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A Wilderness Area is one of the strongest legal tools Nova Scotia has to protect its most ecologically valuable and irreplaceable landscapes. These areas are designated under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act, a law created to conserve biodiversity, safeguard clean water, support scientific research, and allow low impact public use of nature—without industrial exploitation.
Unlike parks that are designed for recreation and tourism, Wilderness Areas are set aside to protect natural ecosystems, old growth forests, wetlands, wildlife habitat, and the processes of nature itself. They’re places where wild nature comes first, and where it can continue to thrive, undisturbed, for generations to come.
Information in this article is based on The Protecting Wilderness Act by the Nova Scotia Government.
Why Wilderness Designation Matters
Why Wilderness Designation Matters
Wilderness Areas are created to ensure that Nova Scotia’s last wild forests, lakes, and wetlands remain intact. These are the places that:
Store carbon and fight climate change
Filter our water and reduce flooding
Protect endangered species and biodiversity
Offer quiet, undeveloped spaces for hiking, canoeing, hunting, and reflection
Represent our natural heritage, and our duty to future generations
In a province where industrial forestry, mining, and land development have fragmented much of the landscape, Wilderness Areas lock in protection where it counts most.
What Is and Isn’t Allowed in a Wilderness Area?
What Is and Isn’t Allowed in a Wilderness Area?
Designated Wilderness Areas are strictly protected from industrial development, but they do allow low impact public use and stewardship.
Permitted Activities Include:
Permitted Activities Include:
Hiking, canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing
Hunting, fishing, and trapping (under provincial regulations)
Camping at designated or backcountry sites
Environmental education and scientific research (with a permit)
Snowmobiling and ATV use on preexisting, approved trails
Cultural and spiritual use, including Mi’kmaq traditional practices
Trail stewardship and volunteer conservation work
Prohibited Activities Include:
Prohibited Activities Include:
Logging or any form of commercial forestry
Mining, including uranium exploration
Aquaculture and dam building
New roads, pipelines, or industrial infrastructure
Vehicle use (except under special permits or grandfathered agreements)
Commercial harvesting of natural resources
How Is a Wilderness Area Created?
How Is a Wilderness Area Created?
Wilderness Areas can only be designated on Crown (public) land. The process includes:
1. Scientific review to assess ecological value
2. Socioeconomic analysis to evaluate impacts and alternatives
3. Public consultation to include local voices
4. Formal designation by the provincial government under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act
Once designated, a Wilderness Area cannot be undone except by an act of the Legislature, making it one of the most durable forms of environmental protection available in Nova Scotia.
How Are Wilderness Areas Managed?
How Are Wilderness Areas Managed?
Each Wilderness Area is managed by Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, often in collaboration with:
Mi’kmaq communities
Local stewardship groups
Naturalist organizations
Academic institutions and researchers
Management plans are created with public input and are designed to balance ecological protection with responsible public access. The government may also enter into agreements with community groups to maintain trails or monitor conditions.
Chain Lakes: A Wilderness Area in Waiting
Chain Lakes: A Wilderness Area in Waiting
The Chain Lakes region in southwest Kings County is an ideal candidate for Wilderness Area designation. It is:
One of the last large tracts of undeveloped forest in the region
Home to endangered species like the Canada Warbler and Black Ash
Part of a critical ecological corridor connecting protected areas
Under immediate threat from clearcutting and speculative development
Designating Chain Lakes as a Wilderness Area would prohibit industrial activity forever while allowing people to continue enjoying the land through hiking, hunting, paddling, camping, and traditional use.
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