WRWEO Joins the Backlands Coalition
At a meeting on January 16th, 2014, The WRWEO Board approved WRWEO joining the Backlands Coalition . The Backlands, sometimes known as the Pucell's Cove Backlands, are lands enclosed by Herring Cove and Purcells Cove Roads, extending from Williams Lake at the northwest to Power's Pond at the southeast. (See map.)
Jack Pine/Broom Crowberry barrens
in
the Backlands. |
The stated mission of the Backlands Coalition is "to ensure no loss of wildlife habitat in the Backlands and to preserve them for natural, historical, cultural, conservation, educational, recreational and common use."
Protecting the Backlands would add an important chunk to the
set of protected areas and parks on the Chebucto Peninsula that collectively make up more than 50% of the area. A key concept in the arguments for protection of the Five Bridge Lakes Wilderness Area was that it would act as a hub for a network of conservation corridors that would make the Chebucto Peninusla a truly significant conservation area on the Chebucto Peninusla:
While there are now several provincial parks, two provincially protected areas, and at least one area protected under the Nova Scotia Nature Trust , these are smaller, rather isolated areas that will be highly suscep-tible to species loss in the future, especially given that the area is surrounded by seawater on three sides and by Highway 103 on the other. The FBLWA would be the largest block of protected land. Size is important because larger areas conserve more species over the long term than smaller areas. Further, lying in the centre of the peninsula, it would become the hub for a network of conservation corridors. In short, protection of the FBLWA is essential to realizing a truly significant conservation area on the Chebucto Peninsula.(From Reports from the CWC Steering Committee # 10, Aug 17, 2009).
Thus WRWEO is pleased to support the efforts of the Backlands Coalition. |