Annual General Meeting

Sunday, March 17 2 – 4 p.m. at the Estabrooks Hall, Lewis Lake Pictured from Left: Board Members Mike Marriott and Imbert Allen at the AGM in 2022 show on the wilderness map where trail work is happening. Please join us for the annual public meeting open to the community where news will be shared…

Photo Contest Winners Chosen!

So much wilderness beauty to share! Congratulations to all the amateur photographers chosen as winners in this year’s annual Photo Contest! Here are the results after careful consideration by our five member jury team. These certainly showcase the beauty of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area from all angles. According to our jury team, all…

New Boot Brush Station Installed at Bluff Trail Entrance

Board Members Harry Ward and Ken Donnelly teamed up last weekend to install the first of several new boot brush stations to be placed at entrance areas into the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. Each boot brush unit stands waist-high on an adult and holds a heavy brush at its base that’s designed to clean…

Saluting Our Volunteer & Mentor – Beth McGee

At the Bay Treasure Chest Count (BTC) on Wednesday, October 4, the Trust team joined members of the BTC executive, and Bay Youth Hub partner group to recognize the long-time contributions of one of our most dedicated and inspirational volunteers. Beth McGee of Seabright is known by many for her volunteer and mentor roles with…

4th Annual Photo Contest Closed Now…

Our volunteer Jury Team are reviewing all entries to select three winners in each the adult and youth categories! Prize winner announcements expected by end of November. Thank you to everyone who submitted beautiful photos to our 4th Annual Photo Contest. The deadline has passed and we will no longer be accepting entries. The volunteer…

Trails Closed For Damage Assessments

The public is asked to remain off the OHV (off-highway vehicle designated trails) within the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area as many were badly damaged following the floods and storm a few weeks ago.  Local assessments are underway involving the N.S. government and ATV Association members to survey the damage and develop a refurbishment plan. …

Ban Lifted on Travel Within the Wilderness Area

The province of Nova Scotia has reopened all trails, parks and woodlands including the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area except those in the fire areas around Shelburne County and anywhere evacuation orders are in place. “We know that using our woods and trails are important to many Nova Scotians’ physical and mental health,” said Tory…

Annual General Meeting News

The Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust proudly hosted its’ 22nd Annual General Meeting as an in-person event on Sunday, March 26 at the Estabrooks Hall reconnecting with many supporters and members. It was a wonderful chance to review recent accomplishments, financials and challenges, and to welcome Michael Coward, of Simms Settlement, as a new volunteer…

Trail Improvements Underway

This fall, many trail improvements (marked in orange on map) were completed within the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area, especially along the Ralph Wheadon Trail down to the Old St. Margaret’s Bay Road. This trail is multiuse and is now safely accessible for hikers, bikers or ATVers alike. The parking lot at the trailhead at…

Trust Board Member National Leader at COP15

Ken Donnelly attends the International COP15 Conference in Montreal Trust Board Member Ken Donnelly of Stillwater Lake, Nova Scotia, is a member of the Canadian delegation to the  United Nations COP15 Conference currently underway in Montreal. As a climate change leader for the past 30 years and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council on…

2022 Photo Contest Results

Six Winners Chosen in Adult and Youth Categories Congratulations and thanks to everyone who submitted photos to our 3rd Annual Photo Contest! After careful review by our volunteer jury team, here are the winning images in both adult and youth categories. Whether it was mushrooms or soaring pines, the photos submitted this year showcased just…

3rd Annual Photo Contest – Now Closed!

Thank You for Sharing Your Photos! Our Volunteer Jury is Reviewing to Select Winners. Thank you to everyone who submitted photos to this year’s third annual Photo Contest. The variety and beauty of the shots this year is wonderful. Our volunteer Jury Team will be reviewing and selecting winners until the end of November. Stay…

Membership Time

It’s annual renewal time for Trust Memberships! We thank you for your support. The Trust relies on your Memberships to fund our trail improvements and protection work in the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. As a non-profit, community group led by volunteers, our Members help us make it happen. When we’ve processed your Membership, we’ll…

Annual General Meeting

News from the 2022 Event The AGM public meeting held Sunday, March 20, provided a summary of Trust successes and achievements over the past year, as well as, a description of future plans to promote, study and protect the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area in 2022. Annual memberships were sold and everyone enjoyed testing the…

Trust Marks 20th Anniversary

This fall, the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust organization turns 20.  The non-profit group run by nature-loving community leaders was originally founded in 2001 to halt development on the Chebucto Peninsula. One of the original founding volunteer team, Wayne Rogers, 77, remembers its inception well. “We knew that the centre of the Peninsula would soon…

Photo Contest Winners

Drum roll please! The following original photos by talented non-professional photographers have been selected by our jury panel as the outstanding winners of the Trust’s second annual Photo Contest. Each photo was carefully selected for its beauty, composition and representation of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. Category 1 – My Favourite… 1st Place: Stephanie…

Tribute to Ralph Wheadon

Outdoorsman, Friend and Nature Advocate Ralph Wheadon, 92, of Timberlea, passed away a few weeks ago. He was a valued former Trust Board volunteer and Board Advisor, who knew the wilderness area very well after working and being the first fire chief in the area. As an elder of our community and an outdoorsman who…

AGM 2021

Join the volunteer Board of Trustees as they share news about recent projects and plans for the year ahead encouraging public use of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. Everyone is welcome. Free event. Social-distanced seating, mask wearing and hand-sanitizing precautions in place. If health regulations change, notices will be shared here. To join online,…

Photo Contest – Winners Chosen

Thanks to everyone who submitted photos and supported the Trust’s first ever Photo Contest! We enjoyed seeing all of your entries and hope you will continue your excursions to the wilderness area. We are excited to share our jury selections for winning photos and prizes. With the most votes for wonderfully capturing the beauty of…

Trust Donates $20K to “Save the Wild Blue” Campaign

Board Chair, Harry Ward presents a donation cheque worth $20,000 to Allison Thorne with the NS Nature Trust. The map they are holding shows in yellow the parcel of land they are raising funds to purchase. Donations are matched 4 : 1 until October 15. The Trust announced today a donation of $20,000 to the…

AGM 2020

The Trust’s 19th Annual General Meeting was held Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Estabrooks Community Hall. The assembled crowd followed all the health protocols for public meetings and social distanced around the space. The news of the Trust was shared by members of the volunteer Board of Trustees and a special guest presentation was shared…

Trust Volunteer Position

Immediate Opening — Volunteer Coordinator Are you interested in helping your community by leading a team of volunteers?  Once every four weeks, the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust is responsible to co-manage the Bay Treasure Chest toonie count process and we need a reliable volunteer to commit to organizing the Trust’s volunteer team.  You’ll work…

CoCO Meeting Set for Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Community groups operating on the Chebucto Peninsula around the HWYs 103 and HWY 333 loop are invited to join in sharing and camaraderie at the November meeting of the Council of Community Organizations (CoCO). Free event. The public is welcome to join in as we hear the news from various groups and share with the…

Property Purchase Saves 50 Acres As Natural Wilderness

Exciting progress has been made on the Trust’s land acquisition strategy aimed at protecting more areas adjacent to the designated Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area. Just recently, the Trust closed a land purchase deal that assures protection for 50 acres of undeveloped land in Hubley, Nova Scotia, near Lake of the Woods subdivision. The site…

Warbler Walk Saturday, June 1

Due to poor weather conditions predicted for Sunday, the Warbler Walk will be moved to Saturday, June 1 at 8:00 a.m. which is hopefully finer weather for bird watching. Meet up in the parking lot area of Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park guided by avid birder and photographer Hans Toom who will talk about the nesting…

16 Classrooms Study Real Time Salmon Growth Thanks to Trust Grant

Nova Scotia children are learning first-hand, how fertilized salmon eggs grow and develop by maintaining their own classroom tanks, thanks to the Fish Friends Program of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association. With help from the Trust’s Environmental Stewardship Grant Program last year, Fish Friends expanded from three to 16 elementary school classrooms in the Halifax…

Volunteer Appreciation at the BTC Count

Organizing the Bay Treasure Chest Counts is a big job and one that takes many volunteers who work together and get to know one another very well. The Trust was proud to salute two of our special volunteers at the April 24th Count. They have helped at these events for years and became good friends…

13th Annual May Fair in the Park — Sunday, May 26

It’s been a long winter and we’re ready to celebrate spring! Join us for the Trust’s 13th annual May Fair in the Park on Sunday, May 26 from noon to 3:00 p.m. for outdoor fun. Volunteers will have activities organized around Jerry Lawrence Provincial Park including a BBQ, face painting, guided trail hikes, nature crafts…

Donations Needed to Protect 100 Acres near Frederick Lake

Exciting news…With your help 100 acres near Frederick Lake, Timberlea’s Bluff Trail area, may soon be protected. This land purchase plan is led by the NS Nature Trust’s successful Lasting Landscapes Campaign. Support the Campaign with donations, which will be matched 4 to 1, but only until the April 5 deadline. By then, we need…

Grant Provides Chance for Kids to go to Roots and Boots Forest School

In 2018, the Roots and Boots Forest School received an Environmental Stewardship Grant from the Trust.  The founders of this Nova Scotia based not-for-profit, Sara Wolthers and Kellie Allen, used the grant funds to hire leaders to assist special needs children, so they too could enjoy a forest school experience.   Allen explains, “We facilitated 62…

Free Eco-Rally Event Tuesday, April 2 at 7 pm

Join former CBC journalist Jennifer Henderson for a conversation with author and activist Joan Baxter as they discuss Baxter’s brilliant award-winning book “The Mill – 50 Years of Pulp and Protest” about the history and destruction in Pictou from the pulp and paper industry. Free event. Everyone welcome. Pay-what-you-can admission. St. Margaret’s Centre, 2 Westwood…