The province has designated 11 new protected parks and one new nature reserve.
Along with the new designations, they have expanded three wilderness areas and one nature reserve. In total, the announcement from Wednesday adds 1,267 hectares of protected land, according to a news release.
“Protecting more of our natural areas is one of the most effective ways we can fight climate change. Forests, wetlands and coastal ecosystems store carbon, protect us from floods and storms, and sustain a natural balance,” wrote Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, in the release.
This comes amid controversy over the protected Mabou beach area. The province is looking over a proposal from the Cabot company to put a golf course on the land.
Premier Tim Houston and Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland told reporters last week that the government is always open to having a conversation about development on protected land.
“Because you have a conversation, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen or it’s not going to happen. It’s a conversation. I’m sure you have conversations at your supper table all the time. It does not necessarily happen,” Masland said.
Overall, Nova Scotia now has 136 protected parks. The government’s goal is to protect 20 per cent of the province’s land by 2030.
Here is a full breakdown of the newly protected land:
New provincial parks:
- Blue Sea Beach, Cumberland County; 177 hectares
- Brule Shore, Colchester County; nine hectares
- Cape Jack Beach, Antigonish County; 0.7 hectares
- Fundy, Annapolis County; 56.5 hectares
- Lower East Chezzetcook, Halifax County; 182 hectares
- MacCormack, Victoria County; 4.3 hectares
- Mickey Hill, Annapolis County; 72.8 hectares
- Mount William, Halifax County; 27.7 hectares
- Point Michaud Beach, Richmond County; 60 hectares
- Port Shoreham Beach, Guysborough County; 39 hectares
- Trout Brook, Inverness County; 7.4 hectares
Expanded wilderness areas:
- Canso Coastal Barrens Wilderness Area, Guysborough County; an additional 238 hectares
- Bonnet Lake Barrens Wilderness Area, Guysborough County; an additional 258 hectares
- Bowers Meadows Wilderness Area, Shelburne County; an additional 48 hectares
New nature reserve:
- Gros Nez Nature Reserve, Richmond County; 52 hectares
Expanded nature reserve:
- Ashfield Nature Reserve, Inverness County; an additional 35 hectares
