Parks Canada is implementing measures to safeguard a rare coastal plant found at Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island National Park. This year, the purchase of official Parks Canada merchandise including shirts and tote bags online will contribute to the conservation efforts aimed at protecting the Gulf of St. Lawrence beach pinweed in these two parks.
According to David Mazerolle, the ecosystem scientist at Kouchibouguac in eastern New Brunswick, the global population of the plant has significantly declined due to climate change and severe winter storms. The loss of coastal ice in winter and the intensified impact of winter storms are major factors affecting the plant’s survival.
Parks Canada, in collaboration with research partners at Acadia University, is actively collecting seeds of the plant and developing methods to germinate and cultivate the species. Their goal is to transplant the species into new habitats where it is not currently present to promote its growth and sustainability.
The unique variety of beach pinweed targeted for protection in this project is exclusive to eastern Canada, specifically the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence region. This particular species is characterized by its rarity and limited distribution, making conservation efforts crucial to its survival.
Described as a small shrub standing between 20 to 30 centimeters tall, the Gulf of St. Lawrence beach pinweed thrives in stable dune systems away from ocean waves. A significant portion of the plant’s population is situated on land managed jointly by Parks Canada and Mi’kmaw First Nations, positioning Parks Canada as a key player in its protection.
Efforts to safeguard the beach pinweed serve as a proactive measure against the habitat loss caused by climate change, aiming to prevent the extinction of this unique species. The species also serves as an important indicator of climate change impacts on coastal ecosystems, emphasizing the urgency of conservation initiatives.
Successful transplantation efforts have shown promising results, with ongoing projects focused on germinating seeds and expanding the plant’s presence in Kouchibouguac National Park and Prince Edward Island National Park. The collaboration with Acadia University is instrumental in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the beach pinweed within these coastal landscapes.
By acclimating the plants to park conditions before transplantation, the hope is to establish self-sustaining populations of the beach pinweed in various parts of the park. This hands-on approach is deemed necessary to mitigate the effects of climate change and promote the plant’s resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
