PEI Environment Minister Richard Brown, needs to watch the movie Gasland. Maybe he will revise his statement "If there's problems with fracking..."

The increasingly controversial drilling practice of hydraulic fracturing will not get a green light on Prince Edward Island without first undergoing a thorough environmental assessment and public consultation, says the province’s environment minister.

Richard Brown says his department will be extremely cautious if and when it issues any permit to allow companies to drill in P.E.I. by so-called fracking, which involves injecting large quantities of water along with secret mixes of chemicals deep underground in order to break up gas-containing rock formations.

“If there’s problems with fracking, if it has any potential to hurt our groundwater or to hurt the environment or hurt the fisheries in any ways, we’re not going to allow it to happen,’’ Brown told a group of reporters outside the legislature Thursday.

P.E.I. politicians air "fracking" concerns
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2011-04-15/article-2429557/PEI-p...

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is trying to buy some islands in P.E.I.'s Malpeque Bay.

The biggest target for the conservancy is Hog Island, a long strip of land that protects the mouth of bay. Conservancy board member Doug Deacon told CBC News Friday the islands are a real treasure.

"We see that those are important pieces of land for habitat for a variety of species," said Deacon.

Nature Conservancy looks to buy P.E.I. islands
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2011/04/11/pei-...

A new trail has been created in the Murray River area and was showcased in a recent Cycle PEI Event.

Cycle PEI has crowned the Downeaster Mountain Bike Race held at Beck’s Trail just outside of Murray River as Event of the Year.

Mr Jenkins and his uncle Garth Jenkins invested $32,000 of their own money to make the trail happen, with government contributing another $6,800. Unlike the Confederation Trail, which is smoother, Beck’s Trail is a rougher, single lane trail. Paul Jenkins said the trail still needs some work and the more people who use it the better it will become.

One of the best experiences he has had since the trail opened was simply one day seeing some people he didn’t know, enjoying it.

"That was a great moment," he said.
The 10km trail took about a year of hard work to create, and he hopes to add some more kilometres to it next year.

I was not aware that an oil and gas exploration company was given exploration rights to over a third of the Island, but apparently they do. Anyway, one of the unions representing provincial workers, including workers in the environment department, have spoken out with concerns that this gas exploration may effect our drinking water.

A provincial government union is urging P.E.I.'s environment minister to ensure a gas exploration company doesn't ruin the Island's groundwater.

The Union of Public Sector Employees wants Richard Brown to ensure PetroWorth doesn't carry out a procedure called fracking.

That's where millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped into a natural gas well. The extreme pressure fractures the sandstone, enabling the gas to flow better.

But there are concerns the chemicals could contaminate drinking water. Also, the process uses a lot of water.

Gas extraction might ruin water, union says
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/11/05/pei-upse-...

The next day, the oil and gas company, Petroworth, released a statement saying the union statement from the day before was misleading. I find it interesting that they don't say how the union's statement is misleading, it just is i guess...

A company exploring for natural gas on P.E.I. says a provincial union is putting out misleading information about some of the techniques used in exploration.

An off-island couple have donated over 150 acres of land, including valuable shoreline, to the Island Nature Trust. This is great news as it seems we have lost access to our own own shorelines. I find it ironic that it takes people from off-island to see the value in protecting our shoreline from development, not us. We seem to be to busy selling off or developing the shoreline to notice that access to almost gone... Thank you Mr and Mrs. Perret.

Many have approached Charles and Gloria McKinnon Perret over the years in hopes of purchasing a piece of the couple’s Island paradise.

One disappointed would-be buyer after another would kindly be sent on their way.

The pair wanted the property protected — not developed.

Last August, the Perrets donated 173 acres of their land to the Island Nature Trust, ensuring the land will remain undeveloped and ecologically sensitive forever.

Piece of Island paradise protected forever
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2010-09-09/article-1735616/Piece...

Another invasive species is being battled with in the PEI National Park. This time it is the Japanese Knotweed. From the article, it sounds like a lot of work, but covering the ground with tarps should kill it off. Hope so anyway...

Parks Canada is trying to kill off an invasive species called Japanese knotweed that's been growing near the Interpretive Centre in the Greenwich adjunct to P.E.I. National Park.

It's part of a park-wide program to preserve native plants. Park ecologist Phil MacKay said this is the first year of a monitoring program to weed out invasive species.

For the knotweed, staff are focusing on 20 areas.

"We'll cut down the plant to ground level, and cover the area with heavy, black plastic tarps," he said. "The tarps will control the plant and kill it off basically."

Invasive species fought in P.E.I. National Park
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/09/08/pei-knotw...

I was out for a walk at Mooney's Pond recently and was very impressed with the new trails and boardwalks installed around the Pond. It is too bad that money cannot be found to use Mooney's Pond for it's original intension, fish rearing...

Mooney's pond, along with maybe 1 or two other places, were the principal places for fish rearing. Trout and espically salmon were brought to the pond as small fry and were raised there to a sufficient size to be released back into PEI rivers and streams.

Anyway, if you take a trip out to Mooney's Pond, i am sure you will be impressed with the trails...

Improvements have been made to the trails and look-out platforms surrounding Mooney’s Pond and the Jim Anderson Angling Pool on the Morell River.

“Our government invested $44,720 to allow better access to Mooney’s Pond and the Jim Anderson Angling Pool by creating new pathways and upgrading existing trails,” said P.E.I. Senator Mike Duffy.

“This investment helps make the Mooney’s Pond and Jim Anderson Angling Pool areas accessible to more Islanders and visitors than ever,” said provincial Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allan Campbell.

Mooney's Pond, angling pool more accessible
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2010-08-30/article-1708576/Moone...

The Government of Prince Edward Island recently designated 27 parcels of public land, totalling 636.7 hectares (1,573 acres), under the Natural Areas Protection Act, says Environment, Energy and Forestry Minister Richard Brown.

March 3, 2008

NEW ALTERNATE LAND USE SERVICES (ALUS) COORDINATOR TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND LAND USE PRACTICES

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- The Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry is moving towards greater involvement of landowners in environmental protection with the hiring of a full-time coordinator for a province-wide Alternate Land Use Services Program (ALUS).