THUNDER BAY — The Black Bay area northeast of Thunder Bay has been chosen for what's being described as a "major" new conservation project.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada will announce the details Friday at a news conference in Thunder Bay.
A spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy says the major habitat conservation project will be that organization's largest on the north shore of Lake Superior.
"These are arguably the most important wetlands on the north shore...due to their sheer size," NCC communications manager Nicole Senyi said Tuesday in an advisory.
Senyi noted that wetlands are rare on Lake Superior, which is better known for its rugged cliffs and rocky shoreline.
The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists and the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority already manage two conservation areas on Black Bay.
In January 2016, the TBFN purchased a block of ecologically valuable property at Granite Point on the bay's western shore.
According to the TBFN website, the 162-hectare (400-acre) parcel has almost five kilometres of shoreline including a coastal marsh.
"In recent years, increasing development along the west side of the bay has reduced the amount of natural shoreline available for wildlife," states a website article that makes reference to a major cottage development and a trailer camp.
"With the purchase of this property, TBFN will ensure that a large block of land on Black Bay will remain untouched in perpetuity," it says.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada provided financial support for the acquisition.
The LRCA also operates the Hurkett Cove Conservation Area at the northern tip of Black Bay.
Birds Ontario selected it in 2005 as one of the top birdwatching sites in the province.
