Species at Risk

Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site of Canada and the Atlantic Coastal Plain

Found on the east coast of Canada, the Atlantic Coast Uplands features lakes and rivers, several special forest types including 300-year-old hemlock stands, bogs, river floodplains, salt marshes and ocean coastline.

Where are the Atlantic Coast Uplands?

The Atlantic Coast Uplands Natural Region encompasses a large part of Nova Scotia. Its most diverse area is southwestern Nova Scotia, which extends from the southern tip of Nova Scotia to an imaginary line north of Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site of Canada. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Bay of Fundy to the west.

© Parks Canada / Michael Burzynski / 1991

Kejimkujik represents this natural region in Parks Canada's system of protected areas. The Park has two sections, one inland and one along the coast, which protect a number of diverse habitats. These include: beautiful lakes and rivers, bogs, several forest types including old-growth hemlock stands, river floodplains, salt marshes and ocean coastline.

© Parks Canada / James Steeves

Due to the nature of its location, the inland portion of Kejimkujik boasts the warmest average annual temperatures in Nova Scotia. The park also protects part of the Acadian Forest, which has a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees. The Acadian Forest occurs in a transition zone between northern boreal forests and southern deciduous forests.

These factors all contribute to the rich biodiversity in southwestern Nova Scotia.