Background History of the Area:

1. Thousands of years as Aboriginal and wildlife corridor.
2. Marine graveyard of 200+ vessels since 1800’s. Main Duck Islands became Nature Reserves of Parks Canada in 1977.
3. Prince Edward Point designated a National Wildlife Area in 1978
4. Timber Island donated to MNR and designated as a Provincial Wildlife Area in 1985.
5. Crown Land (South Marysburgh) transferred from Federal Gov’t to Provincial Gov’t in 1972 (P2 – Ostrander Point Crown Block)
6. Crown Land (Athol) transferred in 1985 (P3 – Point Petre)
7. Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory (PEPtBO) included as member of the Canadian Migratory Monitoring Network in 1995– 1 of only 25 nationally.
8. South Shore receives "global” designation of IBA (Important Bird Area) in 1998.
9. PEC South Shore IBA also was also designated as an International Monarch Butterfly Reserve in 1995.
   
10. Prince Edward Point selected as candidate for National Marine Conservation Area (Parks Canada) in 2001.
11. PEC Council October 1994 and 2011
    

Conservation and recreation have been identified as the "best usage" for this area in PEC dating back to at least the 1960's.