12 Percent - Parks and Protected Areas System Plan Consultation

West Mabou Beach Provincial Park

County

Inverness

Size

275.26 ha

Classification

Natural Environment

Status

Designated; Operational (Man. Agreement)

Location N.S. Atlas:

12  V 4

Managed As

Core Park

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Overview

Large coastal property on Northumberland Strait with beautiful sand beach and important conservation values

Protection Values

Contributes to Province’s goal of protecting 12% of its land base by 2015; unique dune field; one species of bird found at the park is listed as critically imperilled and another two species vulnerable to extirpation or extinction.  In addition, two species of vascular plants were listed as imperilled and one species as vulnerable to extirpation or extinction.

Education Values

Range of local and regional themes including landforms, dune ecology, coastal processes, wildlife

Tourism Values

Important in regional tourism infrastructure; just off Ceilidh Trail; one of the region’s nicest beaches, significant tourist attraction; one of few high quality public beaches on west coast of Cape Breton

Outdoor Recreation Values

Front country hiking and walking trails, high quality beach, opportunities for picnicking, cross-country skiing, birding

Annual Visitation

Unknown

Operating Cost

Other Site Considerations

Vandalism and unauthorized activities on beach and dunes

Federally owned breakwater located at the end of the beach

Adjacent aquaculture leases border property.

Susceptible to coastal processes (storm events with high tide surge or wind driven waves) that cause site erosion