Riverview Park gets conservation status preserving it for future generations

Daniel DeLong was a Grade 12 student at Riverview High School in 2011 when his environmental science teacher encouraged him to get involved in his community.

He never expected his class project — a proposal to turn the Mill Creek site into a nature park — would lead to a long-lasting involvement with a municipally owned treasure.

At the time, DeLong said, subdivisions were popping up in that part of Riverview.

"Mill Creek had been long recognized as a special place because of the reservoir there and the natural habitat right on the edge of the municipality," he said. "I think my public presentation helped to highlight how much public interest there was in the site."

The 330-acre Mill Creek Nature Park was established in 2013.

DeLong is proud of whatever role his project might have played making that happen.

And today, as chair of the Friends of Mill Creek volunteer advisory committee, he's delighted with steps taken to preserve the park for good.

The Town of Riverview recently announced an agreement with the province that will designate the park as a conservation area.

"Now we know that it has this type of special conservation so that it can be enjoyed by future generations as well as protected status for all of the wildlife and diversity that inhabit that space," said DeLong.

He said the designation will ensure Mill Creek's long-term preservation from excessive future development or change. It  does not affect how people currently use the area for recreational activities such as hiking, dog walking, mountain biking and snowshoeing.

"You can still do the same activities that have been permitted there," he said.

Jennifer Dingman, executive director of the not-for-profit Fundy Biosphere Region, helped the park achieve its conservation status.

She says there are a number of ways to designate land in New Brunswick for conservation.

The first is the Protected Natural Areas Act, which allows the provincial government to protect Crown land. The second allows not-for-profits such as the Nature Trust of New Brunswick to designate privately owned land for conservation, and the final option is the one being used by Riverview.

"It allows landowners like municipalities to develop management plans, put in regulations that will withstand the test of time and change of council and change of staff." 

Dingman said the Fundy Biosphere Region is also working with other municipalities to help them designate land for conservation.

"We are intending to be able to make some announcements in the other municipalities shortly."

Even though Mill Creek park is now considered as a conservation area, Dingman said, the town will continue to manage it with the environment in mind. For example, a pollinator garden in the park will have guidelines for staff to follow.

"They would need to choose native species or make sure they're not using pesticides or herbicides," Dingman said. "This is meant to be left more natural and to keep the biodiversity in the nature that's there."