Source: CPAWS
The province is investing $20 million to help protect more land and water while designating another 9,300 hectares of Crown land.
Environment Minister Tim Halman made the announcements in Middle Sackville near the newly designated Sackville River Wilderness Area.
It is the first wilderness area for Sackville and covers about 800 hectares of mature forests, wetlands, lakes and waterways. This protected area will help conserve the Sackville River, the Pockwock watershed, which provides communities with drinking water, and recreation areas.
“I can’t breathe, I’m so excited! After working on this for over eight years, I’m jumping for joy just like the salmon in the Sackville River – 800 hectares saved for the people of Nova Scotia in Upper Sackville’s first wilderness area. Today is a great day for the people of this area and the people of Nova Scotia. Hurray! Hurray!” said Walter Regan, past-president, Sackville Rivers Association.
The additional funding will go to the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust, which helps private land conservation organizations with the cost of acquiring and protecting private land. The work of these organizations is critical to help Nova Scotia reach its 2030 land protection goal.
“The announcement takes us one step forward in our government’s work to protect 20 per cent of our land and water by 2030,” said Minister Halman. “Government cannot achieve this goal alone, and there is still lots of work ahead of us. The funding will help our land conservation partners continue their important work and leadership. Together we will help ensure a sustainable and healthy future for our province, our people and our economy.”
The newly protected areas bring the total amount of land and fresh water protected in Nova Scotia to over 13 per cent.
Meantime, the creation of six new nature reserves and the expansion of seven existing wilderness areas were unveiled.
The ecological sites announced as new nature reserves are:
— Barneys River Nature Reserve, Pictou County (567 hectares)
— Big Meadow Brook Nature Reserve, Hants County (284 hectares)
— Cherry Hill Beach Nature Reserve, Lunenburg County (27 hectares)
— Glendyer Nature Reserve, Inverness County (276 hectares)
— Les Caps Nature Reserve, Inverness County (22 hectares)
— Porcupine Brook Nature Reserve, Annapolis County (238 hectares)
The expanded wilderness areas and their increases in size are:
— Eastern Shore Islands, Halifax Regional Municipality, 96 hectares
— Economy River, Colchester and Cumberland Counties, 5,495 hectares
— Eigg Mountain-James River, Antigonish County, 71 hectares
— Medway Lakes, Annapolis County, 430 hectares
— Middle River Framboise, Cape Breton County, 21 hectares
— Portapique River, Colchester and Cumberland counties, 974 hectares
— Wentworth Valley, Cumberland County, 65 hectares
