Danny Williams donates 185 acres to protect rare lichens in Newfoundland reserve

Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams and his family have donated 75 hectares, or about 185 acres, of family land to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to protect rare lichen habitat. The land, located north of St. Catharines in Newfoundland and Labrador, has been added to the Salmonier River Nature Reserve, bringing the protected area to 485 hectares, or roughly 1,198 acres. The donation followed an NCC survey that found boreal felt lichen on the Williams family property. The species is listed as being of special concern under Canada’s Species at Risk Act and grows in only a few areas around the world. The newly protected land also contains forests and wetlands supporting other species at risk.How Danny Williams' family land became important habitat for rare lichens in NewfoundlandThe conservation project began after the Nature Conservancy of Canada approached Williams in September 2023 about the possibility of rare lichens growing on his family’s land. NCC subsequently organised a targeted lichen survey, which confirmed the presence of boreal felt lichen, a tree-dwelling species that is listed as special concern in Newfoundland under Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act. The survey also found blue felt lichen and frosted glass-whiskers lichen nearby, both of which are also listed as special concern.