LOWER SACKVILLE: The Sackville Rivers Association (SRA) is overjoyed at the announcement by the Nova Scotia government that Sackville River Wilderness Area will soon receive a protected area designation.
“This is absolutely wonderful news”, says Walter Regan, President of SRA. “We are thrilled to know that these ecologically significant lands will forever be protected for the community to enjoy. These lands are critically important for maintaining the health of the Sackville River.”
“This new park will protect around 1,700 acres of forest, and habitat for the Wild Atlantic Salmon in one of the fastest growing areas of Nova Scotia”, adds Regan.
This new wilderness park borders the Sackville and the Shubenacadie watersheds. The Sackville River crosses the southern portion of the park, which contains wetlands and riparian zones that help maintain a healthy river. These ecosystems can offer services such as water purification, groundwater recharge and runoff control to improve habitat for species living in the Sackville River.
Public consultations will begin shortly. It’s crucial for people to write in and support this new protected area.
For the past year, SRA has been running a campaign called “It’s Our Turn”, to encourage the Nova Scotia government to officially protect the public lands at Sackville River – Lewis Lake. This campaign acknowledges that the site has been promised for protection since 2013, but was always overlooked by the Nova Scotia government in favour of other sites.
“I want to thank the Minister of Environment directly,” says Regan. “He promised to get these lands into the next announcement and that’s exactly what he did. Thank you Minister Wilson”.
Sackville River – Lewis Lake was announced as one of 20 new protected areas in Nova Scotia. It contains important natural ecosystems, including intact forests, wetlands, rivers, and habitat for Atlantic salmon and wood turtles. This site is also important for connectivity and is a key linkage in the Halifax Greenbelt.
As one of the last remaining patches of intact wilderness in the area, the new park acts as a corridor for local wildlife to find food, habitat and passage to the nearby Pockwock and Waverly Salmon River – Long Lake Wilderness Areas.
“Sackville River – Lewis Lake is a great place for people in our community to go out and enjoy nature,” says Walter Regan. “We can go walking, biking, swimming, fishing, and just appreciate our own backyard.”
SRA would like to thank our partner, the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS), for working with us to protect these important lands.