The Department of Natural Resources is interested in increasing the Crown land base and purchasing privately owned lands for conservation and other purposes, but can only do so if budget dollars are available.
The Department of Natural Resources maintains a portfolio of land parcels which the province would like to buy to complement the values of the programs administered by Natural Resources and Nova Scotia Environment. For example, the department is interested in buying land that supports natural resource management goals or furthers biodiversity and conservation values. Old growth forests, wetlands, coastal property, beaches, and wildlife or plant habitat for endangered or rare species are all high priorities. Only those parcels that support departmental values are added to the portfolio of potential purchases. They are prioritized for purchase based on these values.
Anyone interested in selling land to the Department of Natural Resources should write to the Land Services Branch, Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 698, Halifax, NS, B3J 2T9. The letter should include the Parcel Identification Number (PID) or assessment account number (AAN), which can be obtained through the local land registration office or from your tax bill, and outline any of the department’s values which are unique to the parcel.
All land being offered to the province for purchase is reviewed by the department to ensure that the land will support and enhance departmental programs and values. This assessment is called an integrated resource management review.
Even if a parcel is considered valuable and is added to the land acquisition portfolio, it does not guarantee that the province will buy the land. All land purchases are limited based on available funding. Property owners interested in selling their land to the Department of Natural Resources must be prepared to wait until funding is available for the purchase of their land. This may take years, or may happen quickly, depending on funding circumstances. The Department pays fair market value for land as determined by an appraiser holding an Accredited Appraiser Canadian Institute designation.
Sometimes the Department receives short notice of available funding and must be able to buy land quickly. In order to be in a position to sell land to the Province on short notice, property owners should ensure that their lands have been migrated into the land registration system.
All applications to sell land to the Province are subject to approval by the Minister or Cabinet.