ROBINSONS — A deal for the purchase of Grassy Place has been finalized.
Randal Greene, Newfoundland and Labrador Conservation Representative with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, confirmed the deadline for the original purchase date was in late March, the deal took a little longer than anticipated and was completed earlier this month.
Grassy Place is acres of grasses — up to six feet in height in some areas — with the Robinsons River running through the property. The land extends to cliffs on either side of the river and up onto plateaus adding to its value to wildlife which frequent the area.
The conservancy group had a fundraising campaign in place to purchase the 3,700-acre property, which is home to woodland caribou, the threatened pine marten and countless geese and ducks.
Douglas Ballam, program manager for the conservancy in Newfoundland and Labrador, said the price tag for the property was $800,000, and the group had to step up fundraising efforts over the winter with to secure the $80,000 left needed to meet the price.
Greene said the group received individual and corporate donations in the province, enabling the goal to be met. He said contributions ranged from $10 from individuals up to $5,000 from corporations from 50 different donors. One fairly substantial donation came from a foundation that wished to remain anonymous.
He said the plan now for this summer is to go to Grassy Place and do a baseline inventory of the plants, birds and mammals at the location.
Nature Conservancy of Canada staff plan to spend about two weeks there and during that time experts from different fields will be brought in to determine what inhabits the property and conservancy staff will utilize that time to familiarize themselves with the area.
“We want to see what shape it’s in, if it is as undisturbed as people have told us it was and exactly how minimal the human footprint is there,” Greene said.
“What’s unique about this deal for Grassy Place is that it’s the single largest private land conservation deal in Atlantic Canada and the largest in our lifetime for Newfoundland,” Ballam said.
He said the land is there for the public to use and enjoy and hunting will still be permitted in the area. However there will be no cutting or construction of roads or buildings in the area.
ROBINSONS — A deal for the purchase of Grassy Place has been finalized.
Randal Greene, Newfoundland and Labrador Conservation Representative with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, confirmed the deadline for the original purchase date was in late March, the deal took a little longer than anticipated and was completed earlier this month.
Grassy Place is acres of grasses — up to six feet in height in some areas — with the Robinsons River running through the property. The land extends to cliffs on either side of the river and up onto plateaus adding to its value to wildlife which frequent the area.
The conservancy group had a fundraising campaign in place to purchase the 3,700-acre property, which is home to woodland caribou, the threatened pine marten and countless geese and ducks.
Douglas Ballam, program manager for the conservancy in Newfoundland and Labrador, said the price tag for the property was $800,000, and the group had to step up fundraising efforts over the winter with to secure the $80,000 left needed to meet the price.
Greene said the group received individual and corporate donations in the province, enabling the goal to be met. He said contributions ranged from $10 from individuals up to $5,000 from corporations from 50 different donors. One fairly substantial donation came from a foundation that wished to remain anonymous.
He said the plan now for this summer is to go to Grassy Place and do a baseline inventory of the plants, birds and mammals at the location.
Nature Conservancy of Canada staff plan to spend about two weeks there and during that time experts from different fields will be brought in to determine what inhabits the property and conservancy staff will utilize that time to familiarize themselves with the area.
“We want to see what shape it’s in, if it is as undisturbed as people have told us it was and exactly how minimal the human footprint is there,” Greene said.
“What’s unique about this deal for Grassy Place is that it’s the single largest private land conservation deal in Atlantic Canada and the largest in our lifetime for Newfoundland,” Ballam said.
He said the land is there for the public to use and enjoy and hunting will still be permitted in the area. However there will be no cutting or construction of roads or buildings in the area.
