Newsletters | Sandy Lake Conservation Association

Bob led an enthusiastic group of about 40 on a forest walk at Sandy Lake. Organised by the Sandy Lake Conservation Association, www.sandylake.org, this event had three purposes: to celebrate Earth Day; to recognise the city’s work to create a Green Network; and to launch the Sandy Lake Regional Park Coalition.

Bob is a keen naturalist and forest ecologist retired from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources after 30 years as a Chief Technician and Forest Health Specialist. He taught participants about the pit and mound topography that is unique to old growth Acadian forests; the significance of the select-cut tree stumps that are 60-80 years old; and why dead trees in wooded areas are not a ‘mess’ to be removed, but are best left as natural habitat for woodland creatures and, just as important, as natural fertilizer for the next generation of trees. Also, just as importantly as well, these dead trees pose no real fire risk. Old growth forests like this are becoming rare in Nova Scotia and desperately need bylaw protection as is done in Slovakia.

Acadian Forest’s Love Affair

We also learned about the recent awareness of the invisible plant connectivity, and life, taking place underground which people cannot see. (Scientists have injected isotopes into a tree and a year later they were found in another tree on the other side of its forested area.) Also, small trees are actually fed by big ones!
Miraculously, a Barred Owl flew over us at one point, and we spent a few minutes just ‘forest-bathing’ – stopping for a while to quietly listen to the sounds around us. One woman commented that she would never look at the woods in the same way again.

Forest “Bathing”

Holding spotted salamander eggs

Bob expressed that forests like this should be available to every child.

City Councillors Steve Craig, Tim Outhit, and Matt Whitman and family members took part, along with community members and representatives from several of the newly formed coalition’s groups. Jenny Lugar of Our HRM Alliance highlighted the eagerness with which we await the city’s Green Network Plan. Clarence Stevens of the Halifax Field Naturalists and the Turtle Patrol added to the day by providing interesting information on birds and reptiles, and he inspired a spring trash pick-up activity during the walk.

The Sandy Lake Conservation Association and Sackville Rivers Association are coordinating efforts to protect the watershed and ecosystems of Sandy Lake, Marsh Lake, Jack Lake, and the Sackville River, in the form of a regional park. We thank Bob Guscott for this truly unforgettable forest walk. Thank you also to the Bedford Lions Club for the beautiful natural beach at Sandy Lake, and to the City of Halifax for the park lands protected to date. And, to Dr. David Patriquin, our sincere thanks for his biological overview of the area.

To date, this coalition is comprised of: SLCA (Sandy Lake Conservation Association), SRA (Sackville Rivers Association), Agropur Cooperative Dairy Bedford Plant, Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Rails to Trails, Canoe/Kayak Nova Scotia, Ecology Action Centre, Five Bridges Wilderness Heritage Trust, Friends of McNabs Island Society, Halifax North West Trails Association, Nova Scotia Bird Society, Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society, St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association, The Halifax Field Naturalists, The Turtle Patrol, WRWEO / The Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail, and more are being added.

Thanks to everyone for their support

To see more pictures and science go to Dr. David Patriquin’s website, www.sandylakebedford.ca
and hear David’s talk of Dec 6 2018 for the SRA: http://goo.gl/ipYCR2

HRM purchase of 160 acres from Armoyan
In 2015 Halifax acquired 160 acres of forested lands from the developer who had cleared the 200 acres. Below is the city’s conceptual map that accompanied the recommendation from city staff.