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Proposed Humes River Wilderness AreaSize & LocationThe 5,000 hectare proposed Humes River Wilderness Area with its old hardwood forests is a good protected area candidate because it is one of the few publicly owned properties on the Bras d'Or. For now it is still one of the least disturbed. It would also connect with the existing Trout Brook Wilderness Area thereby enhancing the biodiversity conservation potential of both watershed areas.
Natural DescriptionThe Humes River watershed captures one of the few remaining large tracts of Acadian hardwood forest on the Bras d'Or Lakes, "Canada's Inland Sea". Streams starting at around 1,000' in elevation twist through big hardwoods and hemlocks atop the Keppoch Plateau before plummeting down a steep escarpment to St. Patrick's Channel. Outstanding Natural Features
Recreational Opportunities
The Humes River Area offers excellent nature-based eco-tourism opportunities, given the site's handy accessibility from the Trans Canada Highway and its proximity to Baddeck and the Cabot Trail. Recreational activities include wilderness hiking and camping in majestic old-growth hardwood forest stands as well as bird watching and freshwater fishing. The potential also exists here to develop a boardwalk-style interpretive trail just off the Trans Canada Highway for tourists to take self-guided nature tours. Threats
This forest within the Proposed Humes River Wilderness Area is leased to StoraEnso, a paper company with rights to cut 600,000 hectares of Crown land in eastern Nova Scotia. Stora clearcut several thousand hectares of hardwood forest on the plateau in the 1980s, but the Humes watershed was left alone for many years. Recently, however, hauling roads and logging machines have been punching their way into these lands too. The Bras d'Or region of Cape Breton, at the foot of the highlands is a world-renowned tourism destination, famous for its "fall colours". Yet virtually none of the Bras d'Or watershed is currently protected. In 2002 the distinguished American travel magazine Conde Nast named Cape Breton one of the world's most beautiful islands. In 2004 - National Geographic Traveler Magazine rated Cape Breton the #2 travel destination in the world after the fjords of Norway. This ranking was in large part due to its relatively pristine natural condition. But, the award came with a warning that its ranking could fall if environmental pressures were not kept in to a minimum. Protecting the Humes River watershed area would clearly help to contribute, not only to conservation of native biodiversity, but also to the sustainability of the island's 400 million dollar tourism industry.
Take action to help save this important wilderness area!
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© Nova Scotia Public Lands Coalition, Ecology Action Centre, 2006 |
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