Sanctuaries and WMA's in Nova Scotia in jeopardy!!

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Sanctuaries no longer sacred

Critics fear Tories gunning to delist 13 areas set aside for wildlife management

By AMY SMITH / Provincial Reporter

Nova Scotians may soon hear the crack of hunting rifles in more provincial game sanctuaries.

Staff at the Natural Resources Department are recommending half of the province's 26 wildlife management areas and game sanctuaries lose those designations.

The government is seeking public opinion as part of a review of those areas and nine new ones being considered for designation.

"Most of the ones we want to do away with no longer serve the function for which they were established," Tony Duke, manager of wildlife resources with the department, said Friday.

The department proposes that areas in Blandford, Brule Point in Colchester County, Chignecto in Cumberland County, Liscomb, Louisbourg national park game sanctuary, Sunnybrae in Pictou County, Waverley, Abercrombie near the Pictou River, Dewey Creek near Kentville, Hibernia in Queens County, Manganese Mines near Truro, Minas Basin and Shubenacadie have designations removed.

Mr. Duke said Blandford, for example, was made a sanctuary to keep hunters away from mallard ducks that were introduced to the area.

"There aren't ducks there anymore," Mr. Duke said.

The Hibernia site was set aside in 1975 for tick research that ended a few years later.

Sanctuary was the original term for a designated area. Years later it was replaced by the term wildlife management area.

Natural Resources Minister Richard Hurlburt said this week he thinks the review will help enhance the province's sanctuaries.

Karen Potter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society said her group wants the Chignecto Game Sanctuary changed to a protected wilderness area, where commercial forestry and mining are prohibited. The area is inhabited by mainland moose, an endangered species.

Ms. Potter said the society is working on recommendations for the province.

NDP MLA John MacDonell said the government's review has put "the cart before the horse."

"They've kind of made their decision and now they are going to consult with the public," Mr. MacDonell said Friday.

He said it's important to find out why the areas no longer have any unique conservation value.

"The 13 that I have seen, I would be concerned about all of them," the Hants East MLA said.

He said the province has doubled the number of endangered species since 1999. He'd like more land added to Crown holdings and perhaps corridor areas created for wildlife movement.

Liberal MLA Gerald Sampson said if the 13 recommended areas are delisted, he'd like them to have more trails to get Nova Scotians, especially children, active.

"Why not take them out into the lap of nature?" said the MLA for Victoria-The Lakes.

The Natural Resources Department website says all areas that should lose their designations, with the exception of Waverley, have "no unique wildlife conservation values."

The recommendation says most of the Waverley Game Sanctuary is wilderness and doesn't need dual designation, adding the "high density of dwellings and roads in the rest of the sanctuary reduces its value for wildlife."

The area was made a sanctuary in 1926 at the request of the Canadian General Council of the Boy Scouts. Mr. Duke said it's unlikely hunting will be allowed near the area used by the scouts since their camp is close to homes.

Still, Mr. Duke said the Boy Scouts have been informed the camp could be designated a no-hunting area if necessary.

Barry Sabean, the department's director of wildlife, said government wildlife biologists have been studying the 26 areas for three years in trying to determine whether they still fit their original use.

Areas under consideration as wildlife management areas are in Missaguash/East Amherst, Belleisle near Annapolis Royal, Cape Sable Island, Peter McNab Kuhn in Cole Harbour, Ciboux Island off the coast of Victoria County in Cape Breton, the Brothers Island off Lower West Pubnico, Minas Basin, Grassy Islands in Lunenburg County and proposed additions to the Eastern Shore Islands wildlife management area.

Public comments on the review must be received by 4 p.m. on Feb. 28. Mail to: Sanctuary and Management Area Review, Wildlife Division, Department of Natural Resources, 136 Exhibition St., Kentville, N.S., B4N 4E5. Fax: 902-679-6176.

E-mail: [email protected]

I believe they are not doing this to better NS's sanctuaries and WMA's,i mean how can it be bettered if they are going to close already established areas that have been there the early 1900's.I think they are thinking of the almighty dollar that the forestry industry can make off the land in these areas!~!!Burns me real bad!!!i mean add some more areas,yes,but don't close the ones already there.The wildlife is really going to be affected by this decision.It's a **** shame.The NS GOV'T and DNR have already made for very less than good huntingin NS and add what the winters have done its real bad.