Photo Ed Halverson

If the idea of walking through the woods and exploring an area of the province you may have never seen while getting your hands dirty to protect the environment sounds like your idea of fun, then mark Saturday on your calendar.

An invasive plant removal event is being held at Pleasant River.

Hosted by Treasured Wetlands of Nova Scotia, the event is a partnership between the province and Ducks Unlimited Canada.

Conservation Program Specialist with Ducks Unlimited Canada Izzy Clarke says the Pleasant River site was nominated by the Mersey Tobiatic Research Institute to help protect species at risk. Not identifying which species is at risk is best practice according to Clarke who says humans are often the biggest threat.

Clarke says that’s not the only reason they chose Pleasant River.

“It also is really special because it has these gigantic red maples,” said Clarke. “Red maples are a very common species you find them all over the place but it’s very uncommon to find ones that are as large and as old as these so it’s quite special.”

The chance to work alongside multiple agencies protecting and conserving wilderness areas also made the site an obvious choice.

“It was also a good opportunity to partner with several different organizations because the Nova Scotia Nature Trust owns part of this land so it’s a great opportunity to highlight different conservation measures that are being applied to our wetlands across the province,” said Clarke.

Anyone wishing to participate is advised to dress accordingly. Clarke suggests wearing long shirts and pants and closed toe shoes. Work gloves, tools such as shovels or pruners, and some tick spray are also good to bring along.

Clarke says after an orientation volunteers will be working to remove glossy buckthorn.

According to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, “glossy buckthorn is a non-native tree that was introduced to Canada from Eurasia approximately 100 years ago. It can grow as tall as seven metres.”

Clarke says as glossy buckthorn grows; it chokes out native plant species.

The Pleasant River invasive plant removal is the first of four such events Treasured Wetlands of Nova Scotia will be hosting this summer.

Clarke says each location has something special to offer and they hope events like these will encourage more people to learn about the diverse areas around the province.

“A lot of these wetlands are kind of like hidden treasures to everybody outside of the immediate community that that they’re in, and that’s definitely part of the intention of this program, is to draw attention to them and invite people out to them and kind of invite people to be curious about these really special and unique ecosystems,” said Clarke.

People wishing to participate in Saturday’s Pleasant River event can join either the 10am-noon or the 1:00pm to 3:00pm sessions.

Registration is not necessary, just show up at the Pleasant River Community Hall.

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Melissa Labrador and her father Todd look on as her daughter Nakuset performs. Photo credit: Ed Halverson

A change in protected status for two wilderness areas in Queens will come with a change in name.

The province has announced 1,257 hectares (ha) of woodlands and lakeshore at McGowan Lake, in Queens and Annapolis counties, within the Medway River watershed will be protected and renamed Katewe’katik, (pronounced GAH-du-weg-a-dig) which means “place of the eels”.

Located in the interior of Western Nova Scotia, Pu’tlaqne’katik (pronounced BOOD-lagk-neg-a-dig) protects three unconnected parcels of land in the Pleasant River watershed totalling around 3,000 hectares. It includes Shingle Lake and Pleasant River along with many waterways used by the Mi’kmaq for centuries.

Indigenous guardian Melissa Labrador who lives in the nearby Wildcat First Nation said protecting these lands is significant for the Mi’kmaq.

“The land defines who we are as Mi’kmaq people. We’re surrounded by ocean, we have the amazing, what they refer to as the Acadian forest, what I refer to as the Mi’kmaq forest, all this plays an important role on who we are as a Mi’kmaq people because it shapes us and it shaped our people through history,” said Labrador.

The government of Nova Scotia has committed to protecting 13 percent of land in the province. Those lands include Nova Scotia’s existing 74 wilderness areas, 92 nature reserves and the 11 provincial parks. This announcement brings the total protected land to 12.83 percent.

This protection was made possible with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada through the Canada Nature Fund, contributions by private landowners, the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Nova Scotia Nature Trust in consultation with the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs and the public.

Now that the protected designation is in place, Labrador is relieved the type of activities permitted to take place on the land is severely limited.

“It can’t be staked for mining. It won’t suddenly appear on a forest harvest plan. A road won’t be punched through them. Cottages won’t suddenly appear on places that may have gravesites. And obviously a golf course isn’t going to, you know like things happened in Owl’s Head. So they’re protected,”” said Labrador.

She said protecting these areas close to her home allows her to pass on and safeguard the history of her people.

“Because of the designation of protection I’m able to tell more stories about the petroglyph sites that are located there, share more about those and so on,” said Labrador. “There’s always a risk of people doing damage to the area but there are things in place now to protect that.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson