Guysborough-Tracadie MLA Greg Morrow announced a new provincial wilderness area in Guysborough County which will protect old-growth forest and animal and fish habitat.
The new Archibald Lake Wilderness Area covers 684 hectares and includes old-growth forest, lakes and wetland. Morrow made the announcement today in Sherbrooke on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman.
Morrow said it is government’s role to protect these sorts of areas, and it also works towards the province’s goal of having 30 per cent of land protected by 2030.
The new wilderness area includes three lakes: Archibald, McDonald and Rocky, which feed Archibald Brook, a tributary of St. Mary’s River. Nearly 300 hectares of the protected area is old hardwood forest.
A release from the province states the area is habitat for many species that benefit from older forests. Protecting the area also helps maintain water quality and fish habitat.