Maritime wilderness corridor expanded to mark Earth Day

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has expanded its Maritime Wilderness Corridor – first created to conserve salt marsh and forest habitat – as the organization marks World Earth Day on Sunday.

The not-for-profit organization announced that it has acquired two separate pieces of land near the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border, for a total of 131.5 hectares of protected forest and salt marsh.

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Roughly 79.5 hectares of the wetlands can be found in Hals Hill, near Sackville, N.B., and the NCC says it will function as an important addition to its existing conservation of the Chignecto Isthmus.

This narrow stretch of land between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is only 25 kilometres across at its narrowest point. According to the NCC, it provides the only land connection between wildlife populations in Nova Scotia to those in the rest of North America.

The second addition is a coastal property in Shemogue, N.B., which serves as a habitat for species of shorebirds and migratory birds.

The 52-hectare property at Comeau Point features 1.5 kilometres of shoreline. The Willet and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, two birds whose populations are in decline, have been identified as living on the property.

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“We are very pleased to be able to protect this wilderness for the benefit of wildlife and for the enjoyment of residents and visitors,” said Paula Noel, New Brunswick program director for the NCC.

Conservation of the two properties was made with funding from the Government of Canada’s Natural Areas Conservation Program, a program established to accelerate the conservation of privately owned land in Canada.