The Province undertook additional consultation on concept plans for both the pending South Panuke and Holden Lake wilderness areas before these Crown lands are legally protected.

The South Panuke area was selected for wilderness area designation because of its special ecological and recreation values. Some key considerations in selecting this area for protection include:

• Best opportunity to maintain a natural, forested connection between central and western mainland Nova Scotia.
• Large, intact patches of productive, mature and old forest
• Improves representation of South Mountain Rolling Plain nature landscape in Nova Scotia’s protected areas network
• Important aquatic habitats, including lakes and several km of East River
• Habitat for endangered mainland Moose, landbirds at risk and American Marten
• Popular location for wilderness recreation in a county that has little protected land

The Holden Lake area was also selected for wilderness area designation because of its special ecological and recreation values. Some key considerations in selecting this area for protection include:

• Large remaining natural area at Holden Lake; includes part of Gold River
• Well drained productive forest, with no recent disturbance
• Patches of old White Pine, Eastern Hemlock and Red Oak
• Improves representation of the LaHave Drumlins and South Mountain Rolling Plain natural landscapes in Nova Scotia’s protected areas network
• Habitat for the endangered mainland Moose, the rare Fisher, and landbirds at risk, including Barn Swallow, Rusty Blackbird
• Excellent wilderness recreation opportunities in a county that has little protected land

Public Information Session

Nova Scotia Environment (NSE) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff hosted a public information sharing session on both the South Panuke and Holden Lake pending wilderness areas.

• Date: March 26th, 2015
• Time: 6:30 PM
• Location: Royal Canadian Legion Branch 88, #25 Highway 12, Chester Basin
• Public Notice

At this session, NSE staff presented on the planning process to-date, ecological features, management issues and concerns, and a concept plan for these areas. Once the presentation was complete, staff answered questions, and recorded input from the public on the concept plans. Participants viewed maps, talked to staff, and wrote down their comments on the maps and comment forms.

NSE staff will consolidate information gathered at the public information sharing session, and will use this information to finalize the concept plans before these areas are legally protected and to support future management planning.

Comments Online

An online survey is being conducted to gather information from people who may not be able to make the session. Please visit: http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/ns-protected-areas/southpanuke-holdenlakependingwa-information/

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact Helen Smith, Consultation and Outreach Coordinator, at 902-497-2651 or helen.smith@novascotia.ca