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Meet Madie: our new Conservation Campaigner

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Greetings, friends of CPAWS!

My name is Madie Stewart and I’ll be working as a Conservation Campaigner for the Nova Scotia Chapter! I’m excited to be a part of this amazing team to explore the remote corners of our province and help protect these amazing natural spaces.

I can still remember the first time I fell in love with the ocean, but it might not be what you would expect. When I was about seven years old, my family took a trip to Disney World, and one of the attractions we visited was a shipwrecked-themed aquarium that you could snorkel in. As soon as I gazed into the water with my mask and snorkel, I was absolutely enthralled. There were hundreds of fish, mounds of coral, and sharks all around me. I ended up begging my parents to let me do the attraction again, which they did, and so I went in again… seven more times. To this day, I still vividly remember that experience and how I felt being underwater, and I still get that feeling every time I am in the ocean.

Growing up in Ottawa, I spent a lot of time exploring the outdoors, from family camping trips in Gatineau Park, kayaking or canoeing on the Ottawa River, catching bugs in my backyard, and swimming in any body of water that I could find. I also learned a lot about nature from my father, who was a high school science teacher with a degree in marine biology, as he showed me how to use a microscope, brought me along to collect pond water samples for his classes, and set up fun experiments or science activities at home. This is one of the main reasons that I decided to pursue a career in the natural sciences.

Although I grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, I spent my summers in Nova Scotia, and it became my second home. It was also the place that I first saw the ocean, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. In 2013, I moved to Halifax to start my undergraduate degree in marine biology at Dalhousie University and I immediately loved living the seaside life. I took up coastal hobbies, such as surfing and hiking, and took part in as many field courses as I could during my studies, which allowed me to experience first-hand the habitats in and around the water.

After graduation, I was accepted to the ISATEC – International Studies of Aquatic Tropical Ecology master’s program (it’s a mouthful, I know) at the University of Bremen in Germany. For my master’s thesis, I worked in Fiji for three months, where I lived in a traditional coastal village on the Coral Coast of Fiji’s main island. I conducted field surveys using snorkeling to collect data on the effects of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on territorial damselfish (Stegastes spp.) communities on the fringing reefs. The pace of life in Fiji was totally different than what I was used to, but it allowed me to slow down and appreciate the smaller things, as well as have gratitude for Mother Earth and what she provides, and I continue to try to channel this mindset in all that I do.

Coral restoration on the fringing reefs in Votua Village (Photo: Reef Explorer Fiji).

Working for CPAWS is a dream come true, and I’m so lucky to have a job that allows me to spend time outdoors and experience the variety of habitats that Nova Scotia has to offer. I can’t wait to dive in and share my findings with you all!

Meet Hunter Stevens: our new Marine Specialist

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Hello readers! 

My name is Hunter and I am thrilled to be coming onboard the CPAWS-NS team as a Marine Specialist. 

Scientific diving in Nova Scotia

It may come as somewhat of a surprise, but I grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. How does one go from one of the most landlocked places in the world to an expert in marine life? Let me tell you! 

A bit of background: While it may be far from the ocean, Saskatchewan is far from high and dry. In fact, within Saskatchewan’s provincial boundaries are over one million lakes. Two arteries, the North and South Saskatchewan rivers, flow down from the Albertan Rocky Mountains. This water and fertile glacial sediments is what make Saskatchewan such an effective agricultural producer. 

All of this to say that Saskatchewan is covered in wetland; wetland that I, in my youth, spent plenty of time exploring. Some of my earliest memories are of catching frogs with my dad during our summers at Emerald Lake. It fascinated me that so much life was teeming just under the surface of these ponds and lakes, so close, but still out of reach. Pictures weren’t enough — I had to see it with my own eyes.  

In 2013, I had the privilege of visiting the island of Maui, Hawaii, with my family. It was here that I first obtained my SCUBA certification and learned to snorkel in the playful waters of the south shore. The colourful diversity that I encountered here lingered in my thoughts for years. Once I finished high school in 2015, I enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan. During my studies, I got involved with a project using acoustic telemetry to study the Bigmouth Buffalo — a large, herbivorous carp-like fish native to southern Saskatchewan and parts of the United States.

 

Using acoustic telemetry to study Bigmouth Buffalo

I finished my undergraduate degree as the president of the University’s Biology Club, and with the fantastical seascapes of Hawaii still vivid in my mind, I set my sights seaward. I was lucky enough to snag a position with Dr. Glenn Crossin at Dalhousie University on a project involving acoustic telemetry and Atlantic salmon. The irony of this was not lost on me: Here I was in my little river system, packing up all I owned and swi- (ahem) driving across the country and out to sea.  

This brings us to the present. I finished my Master’s degree in August of 2021 and since then have taught Invertebrate Biology and Scientific Diving Methods in Ecology at Dalhousie University. I have spent the majority of my free time since moving to Halifax exploring our coasts. The diversity of life to be found here is astounding, and I do all I can to share it with others. 

Saskatchewan’s wetlands and Nova Scotia’s watersheds share something in common: they are in danger of or are actively being degraded by human activity. I intend to use my education and skillset to do all I can to preserve these biological jewels for generations to come, in the hope that nature might inspire more students like me. CPAWS Nova Scotia shares the same goal, and together I believe we are a real force for conservation in this country.  

I can’t wait to share our projects with you all, and if you ever have any questions about strange critters you’ve seen on land or at sea, please don’t hesitate to send me a message at hstevens@cpaws.org!

The Ocean: From Interest to Action!

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Hi, I’m Camille, a summer Conservation Assistant at CPAWS-NS. From a young age, I’ve always known I was interested in humanitarian and environmental causes and solutions. After taking a class at Dalhousie on non-profits and helping to launch the Evercare Foundation, an organization which aids humanitarian causes through specialized healthcare, I knew that working in the NGO sector could be for me. I’m elated to spend the summer at CPAWS-NS to grow, learn, and make a difference.

I have moved around a lot in life, but the ocean was always there. Exploring all the delicate ecosystems of the sea has a special place in my heart and has made me realize the importance of protecting it for the next generation to enjoy and learn. My love for the ocean fuels my passion for learning and understanding aquatic systems.

We rely on ecosystem services from the ocean to live our everyday lives, yet many species play hidden but influential roles. Algae, or seaweeds, is one such species that helps in various ways. Algae has always interested me because it plays an important role in the ocean but is often overlooked. Macroalgae provide habitats, whilst microalgae are at the centre of crucial aquatic nutrient cycles. Without them, the earth would lose half of its oxygen production.

Wikimedia Commons

Check out these diatoms, they’re strangely beautiful and play an important role in the marine environment. Diatoms are a microalgae that live in freshwater habitats, oceans, and soil. Their major presence means they play a significant role in global nitrogen cycles, carbon cycles, and are major contributors to sediments. Diatoms are responsible for a significant amount of oxygen production from the ocean and are the base of many food webs.

Another interesting thing about seaweed is that you may be eating it and not even know it! Agar, an extract, is used as a thickening, suspending and stabilizing agent in food. It is extracted from red alga, Gracilaria and Gelidium. It is handy because it can be reshaped after repeatedly reheating, while gelatin cannot.

Carrageenan, an extract, is also used to stabilize foods, from eggnog to salad dressing to ice cream. It is what keeps the chocolate mixed in chocolate milk and resists crystallization in the freezer. It is extracted from red alga such as Chondrus, Irish Moss, that grows here in the Maritime provinces.

Take a look at your pantry or in the supermarket, see if you can find Agar or Carrageenan in the ingredients list for your favourite foods!

I’m excited to explore and learn more of the ocean this summer with CPAWS. Nova Scotia is a beautiful place with many areas that must be studied and protected. I want to get to know more local organisms, work hard to protect them, teach others about the significance of conservation, and maintain healthy marine environments.

Stay tuned!

Camille

Spring Surveys at Archibald Lake

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Morning view of Archibald Lake

In early May, I embarked on a 5-day survey expedition to Archibald Lake with the CPAWS Nova Scotia team. Our goal was to identify rare species throughout this area, including plants, birds, and lichens, and help boost the campaign to secure legal protection for these important lands and waters.

Archibald Lake is a pending wilderness area located near Sherbrooke in Guysborough County. This area contains old forest, drumlins, and riparian ecosystems. It’s also a part of the St. Mary’s River watershed which supports species-at-risk habitat for Atlantic salmon and wood turtles. The Nova Scotia government announced its intention to protect Archibald Lake back in 2020 and completed a final public consultation, but there has been no movement to designate the wilderness area since. That’s a problem and it’s why we focused our surveys in this area.

I had never participated in species-at-risk surveys before this expedition, so I was excited to gain some experience identifying plants and animals in their natural habitat. I spent much of the week prior familiarizing myself with bird calls and committing images of plants and lichens to memory. Once in the field, however, I quickly realized it takes more than a little at-home studying to do this specialized work and I was glad to learn directly from a birding expert who joined us on the expedition.

Bird surveys at sunrise

Our surveys at Archibald Lake mostly took place in the evenings or early mornings. During bird surveys, we woke up at 3 or 4 am, bundled up in extra layers to combat the cold, and hiked out of camp with our headlamps on. As the sun rose, we slowed our walking pace and stepped lightly, allowing our birding expert to catch any whispers of bird song in the air. While I struggled to identify birds by ear, I found their cheerful calls to be energizing on those chilly mornings.

One of my favourite aspects of the expedition was the night surveys. Our team would sit in stillness on the old forest floor between Rocky and Archibald Lake, just watching and listening. While the forest initially seemed quiet, we would not have to wait long for the haunting call of a loon or a chorus of coyotes to puncture the silence around us. It was magical to witness the wildlife of Archibald Lake waking up.

Always lots on the go at our campsite!

In between our surveys, most of our time was spent at camp. We pitched our three colourful tents on a small sandy beach at Archibald Lake and spent our free hours paddling around the lake, cooking meals, and talking about the work ahead. We also endured some crazy temperature swings at our campsite. On our first night, it dropped to -6 degrees, but by our last day, we were hiking out in temperatures of +30 degrees!!

Despite the unpredictable weather, our surveys were successful in identifying a long list of significant species at Archibald Lake, including a long-eared owl and a plant called spring beauty. This is an area of tremendous biodiversity, but it remains vulnerable to disturbance so long as the government stalls on legal protection. CPAWS Nova Scotia will continue to explore the many conservation values of Archibald Lake and advocate for its designation as a protected wilderness area.

Stay tuned for more updates on Archibald Lake!

Caitlin

Protecting the Marine Refuges of the Northumberland Strait

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Marine Refuge SFA 24 (DFO)

Last December, the Nova Scotia government released the draft Terms of Reference for an Environmental Assessment for Northern Pulp’s new effluent treatment facility at Abercrombie Point, on Pictou Harbour (link to website). This proposal caught my attention because it involves disposing of treated effluent directly into the ocean. My first thoughts when scanning the document were to look for any reference to the Marine Refuges on the Northumberland Strait – but disappointingly they weren’t mentioned, not even once.  

So what are Marine Refuges? Marine Refuges are a type of protected area that aim to protect sensitive benthic ecosystems by limiting certain types of fishing activities. They’re not the same as marine protected areas (MPAs), which prohibit other activities, so they’re known as Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs).

Why are Marine Refuges important? Well, they protect sites of high conservation significance, such as the coastal waters along Nova Scotia’s North Shore. The important nursery habitat for juvenile lobster found in these nearshore waters, from the sea at the tip of Cape Breton to the coastlines of New Brunswick and PEI, has supported local fisheries for generations. The area is also home to several other ecologically significant species, including giant scallops and winter flounder. The Marine Refuges help protect the local fishery by ensuring destructive industrial practices are not allowed to occur here.

It was disappointing that Marine Refuges weren’t specifically mentioned in the draft Terms of Reference. If they are not included, they cannot be part of the analyses. The project proposes dumping treated effluent into the nearshore waters, which are critical lobster habitat within a Marine Refuge. The Environmental Assessment should therefore evaluate the risk of this proposed Undertaking to the Marine Refuge, so it is hugely important that this is laid out in the final version of the Terms of Reference.

Winter Flounder (credit Duane Raver, Jr.)

CPAWS-NS prepared a written submission during the public consultation period and we made it very clear that Marine Refuges must be considered within the Terms of Reference. The final version of the Terms of Reference was released by the Nova Scotia government on March 14th, and thankfully, it was modified to include the Marine Refuges. This is very important as it means that the potential impacts of the project on the Marine Refuges must now be considered by the Proponent and in the government’s decision on the Undertaking.

This is also a key step towards implementing minimum standards for marine protected areas. The government of Canada announced minimum standards to ensure strong protections for sensitive marine ecosystems back in 2019. These minimum standards provide a good foundation for protected areas by prohibiting the most harmful activities – bottom trawling, mining, oil and gas activity, and dumping – all of which are banned within new marine protected areas and on a case-by-case basis within Marine Refuges.

I’m very pleased to see dumping recognized and evaluated as a threat within a Marine Refuge. By addressing the threat of dumping, Marine Refuges can provide stronger protections for important marine life. So while there is still lots of work to be done here, it’s a step in the right direction for stronger protections.

Going forward, CPAWS-NS is going to continue to ramp up our conservation work within these Marine Refuges and we will be working to ensure that they are not negatively impacted by industrial activities, including dumping.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Reanne

Escaping the Winter Blues in Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes

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Winter hiking in Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes

One cold Sunday in January, I decided to go for a walk in Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes. I put on my warm layers, struggled to defog my windshield as I started my car, and eventually arrived at the park entrance near Maskwa Aquatic Club. I felt sluggish as I started down the icy path, bogged down by the weight of my to-do list for the afternoon.

It wasn’t until I reached Charlies Lake that my stream of thoughts finally slowed. As I looked out over the water, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and warmed my face. I closed my eyes, listening to the snow fall in clumps from the pine trees behind me. I felt my heart rate calm and my mind relax. I just breathed.

Nature has brought me comfort many times this winter and throughout the past two years. When I feel anxious, a walk or a run outside helps me regain perspective and become more resilient to the day’s challenges. Unsurprisingly, my experience is not unique.

Across the country, people have flocked to parks to cope with the stress of living through a global pandemic. A recent poll shows 37% of Canadians are spending more time in nature since March 2020. Even doctors have begun prescribing National Park passes to patients struggling with their physical and mental health (see article).

View of Charlies Lake

Nature has tremendous benefits for our well-being, but it’s not always easy to access. Here in Halifax, we are very fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful natural spaces, like Sackville River, Five Bridge Lakes, and Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Areas. It still surprises me that I can feel engulfed in a vast wilderness of forests, lakes, and wetlands only 15 minutes from my home on the peninsula.

But, even with parks nearby, many Haligonians are faced with difficulties in reaching the great outdoors. Most local wilderness areas can only be accessed by car, and few are located on public or active transportation routes. As a university student without a vehicle, I used to take the bus to Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes, but I could only ever explore the portion of the park closest to the bus stop.

It’s critical that we reduce accessibility barriers that prevent people from enjoying the benefits of nature. In the case of Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes, key land purchases are needed to improve public access and create a more welcoming experience for new visitors travelling by bus, bike, or car. Parks Canada’s recent announcement identifying Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes as a priority site for a National Urban Park presents exciting opportunities to enhance access to this local wilderness area.

On these cold and short winter days, nature provides a source of peace and solace that should be available to everybody. I am grateful for my winter escapes to Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes to ground myself in nature and remind myself of the importance of our work at CPAWS-NS to protect this stunning near-urban wilderness for all Nova Scotians.

Wishing you many outdoor adventures this winter! 

Caitlin

A year in marine conservation

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It’s been a year now since I joined the CPAWS Nova Scotia team, and I wanted to share with you some of the marine conservation highlights from my time here. I’ve been lucky to have some amazing experiences this past year, including working alongside community activists and exploring the Eastern Shore Islands by kayak. I’ve also witnessed remarkable progress on marine conservation in Canada. At a national level, we saw some important marine commitments:

  • In July 2020, the federal government announced that Canada joined the Global Ocean Alliance to advocate for a global target of 30% marine conservation by 2030, building on the previous target of 25% by 2025. This commitment was very much necessary – research has shown that we need to protect at least 30% of our ocean in order to reverse biodiversity loss and restore ocean health and abundance by 2050.
  • At the end of last year, Canada pledged to sustainably manage 100% of its oceans by 2050, alongside 13 other countries on the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. The panel recognizes ocean protection as a cornerstone in creating a sustainable blue economy, through reversing biodiversity loss and restoring ocean health.
  • The new Federal budget included $976.8 million for ocean conservation to create new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and reach Canada’s target of 25% marine protection by 2025.
Coral in the Fundian Channel – Browns Bank AOI. Photo: Anna Metaxas

It’s encouraging to see the federal government, alongside other global leaders, recognize the importance of marine conservation and commit to taking action. Now we must encourage them to follow through on these commitments. As Canada develops its own Blue Economy Strategy, CPAWS is pushing to prioritize ocean protection. It’s not too late to send a letter to the federal government and tell them why prioritizing ocean protection in the Blue Economy Strategy is important to you.

Given the recent announcements, I’m excited to see real progress in marine protection over the coming years, as we move towards the 25% by 2025 target. In Nova Scotia, that should include the designation of the Fundian Channel – Browns Bank Area of Interest (AOI), as an Oceans Act MPA. This is a significant area full of cold-water corals and habitat for species-at-risk. 

Looking to the rest of 2021 and beyond, here at CPAWS-NS we will continue to ensure that the government follows through with its commitments for ocean conservation, and advocate for the protection of ecologically important marine areas like the Fundian Channel – Brown’s Bank.

The ocean is under a lot of pressure, so it is important that we keep fighting to protect it and the marine life it supports.  

Happy World Ocean Day!

Reanne

My conservation journey (so far!)

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Hello! I am Unity. I am excited to join the CPAWS-NS team this summer as a Conservation Assistant. I am a fourth-year Biology and Neuroscience student at Dalhousie University and have a passion for protecting the environment and connecting communities to nature.

I was born and raised in Buduburam Refugee Camp in Accra, Ghana. My parents moved to Ghana in 1990 due to the civil war in their home country of Liberia. Growing up in the refugee camp, I often fell ill with malaria. My grandmother would go into the bright green wilderness, pick some plants that she would bring back to the house, boil them, and give me the water to drink. Shortly afterwards, I would begin to feel better. This was how I started to develop an interest in the environment. My family was very connected with nature. We grew a lot of the food we ate and tried to produce almost no food waste. I learned from a young age to appreciate nature because it provided the food, water, shelter, and medicine we needed to survive and thrive.

All my life, I’ve known I wanted to make a difference in this world and combine my love of nature with my desire to help people. I had the opportunity to work with the Society for Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) and help local communities strengthen their relationship with the forest. I helped SCNL  conduct site visits to collect data and assist in the communication with landowners, the government, and the local community. I remember my excitement and nervousness the first time I led a group of local youths and elders through the wilderness to show them the areas we should protect. We planted some trees and did a BioBlitz with the kids on the mountain to celebrate biodiversity studies. It was such a fulfilling experience to see the group understand the importance of protecting the environment and the benefits of conservation for their livelihoods. I felt like I made a difference and became more committed to working with communities to protect nature.

That’s why I’m very excited to spend the next 8 weeks with CPAWS-NS. Nova Scotia is very rich and diverse in terms of its land, sea, people, history, geology, geography, animals, wild plants, and ecology. Protecting these features is important for generations now and tomorrow and I’m looking forward to being a part of this work.

Stay tuned for more updates on my internship!

Unity

 

Diving into conservation!

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As one of the newest members of CPAWS-NS, I wanted to share with you one of my favourite parts about studying and working in marine conservation – diving! Over the past four years, I have been very fortunate to explore underwater sites in Nova Scotia, Mexico, and Bermuda, as both a scientific and a recreational diver, and I have seen firsthand how the diving community can play an important role in protecting our oceans. So, as we gear up for the summer, let’s talk about how recreational divers can help conservation and research efforts through marine citizen science.

What is marine citizen science?

Marine citizen science is the participation of volunteers in any kind of marine data collection, survey, and/or monitoring that will contribute information to a scientific project or database. Volunteers are members of the public that may or may not be scientists themselves. Specific training or expertise is usually not required, and resources will be available to help guide you.

Why is it important?

There are millions of recreational divers all over the world that are in the water all year round, spending hundreds of hours monitoring local sites. They are a wealth of knowledge about common species, sightings of rare or introduced species, and trends from year-to-year. Although some divers may not have extensive scientific training, that doesn’t mean that the data they collect isn’t useful. Citizen science programs have already contributed vital data to many studies, including projects that monitor Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

As members of the community, recreational divers not only contribute valuable information to ongoing projects, but also spread awareness and inspire more engagement with local conservation initiatives.

How can it benefit you?

As divers, we are already excited and curious about what lives under the surface. As a citizen scientist, you will be more likely to find and notice new things underwater as you learn more about different marine ecosystems and what species can be found there. This will make your diving experience much more fun and rewarding!

Check out these Marine Citizen Science Programs in Nova Scotia:

Monika conducting a REEF Volunteer Fish Survey at the Steak Reef dive site in Bermuda. Photo credit: Alec Leitman

Whether you are diving this summer, or roaming the beaches and trails, I hope you will join me in learning about and taking part in citizen science or other conservation programs in your area. I am thrilled to be on the conservation team this summer working on our marine campaigns!

-Monika

 

Lessons from Sackville River Wilderness Area

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My first ever campaign with CPAWS Nova Scotia was advocating for the protection of Sackville River Wilderness Area (SRWA). This soon-to-be-protected wilderness park has been my classroom in Upper Sackville for the past year and a half as I learn the basics of conservation.

I have always had a love for nature. I grew up in Chelsea, QC, with the Gatineau Park as my backyard. Much of my childhood was spent in the park biking or hiking on the trails, camping by a lake, or cross-country skiing to a cabin. When I left for university, it was an easy choice to study Sustainability & Biology and deepen my understanding of the value of nature.

After my degree, I was eager to apply my knowledge and help protect natural places like the ones I had explored growing up. SRWA has been a crash course in the practical skills it takes to actually create a park. While there are no traditional lectures or tests, the forests, waterways, and nearby community have taught me important lessons that I can bring forward in my conservation work. Here are a few of my main takeaways:

            Local knowledge is key

One of the best parts of the SRWA campaign has been fieldwork. I spent many days with the CPAWS-NS team assessing ecological features in the wilderness area and every trip expanded my knowledge of the significance of this site. I gradually began to see the hollowed tree in the park as a home for an owl, and the rocks that form pools in the stream as a quiet place for fish to rest and spawn. SRWA is where I learned to fly a drone and first experienced the thrill of rising above the treetops to capture a bird’s-eye view of the park. Not only have I developed a deeper appreciation for Nova Scotia’s unique wilderness during fieldwork in SRWA, but I have learned the importance of becoming familiar with the lands and waters I’m trying to protect. This local knowledge strengthens conservation campaigns and helps achieve positive outcomes for nature.

            Parks are for people too

Working on SRWA has shown me that conservation is not only about protecting ecosystems, it’s also about listening to local concerns and ensuring that local communities have access to nature. I was lucky enough to collaborate with the Sackville Rivers Association (SRA) throughout this campaign. SRA is a charity run by inspiring volunteers, like President Walter Regan, who dedicate their time to protecting the Sackville River watershed. I learned a lot from SRA about the history of the Sackville River, and the significance of this new park for the watershed. Through their network, I met many other members of the Greater Sackville community and witnessed the strong support for improved nature access and recreation. Community support is vital for the success of any park, and the people of Greater Sackville are ready to celebrate the protection of theirs.

Map of proposed boundary additions at SRWA

            Boundaries can change

Over the past year and a half, the CPAWS-NS team has extensively explored SRWA and surrounding public lands through our fieldwork. What seemed strange to me was that many ecosystems we surveyed were split by the proposed park boundary. We found waterways, wetlands, and forests that were only half included within the wilderness park despite being 100% on public lands. This means that the part of the ecosystem within the park boundary will receive legal protection, while the part outside the boundary remains at risk of being clearcut or developed. That doesn’t make any sense. Nature did not create these hard boundaries, people did. The current boundary of SRWA should be expanded to include adjacent public lands and ensure that whole ecosystems can be protected, not just parts of them.

Take action

Please help us protect SRWA! There is currently a public consultation underway until April 13th. This is the last opportunity to show your support for SRWA and tell the Nova Scotia government you want to see the park boundary made bigger. CPAWS-NS has set up an action page to help with letter submissions, you can visit it at: https://action.cpaws.org/page/78954/action/1.

SRWA has been the perfect place for my introduction to conservation campaigning. I learned so much from trekking through the wilderness and connecting with SRA and the Greater Sackville community. I can’t wait to see this wilderness park finally protected, and take the lessons I have learned in SRWA on to future campaigns to protect more of Nova Scotia’s natural areas.

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