Nova Scotia’s environment minister announced on Thursday that the government has expanded the amount of protected land in the province, but this move has faced criticism from environmentalists and the interim Liberal leader. Responding to a question from Iain Rankin during a legislative session, Minister Tim Halman stated that the government has now safeguarded 14.55 percent of the province, approaching its target of 15 percent by year-end.
The recent increase from 13.8 percent was achieved through the implementation of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECM), which involve safeguarding land unsuitable for forestry activities like steep slopes and buffer zones around water bodies and forestry operations. This shift was highlighted by Rankin as a novel development for the province.
Halman explained that the utilization of OECMs aligns with the province’s 2023 collaborative protected areas strategy, which identified these measures covering 1.2 percent of the protected land. The strategy emphasized that wilderness areas accounted for approximately 70 percent, with national parks and wildlife areas comprising 20 percent of the protected land.
While emphasizing the importance of conserving and preserving land for future generations, Halman and his team, upon assuming power in 2021, passed legislation committing to protecting 20 percent of Nova Scotia by 2030. However, there has been a reassessment of this target due to a government focus on promoting natural resource development, raising concerns among conservation advocates.
Ange Whiteway, manager of operations for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society-Nova Scotia, criticized the inclusion of wildlife clumps and buffer zones in the protected land calculations as it deviates from prioritizing areas of high conservation value. She stressed the significance of protecting intact forest ecosystems, habitats for rare species, and culturally important landscapes.
The government’s shift in emphasis for protected land could potentially jeopardize millions of dollars in federal funding. The Canada-Nova Scotia Nature Agreement, set to conclude in March, allocated $25 million to increase protected areas by 82,500 hectares, with concerns raised over the possible return of unspent funds to the federal government. Failure to prioritize key conservation areas could have long-term implications for the preservation of significant ecological sites and recreational areas in Nova Scotia.