What's Left To Do
Wilderness Area Designation
The public lands of the Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes wilderness, near Halifax, are now officially designated as a protected wilderness area.
The provincial government made the announcement on April 21st, 2009, one day ahead of Earth Day. This follows through on a promise made by the Province in October 2007 to designate these lands as a legally-protected wilderness area.
The wilderness area designation will also put a stop to clearcutting and open-pit mining in the area. In the past, several attempts were made to remove the top of Blue Mountain Hill for aggregate. The wilderness area designation will put a stop to that, once-and-for-all.
Regional Park Designation
Through the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy and a 25-year Regional Plan approved by Council, the City has declared its clear intentions to establish a regional park in the Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes area. This includes acquiring lands adjacent to the soon-to-be-designated Blue Mountain - Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area, to protect key areas of the canoe loop in the backcountry, and popular recreational areas on Susies and Quarry Lakes. The City must begin the process of acquiring these lands and establishing the Regional Park as soon as possible.
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