902-425-5263 (LAND)
 |
| Photo by Jeff Amos |
“Mudflats and marshes teeming with life, salmon pools, lakes, brooks, rapids and still waters, turtle and eagle nest sites – combine to create a unique chain.”
| – George Archibald, St. Mary’s River Campaign Team Member, and Co-founder of the International Crane Foundation, speaking of the St. Mary’s River |
Launched in 2006, the St. Mary's River Conservation Legacy Campaign is an initiative by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust to preserve the most ecologically important lands along the St. Mary's River, in Guysborough County. In addition to being one of the province's most scenic and spectacular rivers, the St. Mary's also offers a tremendous ecological richness, supporting many unique ecological gems.
The St. Mary's is a world–renowned Atlantic salmon river supporting globally important Atlantic salmon habitat. Along its shores, the river supports some of the province's last remnants of Acadian floodplain and hemlock forests. The river also provides riparian habitat which serves as critical habitat and corridors for imperiled wildlife.
|
| Photo by Jeff Amos |
|
| Photo by Peter Green |
The Nature Trust's campaign will help reverse these trends and ensure the natural legacy of the St. Mary's is preserved, by securing some of the most ecologically important lands along the river, as "forever wild" conservation lands.
The long–term ecological health of the St. Mary's River depends greatly on both healthy land and water. This project complements "in–stream" conservation efforts by local resource groups with "land focused" conservation that contributes to intact shorelines and healthy riparian areas. The Nature Trust's expertise and resources in formal protection and management of private lands adds a unique new approach to conservation in the watershed.
|
| Photo by Len Wagg |
In July 2006, the Nature Trust celebrated the first major success of the St. Mary's River Conservation Legacy Campaign: the protection of 36 hectares of exceptional conservation land, including some of the province's last remaining old–growth floodplain and hemlock forests. Thanks to the foresight and generosity of the late Alex (Sandy) Cameron, his wife Shirley, and their family, the A.M. 'Sandy' Cameron Conservation Lands have been donated to the Nature Trust for permanent protection. Sincere thanks to the Cameron Family for this legacy gift.
|
| Photo by Leigh Paulseth |
The success of the St. Mary’s River Conservation Legacy Campaign continues. In April 2008, the Nature Trust, in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia, acquired a spectacular 90–hectare property on the West Branch of the river. The area, known as the Hemlock Falls Conservation Lands, supports intact old–growth forest, and contributes to habitat for Atlantic salmon. The property will be permanently protected as a Nature Reserve, the highest form of protection for provincially–owned lands. According to Jon Miller, Nature Trust supporter, the old–growth forests on this property are incredible. There are few places like it remaining in the province.
110 acres of outstanding waterfront land were given to the Nature Trust by the Anderson family in 2009. Three generations committed to preserving the ecological health of the river; Murray, his son Jamie, and Jamie’s son Reid all decided to name the property after Murray’s grandfather C.W. Anderson, a successful Sherbrooke-area businessman during the early 1900s. The property supports a bald eagle feeding site, as well as over 1,000 metres of shoreline along the main branch of the St. Mary’s River. This is a wonderful legacy for the Anderson family.
The most recent conservation land added to the campaign was acquired from Dale Archibald in 2009. The picturesque property protects over 16 acres of mature Acadian floodplain forest, some of the last of its kind in the province, and the river frontage is an important riparian area for wildlife along the river. Dale is the past president of the St. Mary’s River Association – an organization committed to restoring the St. Mary’s. Thanks to his foresight and conservation ethic, this property will preserve important habitat for imperiled wildlife, and a local family’s history and connection to the beloved St. Mary’s River.
The St. Mary's River Campaign has benefited greatly from the generous in–kind support of communications and graphic designers Nelson Angel and Mike Bardsley with Revolve, photographers Jeff Amos, Len Wagg, and Gilbert van Ryckevorsel, and television producer Terry Fulmer. We would also like to thank the Miller Family for their support.
We extend our sincere thanks to all our supporters who have made this project possible. These include the Government of Canada Habitat Stewardship Program for Species–at–Risk, the David and Faye Sobey Foundation, The Donner Canadian Foundation, ExxonMobil, EnCana Corporation, Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program, the Department of Natural Resources, the Nova Scotia Environment, the Elizabeth Wakefield Henderson Charitable Foundation, the Nova Scotia Habitat Conservation Fund (contributions from Hunters and Trappers), the McLean Foundation, the Sage Environmental Program, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the Shell Environmental Fund, the RBC Blue Water Project, Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, F.K. Morrow Foundation, Ascenta Health and the many individual donors that have contributed to the project.
We are also grateful to the many people who have volunteered to help this campaign, including: George Archibald, Hardy Eshbaugh, Tom Purves, Hugh Wright, Mark Pulsifer, Bill and Brenda Carpan, Jack and Florence Duffy, Marty Alpert, and Pat Foote.
Click here to read the most recent St. Mary's River Conservation Legacy Campaign newsletter
* Forever Wild St. Mary’s River Logo by Revolve
Media
Nature Trust Catches a Big One for Earth Day (Press Release April 21, 2008)
In Nature We Trust (Chronicle Herald May 13, 2007)
Everybody Loves Mary(Atlantic Salmon Journal, Summer 2006)
Lifestyle Nova Scotia Magazine, June-August 2006
Legacy of Love (Atlantic Salmon Journal, Winter 2006)
Nature Trust Celebrates Major Conservation Gift on St. Mary’s River (NSNT)
Cameron Property Closing a Wonderful Success (NSNT)
Battle Set for St. Mary’s (Chronicle Herald, May 30, 2006)
Lasting Legacy: Cameron’s donate land to Nature Trust (Guysborough Journal, July 19, 2006)
Major Project Sponsors
 |
David and Faye Sobey Foundation |  |
| Environment Canada's Habitat Stewardship Program for Species–at–Risk Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program | David and Faye Sobey Foundation | Donner Canadian Foundation |
 |
 |
 |
| ExxonMobil | Encana | EcoAction |
 |
 |
Elizabeth Wakefield Henderson Charitable Foundation |
| Department of Natural Resources | Department of Environment | Elizabeth Wakefield Henderson Charitable Foundation |
 |
 |
 |
| Nova Scotia Habitat Conservation Fund | Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline | RBC Bluewater Foundation |
How You Can Help
Your donation to the St. Mary’s River Campaign will help the Nature Trust continue to protect and steward important natural areas along the river, while the most significant natural features and processes are still intact. With your support, we can ensure that the St. Mary's River, one of Nova Scotia's ecological gems, is there for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.
For your donation of $200 or more, you will receive a free set of St. Mary's River notecards,
featuring the photography of Jeff Amos.