Nova Scotia

• Nova Scotia Dept. Natural Resources Wildlife Division
  • Biodiversity Data and Information
    Lists key resources provided by DNR and other agencies.
  • NS Endangered Species Act: Legally Listed Species
    Endangered: 7 vascular plant species, 1 lichen species; Threatened: 3 vascular plant species; Vulnerable: 6 vascular plant species.
  • General Status Ranks of Wild Species in Nova Scotia
    “General Status Assessments, are by design – coarse grained. They…provide a “first-step tool” to help identify priorities for more detailed status evaluations, inventory, research and management.” Red Listed (at risk or maybe at risk) vascular plant species: 164; lichens: 13 spp.
  • Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre
    “The Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre (AC CDC) compiles and provides objective data about biological diversity in Atlantic Canada, and we undertake fieldwork to further knowledge of the distribution and status of species and ecological communities of conservation concern. All our efforts are in support of conservation-related decision making, research and education.” See Rarity Ranks and Legal Status by province on this website. Their lists site provide data similar to those in the General Status Ranks of Wild Species in Nova Scotia (listed above) but in a different format and with some additional information, e.g., global ranks for each species; as well, more bryophytes are listed.
  • Nova Scotia’s Species at Risk: Municipal & Community Stewardship
    Various resources for municipalities including species at risk by municipality, summaries of related legislation and species assessment classifications; power point presentations and guides for muncipalities, developers. A section on Species Status Assessments provides a helpful summary of global, national and sub-national schemes for classifying conservation status of species.
• Nova Scotia Dept. of Environment
  • Protected Areas The Nova Scotia Dept. Environment Protected Areas and Wetlands Branch is responsible for planning and managing Nova Scotia’s Wetlands, Wilderness Areas, Nature Reserves and Heritage Rivers, and for encouraging and supporting private land conservation.
  • The Nova Scotia Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act
    An act passed in 2007 which amongst many other goals, committed the province to legally protectiing 12% of the total land mass of the Province by the year 2015. (From the Act: “legally protected” includes designated and protected under the Wilderness Areas Protection Act, under the Special Places Protection Act, as a national park under the National Parks Act (Canada), under the Conservation Easements Act or under the Canada Wildlife Act (Canada), primarily dedicated to the protection of biodiversity and natural processes under the Provincial Parks Act or held by non-government charitable land trusts.) The Act is reviewed at five year intervals. See NSE EGSPA for more details.
  • The Nova Scotia Wilderness Protection Act
    “The Wilderness Areas Protection Act of 1998 provides the legal framework for establishing, managing, protecting and using Nova ScotiaÕs designated wilderness areas. The ActÕs primary objectives are to protect natural processes, biological diversity and outstanding natural features.” See also Act Summary and About Protected Areas
  • Nova Scotia Environmental Assessments
    The published EAs are an invaluable source of information on the occurrence of species and habitat in different parts of the province. The site provides access to EAs going back to the year 2000.
  • Nova Scotia Environment: Publications
    A page on the NSE website. It lists several publications on lichens, for example, Licence Application To Conduct Scientific Research In A Wilderness Area, Photo Gallery
• Nova Scotia Dept. of Natural Resources
  • Nova Scotia Natural Resources Strategy
    Two documents, released in August 2011, are available at this Dept. of Natural Resources site: The Path We Share: A Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia, 2011-2020 is a 10-year plan for Nova ScotiaÕs natural resources. From Strategy to Action takes the strategy to the implementation stage with 32 early actions.
  • Forest Ecosystem Classification
    In 2010 a provincial FEC was developed based on 10 years of field work and data analysis following standardized protocols. It contains identification keys, descriptive information, photographs, and management interpretations for 14 forest groups, 88 vegetation types, 19 soil types, 2 ecosite groups and 28 ecosites found within Nova Scotia. The classification was produced in three parts: Vegetation Types, Soil Types and Ecosites which are available as PDF documents.
  • Nova Scotia’s Wetland Inventory
    User friendly Map Viewer. Be sure to read the ArcIMS instructions
  • NS DNR Maps, Reports & Data
    “There is a wealth of information on the geology of Nova Scotia that can be accessed through the DNR library, the core library or online where you can search a number of our databases and download publications, maps and GIS data.”
• Nova Scotia’s Species at Risk
  Links for for Nova Scotia’s Species at Risk recovery teams and recovery projects.
• The State of Nova Scotia’s Coast Report (2009)
  A comprehensive report, including projected sea level changes, threats etc. Chapter 9: Coastal Ecosystems and Habitats
• CanLii Statutes and Regulations of Nova Scotia
  A convenient place to find details related to legal aspects of conservation; specifics of particular sites. Some examples:
  • N.S. Wilderness Areas Protection Act
  • Gully Lake Wilderness Area Designation, N.S. Reg. 91/2005
  • MacFarlane Woods Nature Reserve Ecological Site Designation, N.S. Reg. 128/88
• Nova Scotia’s Intact Forest Landscapes: Opportunities for Conservation Planning
  Global Forest Watch Canada document (2010-11-26). “This study mapped and analyzed Intact Forest Landscapes of Nova Scotia greater than 500 ha and highlighted opportunities that exist for conservation planning. Significant areas of Intact Forest Landscapes in Nova Scotia remain. The areas with the largest loss of Intact Forest Landscape blocks greater than 1,000 ha are Shelburne and Halifax counties. The vast majority of Intact Forest Landscape blocks larger than 500 ha remain on crown land.”
• Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources
  “UINR represents the five Mi’kmaq communities of Unama’ki and was formed to address concerns regarding natural resources and their sustainability.” Many helpful resources on the website, e.g.
  • Mi’kmaq Ecological Knowledge Distribution of Culturally Significant Plants,
  • Sustainable Hardwood Management in Today’s Acadian Forests
• GeoNova
  “The GeoNOVA Portal is the Province of Nova Scotia’s gateway to geographic information about Nova Scotia. Geographic data access is our goal.”
• Nova Scotia Nature Trust Interactive Map
  Use NSNT’s Interactive Map to view the 4,449 acres of wilderness the Nova Scotia Nature Trust currently has under protection.
• Nova Scotia’s Coastal Plain Flora : Conservation and recovery
  “Nova Scotia is home to a unique group of over 60 Coastal Plain wildflowers, herbs and plants; some of which grow nowhere else in Canada.” The document “National Recovery of the ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN FLORA VOLUME I The Multiple Species Recovery and Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (January 2005)” is no longer available from this site, but see: Field Guide to the Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora of Nova Scotia ACPF Field Guide(PDF document) produced by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust (2005).
• Ecological Assessment of the Plant Communities of the Williams Lake Backlands
  Report to the Willaims Lake Conservation Co., 2014. The report decsribes the plants communities of these backlands and highlights the globally rare Jack Pine/Broom Crowberry Barrens. See also: A Rare, Fire-Dependent Pine Barrens at the Wildland-Urban Interface of Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Otter Ponds Demonstration Forest
  “OPDF is managed by a unique partnership that includes four non-governmental organizations, a forestry company and the province. The partners jointly manage a 500-hectare (1,200-acre) Crown parcel near Mooseland, within the Halifax Regional Municipality….Otter Ponds demonstrates the philosophy, science, and practice of uneven-aged management in the Acadian Forest. “
• Nova Scotia’s Dry Bogs – Link Broken
  The main characteristic that allows the dry bogs to be easily recognizable is the dark green/brown Broom Crowberry (Corema conradii) which is typical of the dry bog sites. These sites are not actually bogs, as their name may imply. They are called dry bogs because their soil and plant composition is similar to a bog (high acidity and sandy soil composition), but they are very dry — hence the name dry bog. Dry bogs are sometimes referred to as “Pine Moorlands” because of their characteristic plants, including pine trees, and plant members from the heath family.

• • Ecoregions and Ecodistricts of Nova Scotia (1999)
    A classification developed by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and Environment Canada. See A National Ecological Framework for Canada (Environment Canada) for national coverage.

Natural Landscapes of Nova Scotia: Summary Descriptions (2002)

• A Report and Map produced by the Protected Areas Branch of Nova Scotia Dept. Environment are available online.

• Ecological Land Classification (2003)
  This is a product and ongoing project of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Renewable Resources Branch, with an orientation on forest management. Online maps and databases can be accessed through ths site.