NEW BRUNSWICK – Atlantic Canada is a special place to live, work and explore, with unique wild spaces, rare animals and plants found nowhere else in the world.
When nature thrives, so do people
Nature freely bestows us with recreational and tourism opportunities, clean air and water, protection from storm surges, among other invaluable benefits. According to a recent Ipsos poll, 94 per cent of Canadians say that being in nature helps them relieve stress or anxiety, and 86 per cent agree nature is important to their mental health during the pandemic. Nine in 10 Canadians agree that we must invest in protecting, restoring and caring for natural spaces.
Nature conservation is a direct and immediate action toward lessening the effects of climate change and to preventing the loss of habitat and biodiversity. Taking proactive conservation measures for nature is key for the future of prosperous, healthy and sustainable communities. We need nature now more than ever, and nature also needs us.
For 50 years, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), with the help of its supporters, has conserved critical wilderness habitats near communities throughout Atlantic Canada. It began in 1971, when Sight Point, NCC’s first nature reserve in Atlantic Canada, was established within Cape Breton Island’s Mabou Highlands. Today and forever forward, Sight Point will continue to thrive and flourish in its natural state.
As a charity, NCC aims to make our communities better by conserving and caring for natural green spaces. Our field work includes land management, forest restoration, combating invasive species, clean-up operations and proactive conservation measures. We achieve our goals through the help of many, from volunteers, student interns and partners.
Connect with nature
NCC’s Nature Destinations program invites you to take a journey through some of the greatest examples of Canadian nature and to connect one-on-one with nature.
Discover the natural wonders of the Musquash Estuary, NCC’s largest nature reserve in Atlantic Canada. Located 96 kilometres from St. Stephen, Musquash is the last fully functioning estuary on the Bay of Fundy and a key stopover site for many species of migratory birds, including white-winged scoter, surf scoter, black guillemot, common eider and semipalmated sandpiper. The majestic Musquash River winds through an Acadian forest toward vast salt marshes where the river meets the tides of the open bay. A linked network of trails (46 kilometres return) provides spectacular coastal views from several lookoffs.
Also in New Brunswick, take a scenic route to world renowned Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve and Interpretive Centre, located 23 kilometres from Sackville. Thousands of visitors flock here each year to marvel at the shorebirds that feast and rest at the protected area before continuing their migration to South America.
Nature can feed your soul and improve your quality of life. When you support conservation in your community, you make it a better and healthier place for you, your family and your community. Visit NatureDestinations.ca to learn more.
Nature is our ally
This year, NCC celebrates its 50th anniversary in Atlantic Canada with the announcement of the East Coast Nature Fund. With your support, sensitive areas where endangered species and rare plants are at risk will be identified. Your contribution is crucial to land conservation, trail, and site maintenance, mentoring youth through internships, and so much more.
Take a stand for nature by donating to NCC’s East Coast Nature Fund. Learn more and get involved by visiting natureconservancy.ca/eastcoastnature
Who we are
Since 1962, NCC and its partners have helped to protect 14 million hectares coast to coast to coast. By investing in conservation, we are ensuring that our natural world remains a home for wildlife, a haven for recreation and a vital resource that cleans the air we breathe and the water we drink.
Through strong partnerships NCC works to safeguard our natural areas so that our children and grandchildren will have the chance to enjoy them. To learn more, visit: NatureConservancy.ca.
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Conservation highlights
• Conserved ecologically sensitive wilderness and coastal habitats throughout Atlantic Canada:
• New Brunswick (10,200 hectares)
• Nova Scotia (16,800 hectares)
• Prince Edward Island (2,400 hectares)
• Newfoundland and Labrador (5,600 hectares)
• Protected habitat for 38 species at risk, including 16 threatened, 13 of special concern and nine endangered.
• Established over 100 nature reserves in Atlantic Canada, including our largest site in New Brunswick’s Musquash Estuary (2,200 hectares).