
     NATURAL mas n: PROVINCIAL runs "a 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Parks Branch sits on the Technical Advisory Committee to the 
     
     Natural Areas Protection Act along with Forestry, Fish & Wildlife, 
     
     Community Planning, Environmental Strategy, Government Properties 
     
     and Agriculture. This body has made many recommendations to 
     
     government concerning a significant Environmental Areas Program. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Government has approved the program and the designation of over 90 
     
     natural areas across Prince Edward Island. The committee is 
     
     currently at work preparing individual management plans and getting 
     
     these sites formally designated. Natural areas fall into two 
     
     classes: biological and educational and it is the latter which 
     
     significantly affects Provincial Parks. Several parts of 
     
     individual parks now carry the additional natural area designation 
     
     under the Natural Areas Protection Act and they are in locations 
     
     ideally suited for interpretation to and access by the general 
     
     public. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Brudenell, Cedar Dunes, Cabot Beach, Green Park and Strathgartney 
     
     Provincial Parks currently contain designated natural areas of 
     
     varying types. Brudenell features a stand of pine along the upper 
     
     part of the Brudenell River. Cedar Dunes contains a cedar stand 
     
     growing on sand dunes which are inland in the heavily vegetated 
     
     part of the park. Cabot Beach is recognized for its low dune 
     
     system across the mouth of Darnley Basin. Green Park contains 
     
     three salt marshes and Strathgartney has a mature stand of maple 
     
     and beech. Each site also provides habitat for its own mix of 
     
     other plant and animal species. Each of these sites will be signed 
     
     as natural areas in 1993 and efforts will be ongoing to build 
     
     programs for the public around the natural features. Brudenell, 
     
     Cabot Beach, Cedar Dunes and Strathgartney now have summer 
     
     naturalists and the new designation is serving to highlight the 
     
     natural features for the park communities. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Parks also manage other natural areas outside the established park 
     
     system and community awareness for these sites is even more 
     
     important. Townshend Woodlot in Eastern Kings County serves as a 
     
     good example with its stand of old growth hardwood. The community 
     
     is hoping to highlight eco-tourism as a feature for the area and 
     
     link several of these sites on a natural areas tour. Public 
     
     education outdoors is also being popularly linked to health and 
     
     exercise, all of which fits beautifully with the aims of Provincial 
     
     Parks. 
     
    
   
   
    
     -16..