Nature Trust of New Brunswick launches a naming contest after record year of acquisitions to honour the people who made it possible
To celebrate its biggest land conservation year, the Nature Trust of New Brunswick is celebrating by having New Brunswickers name their two new nature preserves.
This year has been the NTNB’s most ambitious year in land acquisition; 21 new properties were added to their collection this past year, making their total now 97.
“We wanted to celebrate that generosity and thank New Brunswickers by giving them the chance to leave their mark on the natural landscape even further by naming two of these special places,” said Jon MacNeill, Communications and Engagement Manager at Nature Trust of New Brunswick.
The contest is framed as a celebration of this achievement and an inclusive gesture toward the community.
The two preserves that are up for naming are the Carleton County preserve, which runs along the White Marsh Creek in Wicklow, and the Upper Nashwaak in York County.
The Carleton County preserve is 59 acres and contains cedar-dominated wetlands and Appalachian hardwood forests, a relatively rare ecosystem type. The conservation area contains aged trees, including an Eastern hemlock between 300 and 500 years old, sugar maple, and yellow birch trees. This preserve provides critical habitat for migrating birds and local wildlife species.
The Upper Nashwaak is a 163-acre wetland and mixed-wood stand. It is home to black ash, a species currently facing threats from the emerald ash borer, a jewel beetle that feeds on ash species, and rare lichens. This area is a living laboratory for understanding wetland conservation and forest adaptation under climate change.
Cali Le Rioux, Acting CEO of the Nature Trust, is grateful to all the New Brunswickers who have made these new preserves possible with their donations and volunteer hours.
The contest will run until Friday, Aug 15. You can submit your name ideas via a form on the NTNB website at naturetrust.nb.ca. There are unlimited entries per person. In September, two winners will have their submitted names chosen for one of the preserves.
“This naming contest is our way of celebrating these incredible collective achievements and giving everyone a chance to make another mark on conservation history,” said Le Roux.
