The Backlands Coalition

Jennifer Keesmaat, chief planner and executive director of the City of Toronto, argues that greenbelts and other measures to restrict the outward growth of Canadian cities are essential and fiscally responsible policy tools, since they result in higher densities that make more efficient use of infrastructure investments. View Globe & Mail Article

Kathleen Hall forwarded these two pics of “never seen before water levels at the dam” taken at the Williams Lake dam on Dec 11 following our heavy rains. Look for lots of water in wetlands as well.

Unlike most Canadian cities, the urban core of Halifax is surrounded not by farms or endless burbs but by forested and coastal landscapes. Even within 30 kilometres of downtown Halifax, where approximately three-quarters of the population resides, developed areas are interspersed with substantive wild spaces. An article in the Nova Scotia Naturally series in the Chronicle Herald highlights Halifax’s wild spaces and discusses some of what has to be done to preserve their wildness. See Article. Some supplementary materials are posted on the Wildland Writers’ website.

“The Halifax Regional Municipality (the Municipality) invites the submission of proposals from qualified professional firms (and teams) … for the development of a Greenbelting and Public Open Space Priorities Plan (Open Space Plan) for the protection of a regional network of lands for resource conservation, public service delivery and community shaping. This Plan is a key deliverable under the Halifax Regional Municipal Planning Strategy (Regional Plan).” Pages 21 on give readers a good sense of the envisaged why, what and how of greenbelting for HRM. View RFP. (The Closing Date is December-04-14.)

Marcos Zentilli, geologist and resident of Purcell’s Cove, led a Halifax Field Naturalists walk on Nov. 15, 2014, to explore quarries in the Purcell’s Cove area. Probably beginning in 1759, both granite and bluestone (slate) were exploited in Purcell’s Cove, since 1826 by British imperial troops, and were used to build harbour defences and many historic buildings in Halifax. An industrial steam railroad and tramway, one of the oldest in Canada, began operating at the King’s Quarry in 1834. Besides inspecting some remnants of the quarrying operation, we viewed typical outcrops of coarse granite (South Mountain Batholith – 380 million years old) and the ancient (Cambrian-Ordovician) marine sedimentary rocks it encroached and metamorphosed (Meguma – Bluestone Quarry). After the walk, we had a wrap-up at the Purcell’s Cove Social Club (Summary modifed from the HFN description for the walk). View some pics

The Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society lead a walk recently into burned and unburned Jack Pine/Broom Crowberry Barrens in the Backlands to enjoy the final flashes of fall colour. Update View pics.

Saturday November 1 – POSTPONED TO NOV 8 – join a walk with the NS Wild Flora Society on recently burnt and unburnt Jack Pine/Broom Crowberry Barrens, read more.
David Patriquin will give a presentation on The Atlantic Coast Jack Pine/Broom Crowberry Barrens to the NS Wild Flora Society on Monday Oct 27, 7:30 pm at the NS Museum of Natural History (all welcome).
On Saturday Nov. 15, Marcos Zentilli will lead a Halifax Field Naturalists‘ walk to a few quarries in the Backlands, read more

One hundred plus attended the McIntosh Run Open House Wednesday evening (Oct 15). Five large panels and presentations provided an overview and many details of the developing singletrack trail system. About 30 hands were raised when it was asked who in the room might volunteer to help. It seemed many of the attendees ended up at the Armview carrying on discussions afterwards as well. Click on image at left to view Concept to Construction Panel with a info on how you can be involved here. Contact info@mcintoshrun.ca to volunteer.

The Halifax Backlands reach their full glory when the huckleberry turns red in the fall, ‘best just after leaves of most deciduous trees have fallen. View link for a few recent pics, and a little bit about this wonderful, but threatened wilderness area lying only a few kilometers from downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia. & Please send links to pics of your favourite sights in the Backlands.

The McIntosh Run Watershed Association is excited to announce an Information Session and Call for Volunteers for the Active Recreation Singletrack Trails
Wednesday October 15
5-7 drop-in Open House
7pm Presentation
Spryfield Community Centre, 16 Sussex Street

The Concept Plan for the McIntosh Run singletrack trail system has been developed into a detailed, and even better, plan for a trail system!
The plan has been developed by the McIntosh Run Watershed Association and the trail-design firm LEES and Associates. It incorporates feedback from the 2012 public consultation process.
To find out the details of the plan, and to volunteer to help make this a reality, come to the Open House!
The trails:
– located on public land.
– for human-powered users: hiking, mountain biking, trail running, snowshoeing.
– trails approximately 30-70cm wide, built with minimal disturbance of the environment using onsite materials wherever possible.
– trailhead and wayfinding signs
– loop trails near trailheads, and a linear trail connecting Spryfield, Herring Cove, and points between.
More information will be available at the Public Meeting.
MRWA online: www.mcintoshrun.ca and facebook
Volunteers are needed for:
– Brush clearing
– Trail grubbing
– Boardwalk construction
– Installing signs
If you cannot attend but wish to volunteer,
contact MRWA at kaarint@yahoo.ca