$730K awarded to protect Canada warbler, other at-risk species in N.B.

New federal money is coming to the province to help protect a number of vulnerable species.

The funding is coming from the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk and was announced on Monday.

Five New Brunswick projects will receive up to $730,985.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) will be responsible for a project protecting the habitats of the Canada warbler, lichens and Van Brunt's Jacob's ladder — "a delicate flowering plant that is a metre tall and produces showy purple, bell-like flowers during spring and early summer" according to the NCC website.

The group's project director in New Brunswick, Paula Noël, says in Canada, Jacob's Ladder is found in New Brunswick and Quebec, with only two known locations in this province.

"In the 1880s or something there was a record of it and then it had never been relocated," said Noël. 

"There was a botanist named Hal Hines … and he refound one population of it [in the 80s] then a second population was found more recently … To this date those two populations, that are both located in Charlotte County, are the only known places where this plant grows in New Brunswick."

She said the Canada warbler has had declining numbers for a number of years, although the "colourful songbirds" are still widespread around the province. The NCC's project involves engaging with private woodlot owners to encourage them to create good habitats for the species.

Other projects on tap

Four other groups will also be given funding to help save habitats for at-risk species.

Nature NB will focus on protecting monarch butterfly populations in the province.

The Nature Trust of New Brunswick will look to preserve the habitat of two lichens found in the St. Croix River watershed.

The Cap-Pelé Region Watershed Group will work on conserving habitat for bank swallows, and the Madawaska River Development Corporation will conduct surveys on two species, little brown bats and bank swallows.

'Double crisis'

Noël says the money couldn't have come at a better time.

She said species throughout Canada are facing a "double crisis" with biodiversity loss combined with the effects of climate change.

She said the Natue Conservancy works with private landowners to acquire land to habitats and to help owners protect the land themselves.

"There is a lot of land in this province and in this country that is owned by private individuals, and they have a role to play as well," said Noël. 

"The work that we're doing is just to help people, to give them the tools and the knowledge they need to do that."