Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia – Yesterday, the Nova Scotia government announced the protection of 9,300 hectares of public land along with $20 million in funding to help preserve natural spaces in the province through the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust. The Ecology Action Centre is delighted by the announcement, what it sees as the Houston government's first concrete move toward fulfilling its commitment to protect 20 per cent of N.S. lands and water by 2030.
“Today’s announcement is very welcome news,” says Raymond Plourde, senior wilderness coordinator with the EAC. “Thirteen per cent is a big milestone, and we want to congratulate the provincial government for protecting unique and critical ecosystems like Sackville River, Economy River, Portapique River, Medway Lakes and Wentworth Valley.”
Plourde says that although this is a big win for nature in Nova Scotia, the work to achieve 20 per cent is far from done.
“This is exactly the kind of environmental legacy the government ought to be striving for and we encourage more such announcements in the near future,” says Plourde. “We also look forward to working with the government in the new year on a new process to identify and protect more Crown lands in order to reach our provincial protection target.”
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Raymond Plourde
Senior Wilderness Coordinator
wilderness@ecologyaction.ca