Navigation: This page is a subpage of The Camps, a top-level page on the blog/website Nova Scotia Forest Matters (nsforestmatters.ca)
Intro: “Camp N.O.W. – Need Our Wilderness – was set up on November 30th on Crown land in the proposed Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area in Annapolis County by Save Our Old Forests’ president Nina Newington and others who have been working to get the area permanently protected since 2022.
Camp NOW is protesting the government’s failure to protect the Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area or any other new Wilderness Areas on public lands. Progress towards protecting 20% of Nova Scotia’s lands and waters by 2030 has been miniscule, less than half a percent since the commitment was included in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act in 2021. Instead, DNR is approving logging in citizen-proposed Wilderness Areas including Goldsmith Lake, Beals Brook, Ingram River and Chain Lakes. Read more
 Listen to interview with Nina Newington on Todd Veinot Show, Dec 9, 2025. Todd V asks: Explain the theory behind this camp? Why are Old Growth forests important? Whats the difference between an Old Growth forest and an old forest? Regarding carbon capture, whats the difference between a 30 year old forest and an old forest? Can there be a balance between those that want to log and those that want to protect? The government changed laws on these kind of protests this year – any concern that they might come and shut you down? What would get you out of out of the tent tomorrow? On the last question Nina replies “Well if the government said yes we’re gonna get Environment to do the formal review of Goldsmith Lake Wilderness area so that we’re working towards protecting it and in the meantime will put a freeze on the harvests we have planned for this area that would do it…” |
POSTS FROM CAMP NOW
Most recent at top.
These posts are copies of the original posts on Friends of Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area (Public Facebook Group)
Nina Newington
Camp NOW – Day 6
Fun to have visitors to camp, bringing news of otters — four of them crossing the road on the way in!
I keep thinking about all the wildlife displaced by the Long Lake fire. The fire came right up to the southeast corner of the proposed Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area. The fire burned 85 square kilometers. The proposed Wilderness Area covers 40 square km. Wildlife need refuge more than ever. Why can’t the government just protect this area?
Donna Crossland spoke so well about this in yesterday’s CBC interview. Protecting the area helps people as well as animals, especially the people who are now living in a blackened landscape. The green shade of an old forest is soothing, healing.
To listen to the interview or read a rough transcript, check out https://nsforestmatters.ca/in-the-news-top/in-the-news-climate-change/rough-transcript-of-what-do-forest-protections-look-like-now
Dec 4, 2025
Nina Newington
Camp N.O.W. – Need Our Wilderness – is up and running on the Corbett Peninsula in Annapolis County, the same part of the proposed Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area where Lichen Camp was set up in April.
But Camp NOW is different. We are here to protest this government’s failure to protect the Goldsmith Lake Wilderness Area or any other new Wilderness Areas on public lands. Progress towards protecting 20% of Nova Scotia’s lands and waters by 2030 has been miniscule, less than half a percent since the 20% commitment was included in the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act in 2021. Instead, DNR is approving logging in citizen-proposed Wilderness Areas including Goldsmith Lake, Beals Brook, Ingram River and Chain Lakes.
“Camp NOW occupies the exact same spot as this year’s Lichen Camp”. Photo from the Lichen Camp,
A couple of weeks ago, citizen scientists discovered new flagging around the largest cutblock on the Corbett peninsula. With recognized Pine Marten habitat, three stands of old growth forest, and 12 confirmed species at risk occurrences, the peninsula’s high conservation value is well-established. It more than meets all the government’s own criteria for areas to protect. But DNR is allowing logging to go ahead anyway. Enough is enough.
MORE ON THIS STORY tomorrow at 6:40 am on CBC Radio’s Information Morning