Thomas Island

Thomas Island, PEI (Photo by Mike Dembeck)

The Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC’s) Thomas Island is a 12 hectare (30-acre) property located in the southeastern corner of Prince Edward Island. It is one of five islands in Murray Harbour. Thomas Island, Reynolds Island, Herring Island, Cherry Island and Gordon Island have long been targets by PEI conservation groups. They are important nesting sites for several species of seabirds and colonial nesters, like great blue herons. 

In 2014, NCC conserved Thomas Island, the last Murray Harbour island still threatened by development. This completed the goal of protecting the entire archipelago. The Island Nature Trust and the Province of PEI are the other partners in conservation for this tiny paradise.

Take a short kayak trip from the village of Murray Harbour to the beaches of Thomas Island. It's the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature. Grey seals and harbour seals swim the harbour waters, resting on the exposed sandbars of the islands at low tide. Bald eagles and osprey fly overhead. Common terns and northern gannets put on a show, diving like bullets into the water.

Nature Conservancy of Canada and partners organize volunteer clean ups on the islands every two to three years.