Seeing Through the Fog: Salmonier River Property

Fog hangs in the air amid thick stands of balsam fir on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador; osprey soar above and runs of salmon swim through the river – this is the Avalon Forest Ecoregion, located in the heart of the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Fog Forest Natural Area. Characterized by balsam fir and yellow birch, as well as the presence of rare lichens, the area provides rich habitat to wildlife and acts as an important buffer for the most southern woodland caribou herd in Canada. As one of the first regions to be settled in North America, in the 17th century, the Avalon Peninsula is steeped in historical importance as well as natural wonders.

"The diversity of species and uniqueness of the forest environment make it a top priority for conservation," says Megan Lafferty, Acting Program Director with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). Its uniqueness stems from the moist climate, caused by the very high frequency of fog – about 200 days per year – and ridged moraine landscape. The region is one of the last forests on the Avalon Peninsula that remains largely intact.

In June 2015, TD Forests worked with the NCC to help acquire 158 acres (64 hectares) of this forest habitat along the Salmonier River on the Avalon Peninsula. The property acts as a buffer to the provincially designated Salmon River that hosts the threatened South Newfoundland population of Atlantic salmon.

Visit the NCC website to learn more about how this newly acquired property contributes to the Salmonier River Conservation Project and the Fog Forest Natural Area.