Proposed new wilderness areas
Proposed areas would protect 25,000 hectares
By GEOFF BIRD Friday, Apr 22 – 4:55 AM
The provincial government has moved one step closer to protecting the largest remaining patch of intact forest in Nova Scotia.
Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau released the proposed boundaries for two wilderness areas in the Chignecto region of Cumberland County on Thursday.
“Protecting these areas will ensure that our valuable lands are preserved for generations to come,” said Belliveau.
The boundary for the suggested Kelly River Wilderness Area captures over 20,000 hectares of forest, habitat for the endangered mainland moose and an important population of wood turtle. It will be the province’s third largest wilderness area, a provincial news release said. The second proposed site will be known as the Raven Head Wilderness Area. Nearly 5,000 hectares in size, it will stretch along 36 kilometres of Bay of Fundy coastline.
The wilderness areas will replace the Chignecto Game Sanctuary, land that is currently open to hunting, forestry and mining. Though most of the sanctuary was incorporated in the proposed wilderness area, questions are being raised about why some parts were left out.
“It is smaller than we’d hoped,” said Raymond Plourde, wilderness co-ordinator at the Ecology Action Centre. He said a chunk of forest in the northwest corner of the existing sanctuary that is known as a mainland moose habitat was left out.
“It is certainly in the realm of likelihood that Northern Pulp will be able to go in there in the parts of the game sanctuary that have not been included,” Plourde said.
While the boundaries aren’t perfect, he said the proposed wilderness areas will protect the largest remaining intact forest in the province. “We do think they’ve got most of the most important ecological features.”
Chris Miller, of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, said he was thrilled with the government’s announcement.
“Most of what’s proposed for protection is really fantastic forest,” Miller said. “It’s some of the best that’s left in Nova Scotia.”
He said only 17 per cent of the province’s forests are in tracts of land larger than 500 hectares.
Public consultation on the proposed boundaries will run from May 11 to Aug. 12 at open houses in Southampton, Joggins, Advocate Harbour, Parrsboro, Amherst and Halifax.
( gbird@herald.ca)