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Nova Scotia announces new Archibald Lake Wilderness Area

A new provincial wilderness area in Nova Scotia’s Guysborough County will protect old-growth forest and animal and fish habitat.

Archibald Lake Wilderness Area covers 684 hectares and includes old-growth forest, hardwood drumlins, lakes and wetland. Agriculture Minister and MLA for Guysborough-Tracadie Greg Morrow made the announcement today, August 28, in Sherbrooke on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman.

“Today is a great day for the people of Guysborough County and all Nova Scotians, and I am thrilled to make this announcement which will help ensure a sustainable and healthy future for our province, our people and our economy,” said Morrow. “The Archibald Lake area – with its lakes, hardwood hills, and old-growth forest – is a beautiful, scenic and pristine natural gem. By protecting it forever, we are ensuring generations of Nova Scotians will be able to experience and benefit from all it has to offer including the health benefits of spending time in natural areas.”

The new wilderness area includes three lakes: Archibald, McDonald and Rocky, which feed Archibald Brook, a tributary of St. Marys River. Nearly 300 hectares of the protected area is old hardwood forest, as defined by the Old-Growth Forest Policy for Nova Scotia.

The area is habitat for many species, such as Canada warbler and endangered mainland moose, that benefit from older forests. Protecting the area also helps maintain water quality and fish habitat, benefitting fish species including brook trout and Atlantic salmon. The area is a popular spot for hunting and recreational trout fishing, which are both permitted in wilderness areas.

The province is currently consulting with Nova Scotians to help develop a protected areas strategy. The strategy will outline how the province will achieve its 2030 land and water conservation goal and identify next steps.

Nova Scotians can provide their ideas and feedback by October 6 at: ns20by2030.ca/ .