Mission
To
protect and conserve the natural environment of the
islands and shoreline of Mahone Bay,
and the
traditional, social and recreational opportunities
valued by its various
communities.
ISLAND ACQUISITION
ANNOUNCEMENT
Congratulations
MICA members and supporters.
The Mahone Islands
Conservation Association (MICA) Board of Directors is
very pleased to announce that on February 4, 2022 MICA
and the Province of Nova Scotia, through the Department
of Natural Resources and Renewables have entered into an
agreement for the partnered acquisition of Birch Island.
Birch
Island, approximately 16 acres located in the
Municipality of Chester and to the south of Clay Island,
is essentially in its natural state and has been a
popular picnic island for many years. It is typical of
many of the Mahone Bay islands having a beautiful beach
on the north side with an environmentally important
barrischois (salt water pond) behind it as well as a
small forest.
The
island has been privately owned and on closing, will be
another MICA island available for public use and
protected by a typical joint stewardship agreement
between the Province and MICA.
Closing
is scheduled for March 20 and is subject to the normal
terms and conditions including final approval by the
Province.
MICA’s commitment to the acquisition is
$150,000 due on closing plus associated legal
fees.
MICA is very pleased to advise that the
Municipality of Chester has donated $75,000 to MICA in
support of this acquisition.
At this time, MICA
has approximately $48,000 available for the project.
Therefore we need to fundraise $27,000 between now and
March 20 to meet the balance of our financial
obligation.
We respectfully ask that you donate
toward this exciting acquisition.
You may do so
by:
a. cheque to MICA, PO Box 427,
Mahone Bay, NS B0J 2E0, or
b. online
through CanadaHelps.org (apply donation to
Island Purchases)
Receipts will be provided. Any
funds raised additional to this amount will be retained
by MICA and used for future acquisitions.
On
closing, the property will complement the 18 MICA
islands and parts thereof and the
recently acquired
Oakland property, for conservation and traditional
public use.
The concept of ‘LEAVE ONLY YOUR
FOOTPRINTS’ will be employed and the goal of
‘Property Users are the Property Stewards’ will
be the guiding principle for the use of this wonderful
island.
MICA Directors extend a sincere and
hearty 'thank you and congratulations' to our members,
our private supporters, our corporate supporters, our
Gala Dinner and Auction supporters, our countless
volunteers and in particular the Province of Nova Scotia
and the Municipality of Chester for this important
acquisition.
Together we are creating a
legacy.
Thank
you and congratulations,
MICA Board of
Directors
February 6, 2022
