New Date – Field Trip for Marsh Elder and other plants Blue Beach – Sept. 20 10:00am

Posted on August 31, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Due to the possibility of lightning in the forecast for Sep 7, Allison MacNeil’s hike to see the Marsh Elder (Iva frutescens – rated vulnerable provincially) has been moved to Saturday Sep. 20 at 10:00am. Sunday Sep 21 will be held in reserve as a weather day. The field trip will still be at  Blue Beach near Lockhartville. This is because the restrictions for hiking in wooded areas remain in place for Kings County, but access to parks and beaches is still permitted.

There will also be the opportunity to visit Blue Beach Fossil Museum (open until 5:00)

Moderate difficulty, mostly rocky beach. Wear hiking boots or rubber boots. Duration an hour or so, unless going on to the Blue Beach Fossil Museum.

Contact Allison MacNeil with questions. Allison.MacNeil@smu.ca

Here is a link to the location: Blue Beach – Google Maps

Follow NS-101 to Kings County. Take exit 8A from NS-101 – Ben Jackson Connector E.

Turn left on Highway 1

In 1/ 2 km turn right on Hutchinson Rd, travel to end

Turn left on Bluff Rd., travel 1km then turn right onto Blue Beach Rd

Park at end

If anyone wants to carpool from Halifax, contact bob@grimsey.ca

 

 

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Mary Kennedy will be missed

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

 

Mary Kennedy riding the Zodiac with Bruce Hatcher on the NSWFS Field Trip to Scatarie Island in 2022

Mary Kennedy was an ardent naturalist and environmentalist, contributing to many organizations for many years. She sadly passed away on July 30.

Mary was an active member on many of the NSWFS hikes and was instrumental in introducing many of our members to iNaturalist. She prodded us each year to host a hike during the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge and she was very competitive in trying to get the HRM species count up. Every time we engaged with her, she was always full of good ideas and the energy to realize them.

She will be missed by many. Our condolences to Don and the rest of her family.

Obituary

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Happy Birthday Party for Shaw Wilderness Park

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

The Williams Lake Conservation Company, Backlands Coalition is celebrating Shaw Wilderness Park’s 5th Birthday on Monday, September 15th. The party is at Purcell’s Cove Social Club, 16 Shipside Lane, Purcell’s Cove, starting at 5:30.

The Coalition is celebrating 5 years of protected urban wilderness habitat in the Halifax Backlands and enjoyable recreation in this amazing park on Williams Lake in Spryfield. The park was among the first of the urban wilderness parks established in Canada. Its 380 acres include essential habitat for wildlife and breathing space for humans. It embraces 2 beautiful lakes, crucial wetlands, rare plant communities, hard and softwood forests and important streams. The process of securing protection for these unique lands began over 12 years ago by local volunteer groups and concerned citizens.

You are invited to join them as they acknowledge the community effort and generous work of many individuals who made this park a reality.

We are asking people to let us know if they are coming (RSVP backlands.coalition@gmail.com). As you know, we are a friendly crowd and we love to meet others who work toward supporting their communities. All are welcome. There is a cash bar for drinks and the party will provide some light snacks like sandwiches and cake. We may have a speaker or two for short tributes to this amazing wilderness park.

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Trip to see Atlantic Coastal Plains Flora Aug. 22-25 Cancelled, but Day Trip to Keji on

Posted on August 16, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Because of the limitations of the ban on hiking in the woods due to the current drought conditions, the trip to Yarmouth and SW Nova Scotia scheduled for August 22-25 has been cancelled. However, we will be doing a day trip to the lakeshore by Jeremy’s Bay campground in Kejimkujik National Park on Saturday Aug. 23 to look for the Manyflowered Marshpennywort in bloom. Please contact bob@grimsey.ca if you are interested in joining us.

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Christie Hagerman’s Native Species Nursery List August 2025

Posted on August 8, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

As part of a summer contract with HRM, Christie has created an extensive list of native species (cross-analyzed by Sam Jean at Acadia’s Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens) which 1. Show significant potential for planting on pollinator / naturalized lawns and 2. Can be found at nurseries within Wabanaki / the “Maritimes”.  She has contacted many of these nurseries personally and checked to see which native species can be readily available to folks who are interested in purchasing them. You can access it by clicking her name on our Gardening with Native Plants page here

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Marsh Elder and other plants of Kingsport Marsh – Sept. 7

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Allison MacNeil is being supported by the NSWFS in her research of the Marsh Elder – Iva frutescens. She has offered to host a field trip to see this rare plant in its native habitat at Kingsport Marsh on Sunday Sept. 7. We expect to find many other plants of interest in the marsh as well. Details to follow.

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Trip to see Atlantic Coastal Plains Flora Aug. 22-25

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

 

Rose Coreopsis and Plymouth Gentian from Wilson’s Lake. Photos Bob Kennedy

The trip to view the unique Atlantic Coastal Plains Flora in SW Nova Scotia is scheduled from Friday Aug. 22 to Monday Aug 25. We will meet for dinner in Yarmouth on Friday. On Saturday, events include a visit to a coastal marsh near Pleasant Lake, the various lakeshore flora of Wilson’s Lake and Sloane Lake. On Sunday we will visit the shore of Gilfillan Lake then onto Swain’s Bog near Barrington to see the Thread-leaved Sundew. We will stay in Liverpool Sunday night than head up to Mudflat Lake to see Sweet Pepperbush then on to Keji to hike a new trail.

If you are interested in some or all of this trip and you have not yet registered, please email bob@grimsey.ca

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Trip from Tusket to see Lyonia ligustrina (Maleberry) in bloom – July 19

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Photo: Jennifer Clifford – iNaturalist

Lyonia ligustrina is commonly known as Maleberry or, on iNaturalist as He-Huckleberry. It is related to blueberries and huckleberries, but is extremely rare in Canada. In fact there is only one known site which is about 40 minutes outside Yarmouth. Several members have been to see the plant, but not when it has been in bloom – so this is a field trip to the known site to try to find it in bloom.

It is a bit tricky to find the road entrance to the Maleberry, so Peter and Charles have suggested we all meet at the Petro-Can in Tusket at 10:00AM on Saturday July 19 and head off together from there. Exit Highway 103 at exit 33 and head south on highway 308 for a short distance to the Petro-Can on the left.

It is suggested that people travelling a distance stay overnight at the Comfort Inn in Yarmouth on July 18 (or another place of your choosing). For those staying overnight in Yarmouth on Friday or living nearby, we will organize a dinner together.

If you have not already registered, please contact us at novascotiawildflora@gmail.com. Let us know if you will be staying over on Friday and if you will be joining us for dinner.

 

 

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West Head Trip moved to Sunday June 29

Posted on June 26, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Due to the light rain forecast throughout the day on Saturday and the better conditions on Sunday, Jeremy has agreed to move the hike to West Head to Sunday June 29. We will meet at the trail-head at the end of West Head Rd, running south from Lockport at 10:30. Car pooling will be from the Museum of Natural History and the Keshen Goodman Public Library (Clayton Park), leaving at 8:00AM. If you are planning to carpool, but have not let us know, please do so. Jeremy’s car, leaving from the museum, is now full.

Peter Steiner will also be on the hike. He has a new job at Coastal Action, focused on helping manage the vegetation surveys at the Pemsɨk site (also known as Jones Harbour). They’re working on behalf of some Indigenous groups, including Melissa Labrador. He is inviting whoever is interested for a saltmarsh wander at  nearby Pemsɨk  after the West Head hike.

If at any time you need to contact me, my cell is 902 719-8456 – Bob Kennedy

 

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Orchids in bloom

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Bob Kennedy

Showy Lady’s Slipper – Cypripedium reginae                                 Tuberous Grasspink – Calopogon tuberosus

Some of our showiest orchids can now be seen in bloom across the province. According to Charlie, “Showy lady slippers in bloom now at Smiley’s Park. ( access only from hwy 14; bridges still out).
Arethusa ( dragons mouth orchid.) None at Herring Cove bog past 2 years. Calopogon now in Bloom at same location.
Arethusa in full bloom at Chebucto Reserve; large patches scattered around the barrens. (no calopogons seen there yet).”

There’s only a few closely guarded sites for the Lady’s Slipper, but the others can be seen in many of the bogs across the province.

Dragon’s Mouth – Arethusa bulbosa                                                                   Rose Pogonia – Pogonia ophioglossoides
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