Forested land in Pleasant River will be protected from development. (Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust)

About 200 hectares (500 acres) of ecologically significant forest in North Queens will be protected from development by the Nova Scotia Working Woodlands Trust.

The property in Pleasant River is the first one bought by the trust. The acquisition represents about 12.5 per cent of the organization’s goal to protect 4,000 acres by this spring.

Mary Jane Rodger is the executive director of the trust.

“This is a really exciting step for us, obviously, because it’s the first property we’ve ever purchased,” Mary Jane Rodger, the trust’s executive director, told QCCR, “but then also because of some of the unique habitat features and species at risk that exist in North Queens.”

Rodger says the Pleasant River property is a mixed-wood forest that’s about 35 years old. The trust will keep about 100 acres of it wild, while using the remaining land as a demonstration woodlot to help teach sustainable forestry practices.

“Our organization really has the capacity to help this property achieve its full ecological as well as economic potential. Within our model, we’re heavily vested in the working forest aspect as well as the kind of more traditional conservation aspect. So a portion of this property will be permanently protected.

She said the organizaiton will be “showing woodlot owners different ways to steward their lands or manage their woodlot in a way that you get to cut down trees, but still leave most of them standing and hopefully still be economically profitable.”

The property is also significant because it helps the trust get closer to its goal of accessing the carbon offsets market. That will help raise money to cover the long-term costs of protecting and preserving the forest. 

“Land conservation in itself is an expensive endeavor. You have to send someone out to a woodlot every year to make sure there’s no cutting over boundary lines or invasive species or impacts from climate change. So we need to make sure that as an organization, we have the stability to continue to operate into the future because the nature of what we do is very, very long-term.”

The trust bought the property from Neil Emenau for about $300,000. It partnered with the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute, with funding from Parks Canada and the Southwest Nova Biosphere Region.

The Pleasant River plot is next to the 3,000-hectare (7,400-acre) Pu’tlaqne’katik (“shaving lake” or “shingle lake”) Wilderness Area, which is protected by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.

The woodlands trust says the acquisition enhances an important conservation corridor around Kejimkujik National Park, which will help foster ecological diversity and strengthen wildlife habitat. The land will be protected from development and conventional clearcutting.

“We see so many lakes and rivers, in Queens County and in Lunenburg County get subdivided and you lose a lot of that ecological integrity when people clear their land all the way to the lake. Another key component of this property is there’s quite a significant river frontage along Pleasant River that will remain forested forever.”

And it will still be accessible to the public.

“So we’re hoping that we can encourage folks to access the property for hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, whatever it might be. I know the ATV community does use it as a thoroughfare as well, which we’d be happy to work with them to continue that access.”

Rodger says the trust hopes to get its charitable status this year, so that it will be more attractive for landowners to sell their properties.

Email: rickcconradqccr@gmail.com

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RCMP have charged two men in after a break-and-enter in Pleasant River. (Vlad Vasnetsov via Pixabay)

Two men are facing multiple charges after a break-in at a home in Pleasant River on May 31.

Queens District RCMP say they’ve charged Devon Matthew James Kanne, 34, of Danesville, with breaking and entering and committing. He has been released on conditions and will appear in Bridgewater provincial court on Aug. 13.

Michael Gerald Wentzell, 32, of Italy Cross, is charged with:

• Breaking and entering with intent
• Uttering threats against a person
• Assault with a weapon
• Possession of property obtained by crime less than or equal to $5,000
• Three counts of failure to comply with probation order (three counts)
• Two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon knowing its possession is unauthorized 
• Two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon for dangerous purpose

Wentzell appeared in Bridgewater provincial court on June 2 and was released on conditions. He’s scheduled to be back in court on June 25.

Police say they responded to a break-and-enter at a home on Old Chelsea Road at about 8 p.m. on May 31. They were told a man broke into the home wielding a knife.

The homeowner confronted the man, who threatened the owner. The homeowner then left the residence and called police.

The suspect fled the scene in an SUV driven by another man.

About 45 minutes later, Lunenburg District RCMP stopped the vehicle in Hebbville. The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, was arrested.

The other man alleged to have broken into the home was found walking along Hwy. 208 near Crouse Road and arrested at about 9:30 p.m. by Queens District RCMP. 

RCMP say they recovered the stolen property and nobody was injured.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

A man from the Halifax area is dead after a crash in Pleasant River, Queens Co., on Friday. (RCMP)

A 44-year-old man from the Halifax region died on Friday after his vehicle left the road on Hwy. 208 in Pleasant River, Queens Co.

Queens District RCMP, fire and other emergency crews found a Mercedes Sprinter van in the ditch around the 4200 block of Hwy. 208.

The man was the lone occupant in the van. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The road was closed for several hours, but has reopened. RCMP continue to investigate, with a help of a collision reconstructionist.

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.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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