After nearly decade on the wait list, a rare grassland ecosystem in Ramara Township has been formally protected as a provincial park.
The Ministry of Natural Resources announced Wednesday five nature areas would be added to the Ontario Parks docket — including Carden Alvar, near Lake Dalrymple.
For about the same amount of time Carden Alvar has been on the provincial parks wait list, the Couchiching Conservancy has been acting as its steward.
Mark Bisset, executive director of the conservancy, said the ministry’s announcement is “an indication of just how important the area is.”