-3- 
     
    
   
   
    
     Candidate Natural Area because of its Great Blue Heron Rookery and 
     
     the importance of the nearby tidal flats to resident and migratory 
     
     waterfowl, cormorants, osprey, gulls, terns and shorebirds. The 
     
     Natural Areas Advisory Committee objected to the proposed develop- 
     
     ment because they did not feel that the impact of such a cottage 
     
     subdivision development would be restricted to Oulton's Island 
     
    

    
     but that resulting boat, vehicular and foot traffic by leisure 
     
     seekers and their pets would cause severe damage to the flora and 
     
     fauna on the nearby tidal flats and sanddune systems. They felt 
     
     that no development should occur on this or any of our offshore 
     
     islands until a detailed biological and physical inventory of 
     
     their resources is completed. We know so little about these areas 
     
     and we have so few of them. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The appeal hearing was held on December 10, 1976 in Charlottetown. 
     
     Submissions were made by the Natural History Society of Prince 
     
     Edward Island, the Canadian Nature Federation, H.O.P.E. (Help 
     
    

    
     Our Provincial Environment), The P.E.I. Heritage Foundation, the 
     
     P.E.I. Fish and Game Association and a telegram from the Canadian 
     
     Wildlife Federation. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Land Use Commission upheld the appeal launched by the Natural 
     
     Areas Advisory Committee and voted to refuse permission for develop- 
     
     ment. The Commission based its decision on the following grounds: 
     
    
   
   
    
     (1) "The Commission has serious reservations about the feasi- 
     
     bility of the provisions of necessary services to a sub- 
     
     division of this size in a location which is separated from 
     
     the mainland". 
     
    
   
   
    
     (2) "The Commission believes the proposed subdivision would 
     
     have a detrimental affect on the adjacent sandhills, an 
     
     extremely fragile area and hence would be an incompatible 
     
     type of development in the area". 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Canadian Nature Federation generously donated funds to 
     
    

    
     the N.A.A.C. to cover the cost of legal fees for the appeal 
     
     hearing. The N.A.A.C. feel that winning this appeal was a major 
     
     environmental victory for Prince Edward Island because it sets a 
     
     precedent for future land use decisions by government. Government 
     
     has begun to acknowledge the value of maintaining a certain level 
     
     of environmental quality. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Kathy Martin 
     
    

    
     Natural History Society 
     
     Representative to: 
     
    

    
     Natural Areas Advisory Committee 
     
    
   
   
    
     THE FLYING SQUIRREL 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Flying Squirrel is a mild and gentle mammal with special adaptive 
     
     features that aid in survival and reproduction in its particular 
     
     environment. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It is an elusive creature with nocturnal and arboreal habits, and 
     
     is seldom encountered by the average observer. Its habitat is the 
     
     evergreen forests of the Canadian Zone and locally within the Tran- 
     
     sition. The favourite environment seems to be mixed wood forest of 
     
     tall trees, not too dense, with glades and semi-wooded terrain and 
     
     islands of conifers along river valleys and in highlands. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It is a distinctive, medium sized member of the squirrel family. 
     
     The only North American squirrel that sleeps during the day and is 
     
     active at night, and the only one with the unique ability to glide 
     
     considerable distances through the air from tree to tree. These 
     
     sailing leaps into the air may span distances of 30 or 40 yards 
     
    

    
     or more. They are able to do this because they have distensible 
     
     side membranes, an adaptation developed for this purpose which