Steering Committee Reports

We Support Protection of 9,800 Hectares of Public Land on the Chebucto Peninsula Under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act

Almost ten years ago the Nova Scotia Public Lands Coalition identified the area bounded by Highways 103 and 333 as an “endangered space” proposed for wilderness protection. (See the site map for “Five Bridge Lakes” at www.publicland.ca.) Because of their great natural, historic, and recreational value, there has been significant public support for protecting these lands.

In 1995, the Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization (“WRWEO”) began to conserve and protect the lands and waters in this area.  In 2001, the Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust (“The Trust”) was formed for the principal purpose of protecting these lands for appropriate recreational, educational, and scientific use. Later, in 2005, WRWEO complete the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail, a popular and nationally ranked trail at the centre of these lands.

In the spring of 2008, WRWEO and the Trust, in consort with the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association, the BLT Rails to Trails Association, the Safety-Minded ATV Club, the Resource Opportunities Centre, and over 35 other community organizations around the Chebucto Peninsula, formed the Chebucto Wilderness Coalition (CWC) to protect these lands.

The Objective of the Coalition

The sole purpose of the CWC is to protect the approximately 9,800 hectares of public lands within the boundaries of Highways 103 and 333, in the County of Halifax, Province of Nova Scotia, under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act, S.N.S., 1998, c. 27 as amended.  

Supporters of the Coalition

In addition to CWC's members, some 35 organizations, and a number of prominent political leaders, have written endorsements. They include major provincial and local environmental and tourism associations, residents’ associations on the peninsula, recreational groups for hiking, fishing, canoeing, running, birding, businesses supplying recreational services, developers who understand the importance of green space, and politicians from all three levels of government, including unanimous endorsements from HRM’s Western Region Community Council, the full HRM Council, Timberlea‐Prospect MLA Bill Estabrooks, Chester-St. Margaret’s MLA Judy Streatch, the Liberal and NDP caucuses, and Halifax West MP Geoff Regan.  Even off highway vehicle (OHV) clubs have supported the WAPA protection. Under the Coalition’s proposal, OHV use would be permitted on three hard-packed corridors that would be excluded from the protected lands and waters on either side.

Formal Petition to the Minister

On June 2, 2008, at the age of 104, the late Dr. Wilfrid Creighton, presented the CWC's  proposal for wilderness protection to Minister  Parent, NS Environment, who administers the Act.  The presentation was one of Dr.  Creighton's last official acts following a distinguished career as the former Deptuty Minister of Lands and Forests (1949-69).  Dr. Creighton, holder of two honourary doctoral degrees and Member of the Forestry Hall if Fame, supported the CWC on the basis if a wealth of experience and steadfast dedication to preserving the health of the Province’s natural environment.

Rationale for Protection under the Act

The CWC cites six main reasons for seeking protection of these lands under the Act.

First, these public lands provide the Halifax Regional Municipality with a large pristine wilderness area within a 15 minute commute from downtown Halifax that if preserved from development and other threats would make this urban centre of nearly a half‐million people unique in North America in having immediate access to a wilderness area of this size. Adjacent protected areas, with the possibility of future links among them, would represent a commitment to their inherent values that would be the envy of any urban population who cares about their environment.

Second, these public lands have assets of great natural and historical value, such as the endangered mainland moose, the rare Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria groenlandica), pockets of old growth forest, a large stand of jack pine on The Bluff, and over one hundred species of lichen on the first loop of The Bluff Trail alone. Please see the summary of the work already done to explore and document these valuable parts of our heritage in “Report from the Chair”, January 2008 issue of The Bridge (http://www.fivebridgestrust.ca/newsletter/Bridge0108.pdf).

Third, because of these assets and the research now begun these public lands provide enormous opportunity for public education and scientific study.

Fourth, these public lands offer unique opportunities for recreation and ecotourism within an urban context, including: (a) The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail, (b) a large network of canoe/kayak routes consisting of some twenty lakes, streams, and rivers, and (c) traditional hunting and fishing.

Fifth, various stresses on the aquatic habitat, such as acid rain/low buffering capacity, salty runoff from roads, and climate change with increasing temperatures and storm intensity, combine to make it important to protect the integrity of the land as a contiguous whole. Without this integrity that protection would preserve, the biological diversity and health of the aquatic habitat would decline precipitously.

Sixth, the combination of candidate and proposed protected areas surrounding the urban core of Halifax-Dartmouth, including Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Area to the east, Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Area to the north, the Western Commons Wilderness Area connected to the Chebucto Peninsula Wilderness Area to the west, presents a green belt of protected wilderness areas within reach of residents and visitors within the largest urban centre in Eastern Canada. The ecological significance of this vision and its powerful economic benefits would make HRM a model for the world.

Benefits of Protection under the Act

By including these public lands under the protection of the Wilderness Areas Protection Act, the province will move closer to its commitment to protect 12% of Nova Scotia’s land mass with little or no loss of potential forestry or mineral development and no need to purchase any lands. More important, the province can establish itself as world leader in environmental sustainability for urban centres experiencing rapid expansion and at the same time reap the economic benefits of increasing the value of development along the ring of Routes 103 and 333 and of the ecotourism that this leadership would inevitably attract. In fact, when this area is combined with the other candidates for wilderness protection in HRM what emerges is the vision of the largest urban center in Eastern Canada surrounded by a green belt of protected wilderness, making it rare if not unique in North America and a model for the world with all the economic benefits that the realization of this vision would entail.

Combating Imminent Threats

Unfortunately, these values and the vision of the future that they make possible are in jeopardy because of the great pressure for residential and commercial development and the current lack of effective protection for this valuable area, which can best be provided through the Wilderness Areas Protection Act. The recent swap of Crown land to permit development of Moody Lake demonstrates that DNR policy that restricts such land swaps does not provide any assurance of protection against piecemeal encroachment by developers.

Unique Opportunity

The Province now has an excellent opportunity to provide major reinforcement of the Province’s new Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act and make a high profile addition towards the protection of 12% of the Province that would constitute a powerful public demonstration of international leadership in environmental stewardship.

Next Steps

CWC representatives have met with David Morse, then Minister of the Department of Natural Resources, and have established a cooperative working relationship with his staff. The CWC Steering Committee has given assistance to the Western Common Wilderness Advisory Committee and the Environmental Design and Management group (EDM) in their work to develop a Master Plan for the adjacent Western Common Wilderness area. In response to former Minister Mark Parent’s request, the CWC continues “to work closely with a wide range of organizations of diverse interests to further develop a vision and support for conservation of Crown and other public lands of the Chebucto Peninsula.” Concurrent with these activities, the CWC solicits the support of additional individuals and community groups, expanding its supporting members, and keeping the community informed of developments. The matter is now before David Morse, Minister of the Department of Environment, and Minister Morse has asked his staff to prepare a preliminary report on the designated lands for the information and assessment needed to make informed decisions on further steps.

Your Expression of Support

If you would like to volunteer some time to help the CWC achieve its sole objective, express your support
for its work, or provide your name and email address to receive future mailings, please address your
correspondence to  Jim Muir.

Supporting Groups and Individuals

Political
· HRM Western Region Council (Rankin, Meade, Adams)
· HRM Regional Council (reported in letter from Municipal Clerk dated June 30, 2008)
· Bill Estabrooks, MLA,Timberlea-Prospect
· Judy Streatch, MLA, Chester-St. Margaret’s Bay
· Nova Scotia Natural Resources (in principle, based on preliminary assessment)
· Nova Scotia Environment (in principle, now conducting thorough assessment)
· Stephen McNeil on behalf of the Liberal Caucus
· Darrell Dexter on behalf of the NDP Caucus
· Geoff Regan, MP

Environmental
· Blue Mountain Birch Cove Wilderness Society
· Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
· Ecology Action Centre
· Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust
· Halifax Field Naturalists
· Halifax Regional Trails Association
· Nova Scotia Environmental Network
· SMU Community-Based Monitoring

Network
· St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association
· Woodens River Watershed Environmental Organization

Residents
· Cambrian's Cove Homeowners’ Assoc
· Juniper Silver Birch Property Owner's Association
· Lake of the Woods Homeowners Association
· Prospect Peninsula Residents’ Association
· Sheldrake Lake Residents’ Association
· Three Brooks Homeowners Association

Recreational
· ATVANS
· BLT R2T
· Canoe/Kayak NS
· Halifax Trail Runners
· Safety Minded ATV Association
· St Margaret’s Bay Rails to Trails
· Trout Nova Scotia

Other
· Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Halifax-Dartmouth
· Hinterlands Development Limited
· Mainland South Heritage Society
· Mountain Equipment Co-op
· St. Margaret’s Bay Regional Tourism and Development Association
· Ralph Weadon
· Resource Opportunities Centre
· Three Brooks Development Corporation Limited
· The Trail Shop
· (Dr.) Wilfrid Creighton

HRM and DNR to Test Principles for Collaborative Environmental
Planning without Formal Ratification, Structure, or Procedures

by Tom Musial, January 2008
Reprinted from The Bridge

In September 2005, Nova Scotia Natural Resources (DNR) Deputy Minister Peter Underwood formed a Working Group to develop a model for collaborative planning and management of public lands on the Chebucto Peninsula.  The initiative responded to four years of the Trust’s work culminating in its June 25, 2005 Workshop to establish a framework in which three levels of government and community representatives all might participate.  The project was to serve as a model for other planning regions.

With guidance from a professional facilitator, the Working Group consisting of representatives from DNR, Nova Scotia Environment & Labour (NSEL), Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), and six Chebucto Peninsula community groups met over 14 months to develop the proposed model.  Eight sets of recorded minutes clearly document the group’s development of a Charter for a Stewardship Council that included (1) a mission and scope of activity, (2) guiding principles, (3) a statement of rights and responsibilities, (4) the role of a facilitator, (5) rules of operation, (6) rules of conduct, (7) ways of sourcing information and expertise, (8) guidelines for providing public information, (9) guidelines for observing confidentiality, (10) procedures for expanding group membership, (11) the need for an inventory of resources, and (12) a list of issues for the Council to address.

In March 2007, the Working Group achieved consensus on the guiding  principles section of the Charter without consensus on the operational guidelines.  DNR representatives proposed to test the guiding principles of the Charter on a specific project in which HRM and DNR would review the challenges and opportunities for maintaining the ecological, cultural, and recreational integrity of the Chebucto Peninsula’s wilderness areas. The Working Group consented to the test the principles in the joint DNR/HRM project. The Trust proposed formal ratification of the Charter principles by community and government representatives and continued work on the operational guidelines, but DNR called no more meetings. The concept of the proposed Council disappeared.  A senior DNR official wrote to the community members of the Working Group indicating that "at this time-and into the future there is no intention to proceed with the establishment of a Council.”

DNR’s surprise decision to abandon the concept of a Stewardship Council was never discussed by the Working Group and as such contradicted the fundamental tenet of the Charter’s principles—decision by consensus.  While the Working Group endorsed the principles, no government department or community group has formally endorsed the principles of the Charter.

Of even greater significance, the formal structure and operational procedures for planning and managing the sustainable use of public lands have been discarded.

The Trust is left with the following concerns:

• There is no formal indication that any level of government or any community organization has endorsed the Charter’s principles.  No document has been ratified or signed by the stakeholders.  The Charter’s principles can be changed or discarded at any time.
• Further work on the Charter has been discontinued, ostensibly to test the Charter’s principles, yet there is no formal structure or operational procedures for applying the Charter’s principles.  The  principles do not indicate who will participate in planning activities or provide procedures as to how they will participate.  Making up the rules as a test experiment is not an acceptable procedure.
• The Charter’s general principles do not constitute a working model that can be applied in or adapted to other areas of the province.  The Working Group did not complete the task that it was originally asked to do.

The Trust offered to develop a working model for planning and managing public lands, even while DNR, HRM and certain community representatives tested the Charter’s principles through the proposed “connectivity project,” but DNR has indicated no interest in seeing this work continue.

In the weeks ahead, the Trust will consult with the community organizations of the Chebucto Peninsula to see if they share the Trust’s concerns about ratification, structure, and operational procedures. If they do, the community groups should work together to develop the structure and operations that the community groups would like to see used for managing public lands and waters, conserving and improving their ecological integrity, and ensuring their sustainable use.

Founding Documents

Chebucto Peninsula Stewardship Charter

A Framework for a Collaborative Environmental Stewardship
This report includes the Discussion Document and Summary of Outcomes from the June 2005 workshop.

"Dedicated to conserving public land in its natural state for public use since 2001"