The Nature Trust of BC has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $75,000 to compete the purchase and protect 235 hectares of wetland east of Prince George.
The properties skirt the northeast and southeast corners of the Meteor Lake wetland-bog, about 100 kilometres east of the city and across the Fraser River from Sinclair Mills. It is one of the three largest wetlands in the upper Fraser River and a site that plays a vital role in limiting the pace of climate change, according to the organization.
Composed primarily of peat, or organic matter which has accumulated over thousands of years without decomposing, bogs and fens absorb, filter, and regulate water flow, preventing potentially disastrous upland flooding.
Areas like the Meteor Lake wetland-bog make up only three per cent of the global land area but contain 25 per cent of global soil carbon - twice the amount of carbon absorbed by the world’s forests.
“The carbon absorption capabilities of this area are fantastic. Keeping it natural is key to ensuring the surrounding areas remain healthy. The importance of these peatlands for our climate and biodiversity cannot be overstated. We are very excited about this opportunity to protect these four parcels of land,” said Jasper Lament, CEO of The Nature Trust.
The wetland also provides food, breeding grounds, and habitat for grizzly bears and moose, as well as threatened and at-risk mammals, birds, and amphibians. The Northern Goshawk, classified as threatened, and White Sturgeon, classified as endangered, are found within the area.
The property also contains bog and fen ecosystems with rare and specialized flora and fauna - including two ecological communities ranked blue-listed or of special concern by the provincial government.
The $75,000 is the remaining amount that needs to be raised to close the transaction. It is the last 15 per cent of the cost of the land.
The money must be raised by November 30 to make the purchase and tax receipts are provided for donations. To donate go to canadahelps.org.
