Eastern Shore Islands Wilderness Area protects more than 400 large and small provincially owned islands along 75 km of the Eastern Shore, between Clam Harbour and Marie Joseph.

This archipelago of coastal islands includes numerous beaches, spits, headlands, rocky shores saltmarshes, estuarine flats, coastal barrens, and coastal spruce/fir forests. The islands support colonies of nesting seabirds and staging and feeding areas for waterfowl.

Wilderness area designation recognizes the importance of the islands for both conservation and recreation.

This is a destination for sea kayaking, sailing, boating, coastal hiking, camping, and other activities like seabird hunting.

Protection of the provincially owned islands complements the “100 Wild Islands Legacy Campaign” land acquisition project launched by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust (NSNT) in 2014 to acquire privately owned islands within this archipelago.

Many of the provincially owned islands in the eastern portion of the archipelago are part of the Eastern Shore Wildlife Management Area. The Department of Environment and Climate Change (responsible for the wilderness area) and the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (responsible for the wildlife management area) intend to work together, in consultation with Nova Scotians, to determine appropriate management of the islands.

Originally designated in 2015, a 96 ha parcel on Gerard Island was added to Eastern Shore Islands Wilderness Area in 2022.