Peters Lake on an October morning, a beautiful spot to canoe or kayak. Photo: Alan Warner.
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By Alan Warner
CONTENTS
– Introduction
– Why Protect the Chain Lakes?
– Building Support for the Proposal
– Whatʼs Next?
– Stay up to date on the Chain Lakes campaign
– Notes
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*Post reproduced, with permission, from “Protecting a Special Place — The Chain Lakes Wilderness Area” by Alan Warner in Beyond the Tides (Blomidon Naturalists Society) Spring 2024 Vol. 51, No.2, pp 20-23. Alan Warner is Professor Emeritus, Department of Community Development, Acadia University
Introduction
“Thatʼs the biggest tree I have ever seen in Nova Scotia!” Those were the first words out of Valerie Campbellʼs mouth as she approached a giant yellow birch not too far from the shores of Upper Gully Lake in southwest Kings County on a sunny day in early April. The tree is one of many within the 12,000-hectare area that the Blomidon Naturalists have proposed to the Nova Scotia government for wilderness protection.
A short time later, Valerie and five other Acadia community development students, their professor, and I, emerged from the deep forest into an enormous clearcut, not more than a few hundred metres away. The contrast was stark as we easily traversed the open clear cut, which was dotted with small balsam r and patches of juvenile white birch.
We were surveying the area for future field trips as part of their three-week spring project to help plan a public education campaign for protection of the proposed Chain Lakes Wilderness Area. Here is an update of why we have launched this campaign, how we hope it can make a difference, and how you can help.
Why Protect the Chain Lakes?
Alain Beliveau and James Churchill, local biologists and BNS (Blomidon Naturalists Society) members, spent a number of weeks over a couple of years surveying the area for biodiversity and endangered species.[1]
Quinn Woolven and Della Alderson hugging a giant yellow birch near upper Gully Lake in the proposed Chain Lakes Wilderness Area. Photo: Alan Warner.
Despite the extensive clear-cutting over time in this area of Kings County, they found areas of older growth forests, and were delighted to find lots of intriguing and rare species: Canada Warbler, olive-sided ycatchers, wisqoq (black ash), and endangered lichens, to name a few. They spotted snapping turtle nests, foraging chimneys swifts and nighthawks, and even the elusive rusty blackbird. There are pockets of old growth, forests that are older than 80 years, beautiful lakes, and pristine still waters and wetlands. This is a key reason why the Blomidon Naturalists have proposed protecting a large part of this area.
There are many other reasons to protect this area now. First, while the province has a goal of protecting 20% of its lands by 2030, less than five percent of Kings County is protected compared to a current level of 13.5% province wide. This area is the only large block of publicly owned and undeveloped land in the County. It also offers great recreation and tourism potential for wildlife observation, hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, and is already frequently used for hunting, fishing, trapping, and by off-road vehicles.
Unfortunately, the cutting over the past 20 years has devastated much of the landscape (see the map below), and now Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (DNRR) is proposing new areas to cut this spring within the proposed wilderness area.
DNRR states that they are shifting to “ecological forestry,” but there is little indication on the ground.[2] Unless protection comes quickly, and there is a pause on cutting in the meantime, much more will be lost.
Building Support for the Proposal
Google Map image of southwest Kings County showing the proposed Chain Lakes Wilderness Area shaded in yellow. The orange area is zoned for wind power development by Kings County.
A Blomidon Naturalist committee to protect the area was formed in spring 2023 and we submitted our first proposal to the Minister of Environment last June. We heard little beyond that it would be referred to the Protected Areas branch.
We updated the proposal in fall and presented it to Kings County Council, who have written a letter of support. We met with Chris Palmer, the MLA for the area, who expressed support for protected areas in general, but wants to see support from his constituents for this area. Keith Irving, another Kings MLA, supports the proposal.
In February, we were finally able to meet with officials in the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources and Renewables. They were positive about the proposal and felt that it met the criteria for the selection process for new protected areas. They indicated this process would take time, and that public support for the proposal would be a big asset.
Public Land areas that have been cut since 2004 in the Chain Lakes region. e blue-green border outlines the proposed protected area. e yellow outlines show cuts since 2016. e red outlines are cuts between 2004 and 2016, and the orange outlines are cuts that were only partial. is map was compiled using the Public Lands data and Harvest Plan Archives from NS DNRR. Older cuts were determined visually from satellite images on Google Earth Pro. Map: Larry bogan & Cathy Vey.
They also noted that there was an interim target to reach 15% of land protected by 2026. Could the Chain Lakes be in the first batch of new protected areas? Time is short and we need to demonstrate support for the proposal.
Letʼs step back and carefully look at where it is (see map above) since most people have not been there—because it is an undeveloped area that has largely been the fiefdom of large-scale forestry operations.
Unfortunately, the western section of the proposed area is oddly shaped due to Kings County having zoned a significant area for wind farm development under their municipal plan. They indicate they are unable to support anything that contradicts the plan, and it would be a multi-year, complicated process to change it. The potential of suitable wind for windmills in the zone requires further study, and possibly there is room for adjusting boundaries in the future if wind development does not go ahead or is shifted one way or the other. Their support is important to making the proposal a reality.
We also need support from other towns. Port Williams has supported it and we need to approach others. We need broad public support from diverse constituencies. This area is used by hunters, shers, trappers, and ATV and snowmobile users, and these activities can continue in a protected area. New off road vehicle trails cannot be created, but existing trails can be grandparented in at the outset. We strongly recommend that this occur and are meeting with these groups to encourage them to engage in and support the process to assure their own continued use and the protection of the area. We have had a positive reception from multiple groups and two have written support letters to date. There are lots more groups that need to know about the proposal.
Whatʼs Next?
The Community Development students have designed the social media campaign for Facebook and Instagram to reach new demographics beyond the Blomidon Naturalists. The new Chain Lakes logo highlights the pine marten, a rare creature that needs old forests to survive, and has been spotted in the area.
Please watch for the posts and share them broadly to reach folks who might not be a affiliated with the BNS. A petition and post card campaign has been launched to show politicians that there is public support for the proposal.
There is lots of room for volunteers to help get the message out. For example, you can email Ministers Rushton (Natural Resources, mindnr@novascotia.ca) and Halman (Environment, minister.environment@novascotia.ca) to indicate your support.
We have identifued three locales for area field trips, and one is a short, easy walk that most people can do on their own. Stay tuned for more information on these opportunities. There is also an iNaturalist group where people can post naturalist observations from the area. They are valuable as evidence for protection for the Nova Scotia government.
Another important aspect of the initiative has been connecting with Chris and Anna Hutchinson, who own Hutchinson Maple Syrup, a large, organic, commercial maple syrup business on leased public land, which borders on the protected area. They are very supportive of protection, and we support the expansion of their sugar bush on the edges of the protected area. Our aims are synonymous: to protect and restore old forests and the biodiversity within them. Although an organic, maple syrup operation is not allowed within a protected area, it is a sustainable use of land which provides a range of benefits for creatures and people. We are planning a field trip to learn about their sugarbush in June.
Our education work is only limited by our creativity and time. We hope you will support the efforts one way or another. There is nothing more important than restoring biodiversity while helping people to appreciate, understand and connect with local natural places. Protected areas do all these things.
Stay up to date on the Chain Lakes campaign
Stay up to date on the Chain Lakes campaign through Facebook and Instagram, the BNS website. And we invite you join the Blomidon Naturalists Society and participate in our discussions, field trips and much more!
Notes
1. See the article by Alain Beliveau in the Spring 2023 issue (https:// blomidonnaturalists.ca/beyond-the-tides) and videos of his two public talks on the area at blomidonnaturalists.ca/protect-the-chain-lakes- wilderness-area/
2. See the article by Nina Newington in the Winter 2024 issue of Beyond the Tides. https://blomidonnaturalists.ca/beyond-the-tides/