East Pine Island Pond March 14th, 2013
About this siteFor years, I swam in Williams Lake & took our children there, but I didn't know much about the "backlands". Circa 2004, I set out to learn more about the plants, animals and landscapes in my bioregion & pretty quickly discovered The Purcell's Backlands.I was completely floored by their beauty and how the moods change with the season, and by the fact that within a kilometer of downtown Halifax (as the crow flies), one can leave the sound & most of the signs of civilization behind. Over the years since 2004, I participated in annual biodiversity surveys of the Purcell's Cove Conservation Lands - the only formally protected area in the Pucell's Backlands - by the Halifax Field Naturalists and walked into the backlands via several routes a dozen or more times each year. As I saw roads and housing developments beginning to penetrate the backlands, I became concerned about their preservation. I am an amateur photographer, a retired biologist and am fairly conversant in web stuff, so I prepared several web documents with lots of photographs to describe and highlight the natural history of the area. The compilation of links on this site began in 2012 as an effort to familiarize myself with the various issues, groups etc. related to the Purcell's Backlands. I hope they will be useful to others who want to learn more about the area and the issues. I welcome suggestions, corrections etc. Please send those to patriquiATdal.ca. 'Hope to see you in The Backlands! David Patriquin |