Several Manitoulin properties now protected by conservancy group

Seven properties have now been set aside, roughly 1,200 acres, with the latest acquisition by the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, four of those are on Manitoulin Island.

"Nature brings service to people. We think we've calculated using Ontario government figures that we're providing $34-million worth of services to people," said Executive Director Bob Barnett.

Barnett's been part of the conservancy effort for the last 25 years.

The properties come at a cost of $3 million.

Two of them on the island will likely end up with operating trails.

They include an interior forest tract near Silverwater, a tract on the south shore near Queen Elizabeth: Queen Mother M'Nidoo N'Nissing Provincial Park, some shoreline along the escarpment at Wolsley Lake and the Lewis Twin Peaks Trail in Sheguiandah.

Barnett said the group will be looking to re-open Lewis to the public. It had closed when the property went up for sale.

"So we put in an offer of $400,000 and the owner thought about it over the weekend and came back to us on the Monday and said you know we we really want you guys to have it so they sold it to us for $400,000 so that was pretty exciting," said Barnett.

Local leaders said it's a step in the right direction, calling it positive news and something all islanders can enjoy.

"As you know, we've got the Chi-Cheemaun coming in here and over the past number of years, the traffic just whizzes through. We've gotta find something to slow them down a little bit," said Assiginack Mayor Dave Ham.

"It's nice to hear that it'll be opened up again and I know they do a lot of fundraising for that to happen. They've worked on many trails that are here on the island and it's good news for all of us," said Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands Mayor Al MacNevin.

The other properties they acquired are on the Bruce Trail.