Nature Reserves

Panuke Lake Nature Reserve

On September 25, 2007, the Minister of Environment and Labour, in cooperation with the minister of Natural Resources, announced that Nova Scotia’s newest Nature Reserve had been officially approved by the province. Crown lands within the Blandford Game Sanctuary, Lunenburg County, are now known as the Blandford Nature Reserve. The announcement of the upcoming designation was made on May 11, 2007.

Blandford Nature Reserve Information Sheet (PDF: ! File not found)

In July 2006, four new nature reserves were established, and a fifth expanded. These designations resulted from creative partnerships with private land owners, non-government groups, and corporate and government partners.

The new nature reserves are located at:

Read the department's news release.

Download a map (PDF: 3mb) showing the location of the new reserves.

Nature Reserves are areas selected to preserve and protect, in perpetuity, representative (typical) and special natural ecosystems, plant and animal species, features and natural processes. Scientific research and education are the primary uses of Nature Reserves and recreation is generally restricted.

Nature Reserves are established to:

Nova Scotia currently has 11 designated Nature Reserves, which are protected under the Special Places Protection Act .

History

The first ecological (or nature) reserves grew out of efforts associated with the International Biological Program (IBP), conducted in 58 countries from 1964 to 1974. These efforts aimed to identify and preserve representative examples of the world's ecosystems for present and future biological research and education, for preservation of species, their genes, and habitats, and as benchmarks for comparison with ecosystems managed by humans (Peterson, 1974).

In Nova Scotia, the IBP research team identified sixty-nine sites, consisting primarily of fragile, relatively undisturbed ecosystems such as relict old-growth forest, sand dunes, river floodplains, coastal islands, lakeshores, and estuaries. The final report called for ecological reserves legislation to be enacted by each province (IBP-CT, 1974).

In 1981, the province proclaimed the Special Places Protection Act, which provided for the designation of "ecological sites". The Special Places Program was assigned to the Department of Education (Nova Scotia Museum), and over the period 1981-1994, additional sites of ecological significance were identified and seven ecological sites (known as "nature reserves") were designated under the Act, including two on private lands, with landowner permission.

In 1994, responsibility for protected areas, including nature reserves, was transferred to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Work continued towards the identification of new sites of ecological significance and the designation of additional nature reserves, and in 1998, responsibility for protected areas moved to the Department of the Environment (now Environment and Labour).

Find a Nature Reserve

Nature Reserves: Frequently Asked Questions

References:

Canadian Committee for the International Biological Programme - Conservation of Terrestrial Communities Subcommittee (IBP-CT). 1974. Ecological Reserves in the Maritimes - Terminal Report of the Scientific Advisory Panel, Region 7: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island.

Peterson, E.B. 1974. A National System of Ecological Reserves for Canada. Report prepared under contract from the Canadian Committee for the International Biological Programme - Conservation of Terrestrial Communities Subcommittee (IBP-CT). Western Ecological Services, Edmonton, AB.

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Last Updated: 2006-Jul-21
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