Province Extends Agreement with Nature Conservancy

NATURAL RESOURCES--Province Extends Agreement with Nature Conservancy

The Nova Scotia government has approved an extension to the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Campaign for Conservation agreement.

The agreement will be extended by one year, to December 2004. The Nature Conservancy has committed to securing $3-million worth of private land in Nova Scotia.

"The Campaign for Conservation agreement is an opportunity for the province to acquire private lands that have outstanding ecological values and to preserve them for all Nova Scotians," said Natural Resources Minister Tim Olive. "By working with the Nature Conservancy we can secure additional private lands for conservation purposes."

The Department of Natural Resources and the Nature Conservancy signed a three-year partnership agreement in November 2000 to protect and increase the amount of ecologically significant lands in the province. The government's contribution was $300,000 in return for natural areas of land valued at $1 million.