Special Places: Eco-lessons from the National Parks in Atlantic Canada

Opinion Sheet: Kejimkujik National Park of Canada

This park is located in Nova Scotia. The purpose of the park is to protect a nationally significant and representative area of the Southwest Nova Scotia Uplands. The public is encouraged to understand, appreciate and enjoy the park heritage resources in such a way that they are left unimpaired for future generations.

Kejimkujik offers such activities as canoeing, hiking, camping, swimming, cross-country skiing and wilderness exploration. There are more than 50,000 visitors per year.

The park is concerned about maintaining a balance between increasing visitor use and the continuing need to protect the park’s ecological and cultural resources.

Park Manager

© Parks Canada / Don Pentz

“ As Park Manager, I realize we must balance the need for protection of the many special plants and animals in the park with the growing demand of campers, hikers, paddlers and others who wish to enjoy every aspect of this amazing park.

We want to protect endangered and threatened species, petroglyphs and other cultural resources, as well as some sensitive habitats.This means that public access to some areas must be limited.

We must follow the guiding principles of the National Parks Act but do have our own Management Plan. It will guide the protection, use and development over the next 15 years.”

Environmentalist

© Parks Canada / Don Pentz

“ The piping plover is one of several endangered species that can be found in the park. Increased beach use and development in coastal areas has meant that their numbers have been reduced. Also, with more people comes more garbage, so there is an increase in scavenger species such as seagulls and crows, which prey on the eggs and chicks in plover nests.

Until 1990, the Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct had the largest piping plover population in Nova Scotia. However, severe storms and nest predation have increased.The park has put up fences and signs to reduce human disturbance during nesting season.”

Park Visitor

© Parks Canada / Don Pentz

“ I want to have a great outdoor experience; do some backcountry camping, canoeing, sightseeing and take in cultural history presentations. I like all the services available to me – the short walking trails, the picnic areas and the interpretive/rest stops along those trails. I am one of the 17,500 campers who enjoy Jeremy’s Bay Campground during the summer season.

I want to see the piping plover, and I want a chance to get as close to their nests as possible. I particularly like hiking on St. Catherine’s River Beach and would like to watch the birds. However, I can’t do that during their nesting season because the beach is closed to me while they nest.”

Mi’kmaq

© Parks Canada / Don Pentz

“ I am native to this area. My people have lived here for over 4,000 years, and have many stories to tell about the history of the area and our people.

The Mi’kmaq feel that there are sacred and important areas within the park.We wish to work as staff at Kejimkujik so we can share our special feelings about these places with visitors so that they will respect and protect them.”