Ecology Action Centre applauds protected areas announcement

Photo: Nova Scotia Environment

K’JIPUKTUK (HALIFAX) - Nova Scotia is taking a significant step in the fight to combat climate change and biodiversity loss.  Today, the province announced more than 14,000 hectares of new and expanded Provincial Parks, Wilderness Areas and Nature Reserves. The newly protected lands span 27 important sites across the province.  

Raymond Plourde, Senior Wilderness Coordinator at the Ecology Action Centre, applauds today’s announcement. 

“This is wonderful news,” Plourde says, “We’ve seen staggering declines in plant and wildlife populations around the world, including here at home. It’s encouraging to see the province take steps to stem the tide in Nova Scotia.” 

Plourde is particularly pleased that St. Mary’s River, Holden Lake and Cape Mabou are among the newly announced group of protected areas. "These special nature spaces have been at the top of our list of priority areas for protection,” Plourde says. 

The province has long promised to protect at least 13 per cent of land in Nova Scotia. The commitment was part of the 2013 Parks & Protected Areas Plan. The EAC has been pushing the province to uphold this plan for years.  

Today’s announcement will bring total land protection in Nova Scotia to 12.7%  

According to a recent UN report on global biodiversity, more than one million species are at risk of extinction in our lifetime, and the trends that have pushed them to the brink continue. 

"Habitat loss is the number one driver of species loss. We must do more to protect the living biosphere and our precious little piece of the planet,” Plourde says.  

Plourde is urging the province to continue this important work and redouble efforts to protect land in Nova Scotia.  

“We welcome these important additions to the Protected Areas Network in Nova Scotia and encourage government to add the remaining areas from the Parks and Protected Areas plan soon.”   

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