164 hectares of land added to P.E.I. National Park in Greenwich

P.E.I. National Park just got a little bigger.

The federal government has purchased 164 hectares of land in Greenwich that will be added to that section of the park.

The land contains a forest, wetlands and coastal dunes that are home to many species at risk and rare species, such as the piping plover, the yellow-banded bumble bee and the little brown myotis bat, Parks Canada said in a news release.

"Among the most spectacular natural characteristics to be protected at this site in Greenwich are the unusually large and mobile parabolic dunes with their associated counter ridges," it said.

The area will be managed by P.E.I. National Park Management Plan and Parks Canada. Parks Canada said it will work to ensure that the ecological integrity of the land is maintained while continuing to provide opportunities for Canadians to discover and connect with nature.

P.E.I. National Park was established in 1937 and is one of the smallest national parks in Canada, now encompassing an area of approximately 23.84 square kilometres. The park extends along the north shore of Prince Edward Island for approximately 40 kilometres between Cavendish and Blooming Point. In 1998, the park was expanded to include a portion of the Greenwich Peninsula located further east on St. Peters Bay.

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