ForAdditional InformationMaps

• To purchase or copy maps of individualWilderness Areas, call (902) 424-8633or email: nsdnrlib@gov.ns.ca.

• Nova Scotia Government Publicationssells the following:visit www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/mapsor call (902) 667-7231

- Nova Scotia Atlas 6th Edition (2006)

- Topographical Maps (1:50,000 NTS series)(Wilderness Areas are not shown)

General InquiriesProtected Areas—Provincial Office/Central Region5151 Terminal Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2P8(902) 424-2117

Protected Areas—Eastern RegionBox 714, 295 Charlotte StreetSydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 6H7(902)563-2100

Protected Areas—Western Region60 Logan Road, Bridgewater, NS B4V 3J8(902) 543-4685

Enforcement,Wildlife or Forest FiresAny District or Regional Office of theNova Scotia Department of Natural ResourcesFor emergencies or to report illegal activitiescall 1-800-565-2224

Produced by:

with support from:Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protectionwww.gov.ns.ca/hppNova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritagewww.novascotia.com

SafeTravel ConsiderationsLow impact wilderness recreation is encouraged in NovaScotia’s Wilderness Areas, but you must recognize that youare on your own, and accept responsibility for your per-sonal health and safety. Wilderness Areas are often re-mote, making rescue of a lost or injured person difficultand dangerous.

Wilderness Areas are protected for their ecologicalvalue, and therefore remain largely undeveloped for recre-ational use. Access to Wilderness Areas is often poor, uti-lizing seasonal or ill-maintained logging roads or oldtrails. Campsites and trails in Wilderness Areas (if present)may not be maintained or marked. Resource materials per-taining to Wilderness Areas, including maps, may be outof date or inaccurate. In many places, wilderness areaboundaries are not marked on the ground.

When traveling in one of Nova Scotia’sWilderness Areas;

• Plan your route carefully, and leave a written planwith local authorities or someone at home, outliningwhere you are going and when you expect to return.

• Seek permission before crossing private land to accessa Wilderness Area.

• Honestly assess your skills and equipment and knowyour limits and those of all members in your group.

• Carry, and know how to use, first aid and safetyequipment.

• Dress appropriately and be prepared for all possibleweather conditions.

• Ensure you are self-sufficient, and are able to spendthe night in an emergency.

• If you are lost or injured, stay put and make it easy forrescuers to find you.

Gear Up for Low ImpactMaximize your Leave No Trace experience by using theproper equipment.

Your kit should include the following:

• Warm and weatherproof clothing, worn in layers

• Small garden trowel - for digging catholes for humanwaste disposal

• Portable cooking stove and an adequate supply of fuel

• Flashlight and/or candle lantern

• Small strainer - for dish water

• Reusable food containers

• First aid and survival kit with map and compass

• Binoculars - for viewing wildlife from a distance

• Method of water purification

• Collapsible or portable basin for carrying water andwashing dishes

• Plastic bags for carrying out waste

• Free-standing tent and a lightweight tarp.

CleanWater for HealthWilderness users should assume that all surface water inNova Scotia may be contaminated with Giardia or otherwater-borne pathogens/diseases.

Choose drinking water from flowing sources, and prop-erly treat it by boiling, filtering or chemicalpurification.

Avoid future water contamination by practicing LeaveNo Trace techniques for waste disposal.

Photo:Oliver Maass

Photo: Oliver Maass

TobeaticPhoto: Oliver Maass

Terence BayPhoto: Oliver MaassTerence BayPhoto: Oliver Maass

Keep itWild -A Code of EthicsNova Scotia’s Wilderness Areas protect some of our mostoutstanding, remaining wild spaces. Many of us alreadyknow that this wilderness is fragile and can be easilyspoiled by the use and activities of those who loveit most.

To retain the high quality of our wilderness, we mustall accept responsibility for minimizing our impact. ALeave No Trace approach depends more on attitude andawareness than on rules and regulations.

By adopting the guidelines outlined in this brochure,you will become equipped with the skills and habits thatwill enable you to Leave No Trace and help keep thewilderness wild.

DoYour PartYou can do your part in keeping ourWilderness Areaswild by:

• following the principles and standards outlined inthis brochure and making a commitment to Leave NoTrace practices.

• notifying staff of the Protected Areas Program or localoffices of the Department of Natural Resources of anyproblems you encounter.

You can also support ecological protection by:

• participating in regional conservation programs andvolunteering for local environmental initiatives.

• supporting provincial, national and internationalinitiatives for biodiversity conservation andprotection.

Photography & Illustrations: NSE and NSDNR,unless otherwise noted.Front cover image: Watercolour painting of Waverley—Salmon River Long Lake by Alice Reed

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2 0 0 8 U P D A T E

A GUIDE FOR

LOW IMPACT

RECREATION IN

NOVA SCOTIA’SWILDERNESS

AREAS

A GUIDE FOR

LOW IMPACT

RECREATION IN

NOVA SCOTIA’SWILDERNESS

AREAS

Our Natural LegacyBiodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals, andother living organisms in all their many forms and levelsof organization. It includes genes, species, and ecosystems,as well as the processes that link them together.

In applying the science of conservation biology, pro-tecting large natural areas from human disturbance pro-vides our best opportunity to maintain biodiversity andnatural processes.

But conserving biodiversity isn’t just about protectingplants and animals. It’s also about providing for our ownhealth, quality of life, and opportunities for the future.

In an increasingly urban and industrial world, wildspaces are rare and valuable assets for present and futuregenerations. Such spaces offer many benefits, and play anintegral role in sustainable land use.

Benefits of ProtectionWilderness Areas protect biodiversity and provide “envi-ronmental services” such as improving air quality, creat-ing and protecting soils and providing clean water.

They provide high quality wilderness recreation oppor-tunities and foster healthy lifestyles.

They help diversify local and regional economiesthrough nature tourism and marketing Nova Scotia as adesirable place to live and do business.

They offer places for spiritual renewal and inspirationin an increasingly busy and crowded world.

They serve as laboratories in which to monitor the nat-ural world and learn how ecosystems function and re-spond to stresses and change.

Keep ItWildKeep ItWildWilderness Areas1 Polletts Cove–Aspy

Fault2 Margaree River3 Jim Campbells Barren4 French River5 Sugarloaf Mountain6 Middle River7 North River8 Trout River9 Middle River–Framboise10 Gabarus11 Scatarie Island12 Ogden Round Lake13 Bonnet Lake Barrens14 Canso Coastal Barrens15 Liscomb River16 The Big Bog

17 Alder Grounds18 Boggy Lake19 Tangier Grand Lake20 White Lake21 Clattenburgh Brook22 Waverley–Salmon River

Long Lake23 Terence Bay24 Economy River25 Portapique River26 Cloud Lake27 McGill Lake28 Lake Rossignol29 Tobeatic30 Tidney River31 Bowers Meadows32 Eigg Mountain–

James River33 Gully Lake

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27

26

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13 14

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Wilderness Areas inNova ScotiaWilderness Areas are protected in Nova Scotia under theWilderness Areas Protection Act. The purpose of this Act isto provide for the establishment, management, protectionand use of wilderness areas, in perpetuity, for present andfuture generations, in order to achieve the following;

Primary objectives:

• maintain and restore the integrity of natural processesand biodiversity;

• protect representative examples of Nova Scotia’snatural landscapes and ecosystems;

• protect outstanding, unique, rare and vulnerablenatural features and phenomena,

Secondary objectives:

• provide reference points for determining the effects ofhuman activity on the natural environment;

• protect and provide opportunities for scientificresearch, environmental education and wildernessrecreation; and

• promote public consultation and community stewardship in the establishment and management of wilder-ness areas,

while providing opportunities for public access for sportfishing and traditional patterns of hunting and trapping.

Photo: Oliver Maass

Canso Coastal BarrensCanso Coastal Barrens