Reports and articles from scientists on the high biodiversity of Owls Head Provincial Park Reserve
The Nova Scotia Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS-NS) has released a valuable report documenting its field surveys at Owls Head Provincial Park. “Located on Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore, Owls Head is an intact coastal wilderness of high conservation value that has been a priority for protection Read more…
We are pleased to share this incredible artwork of Owls Head Provincial Park from the talented Molly Wells. The biodiversity of Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore is so beautiful. Thank you to CPAWS-NS for supporting this piece and for their support for Owls Head Provincial Park. Amazing artwork by Molly Wells Read more…
From Nova Scotia Species at Risk The endangered leatherback sea turtle is an annual visitor along the shore of Owls Head Provincial Park, spotted here most recently feeding on jellyfish last July. The World’s Best-Travelled Reptile The leatherback sea turtle (Mi’kmawi’simk: mikjikj) is by a considerable stretch the world’s most Read more…
Lead: Dr. Kristina Boerder, Dalhousie University I’d like to share the Science Overview Report for the 2021 field season. The document also includes the budget from the GoFundMe campaign including our expenses – shout out to more than 30 very generous people supporting our scientific work and a big THANK Read more…
It’s World Wetland Day! We know that Owls Head Provincial Park has extensive wetlands, but how much do you know about wetlands? Test your knowledge with our #WWDNova Scotia trivia questions, with help from our friends at the Ecology Action Centre
1. According to the International Guidelines on Nature-Based Features, areas of the United States that had more wetlands experienced a _____% reduction in damages during Hurricane Sandy.
a) 5%
b) 15%
c) 25%
d) 30%
It [the IPBES report] identifies actions to simultaneously fight both crises, including expanding nature reserves and restoring—or halting the loss of—ecosystems rich in species and carbon, such as forests, natural grasslands and kelp forests.
The only way Bill 57 addresses the biodiversity crisis is by mandating the protection of 20% of our land and water by 2030. This is a definite improvement over previous goals but I would urge that we need an earlier target of 2025. This will not be easy to achieve but it is essential. Our federal government has agreed to implement the UN’s goal of protecting 30% of lands and waters on earth by 2030.
Here in Nova Scotia, we should get cracking on our 20% target. First on the to-do list: restore Owls Head, with its globally rare ecosystem, to the list of proposed Parks and Protected Areas then immediately protect all the areas on the PPA list.
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Why Our Elections Need to be about Hectares, Not Just Climate Change
We need to conserve this nation with every bit the vigor we apply to climate change, and our government will not – in fact it cannot – succeed in either case without robust public engagement. So, while each of us reconciles our carbon footprint, with electric cars, vegan diets, heat pumps and solar panels, we must also identify those remaining patches of wilderness we’re willing to fight for, and insist they one day constitute our 30 per cent by 2030. Then we need to go find more.
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Click to enlarge I’m very happy to share the first results and impressions from our recent scientific survey work in the stunningly dense and beautiful eelgrass beds around Owls Head Provincial Park! We spent about 4 hours in the water to measure and survey eelgrass along 100m of transect and Read more…