Screenshot of map for the additions to the Herring Cove Backlands Wilderness Area (the original area, now pending, is also shown)
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Clarification/Update 25Aug2026: The “Herring Cove Backlands Wilderness Area” referred to in this NS Gov, announcement of Aug 21, 2026 is being presented as an addition to the Herring Cove Backlands Wilderness Area which lies entirely within the “Backlands” as referred to by the Coalition and for which a consultation was announced on May 27, 2026 (and is now closed).
From the new consultation docs:
“Earlier this year the Province announced its intention to designate about 500 hectares of land and water between Herring Cove Road and Purcells Cove Road in Halifax Regional Municipality as Herring Cove Backlands Wilderness Area. The Province now proposes making this new wilderness area much larger, by adding another roughly 2,910 hectares of land and interior waterbodies between Spryfield and Sambro.”
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ORIGINAL POST
Extracts from NS Gov News Release Aug 21, 2026 (bolding inserted):
 Image from the Protected Areas Consultation Page Part of the Margaree River watershed and old growth forest in Cape Breton, a coastal area along the Eastern Shore, and a mix of forest, coastline and lake shoreline in Halifax are set to become Nova Scotia’s newest wilderness areas. Public consultation opens today, August 21, on protecting 5,100 more hectares of Nova Scotia’s land and water, including: – three new wilderness areas “Nova Scotia is home to an incredible abundance of protected natural areas with an area about one and a half times the size of Prince Edward Island now protected, and we continue to protect more of our land and water,” said Nolan Young, acting Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “With our small land mass, Nova Scotia is punching well above our weight in land protection and setting the pace for how provinces can both safeguard nature and responsibly develop land for housing, jobs and economic opportunities. These new proposed sites build on that momentum and reflect our commitment to protecting the landscapes that make Nova Scotia so special.” Nova Scotians can provide input until October 20 at: https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/protectedareas/ * *From that link: “Learn more about the areas proposed for protection by viewing this map and site descriptions. Feedback can be submitted by completing the online form included with site descriptions.” …New wilderness areas: – Herring Cove Backlands Wilderness Area, Halifax Regional Municipality, 2,910 hectares |
