Parks Canada is implementing measures to safeguard a rare coastal plant at Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island National Park. This year, the purchase of official Parks Canada merchandise online, such as shirts and tote bags, will contribute to the protection efforts for the Gulf of St. Lawrence beach pinweed at these two parks.
David Mazerolle, the ecosystem scientist at Kouchibouguac in eastern New Brunswick, highlighted that the global population of this plant has significantly declined due to climate change and severe winter storms. The loss of coastal ice in winter, previously provided by sea ice, has exposed these ecosystems to heightened impacts from winter storms.
Parks Canada is actively gathering the plant’s seeds and collaborating with Acadia University to explore germination techniques and optimal methods for transplanting the species into new habitats where it is not currently present but can thrive.
The specific variety of beach pinweed being protected is exclusive to eastern Canada, from the Maritimes down to North Carolina along the North American coast. However, the unique variety found in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is not known to exist anywhere else globally.
Described as a diminutive shrub standing about 20 to 30 centimeters tall, the Gulf of St. Lawrence beach pinweed thrives on stable dune systems near coastal areas that are shielded 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.
Sean Blaney, the executive director of the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre, emphasized the importance of national parks in safeguarding this species. Climate change poses a substantial threat to the plant’s habitat, underscoring the necessity of proactive conservation efforts to prevent its disappearance.
The ongoing transplantation initiatives led by Mazerolle and his team have shown promising results, with successful seed germination and initial transplants completed. The next phase involves additional planting in Kouchibouguac National Park and Prince Edward Island National Park to expand the species’ presence.
Lindsey Burke, a resource management officer at Prince Edward Island National Park, noted the species’ decline on the island due to climate change and coastal erosion. Protecting areas crucial for the pinweed also safeguards dune ecosystems more broadly, indicating the significance of their conservation efforts.
Through collaborations with Acadia University and transplantation endeavors, the aim is for the pinweed to establish self-sustaining populations within the parks. Acclimating the plants to park conditions before planting enhances their chances of flourishing and contributing to the ecosystem’s health.