The opening of Salmonier Nature Park for 1997 Beaton Tulk, Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods announced today the re-opening of Salmonier Nature Park for June 1, 1997. The park will be open seven days a week until Labour Day from Noon to 8 p.m. each day (with the gates closing at 7 p.m.). The park will continue to be open after Labour Day with more restricted hours until the end of October. "School groups should take advantage of the quality interpretation tours provided by our staff," said the minister. "Especially the opportunity to have a closer viewing of the endangered Newfoundland marten, commonly referred to as the pine marten, through the screens of a remote monitoring system now installed at the Salmonier Nature Park's Visitor Centre. It is especially exciting to have this on stream for the Cabot 500 celebrations and the additional visitors who will be seeing our province."

Salmonier Nature Park offers the rare chance to see many of this province's plants and animals in one place and at one time. Animals at the park include moose, caribou, lynx, snowshoe hare, arctic fox, mink, and beaver, as well as birds of prey, such as, snowy owl, great horned owls and bald eagles. There are also Canada geese, ducks and spruce grouse.

The park is home to a small number of endangered Newfoundland pine marten, who were not on display last year, but can now be viewed through the remote monitoring system. These animals are part of a captive breeding program that is designed to assist the recovery of this species in the wild.

Contact: Ralph Jarvis, Manager, Salmonier Nature Park, (709) 729- 6974.