A mature Wabanaki (Acadian) forest in the St. Martins area has now been protected by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
The 233-hectare (575-acre) seaside forest was a partial land donation by the family of Ruby Brown of St. Martins.
Officials announced Wednesday that the Fundy Bay View Nature Reserve is dedicated in memory of the family’s patriarch, Austin Brown.
“We are pleased to have partnered with NCC to conserve this essential habitat where wildlife will continue to thrive,” said a statement from the Brown family.
“The Fundy Bay View Nature Reserve is dedicated in memory of Austin Brown, a wonderful husband and father who cherished this special landscape.”
The newly established nature reserve sits adjacent to a provincial conservation area and is close to the well-known St. Martins Sea Caves.
Nestled within the Quaco Bay Important Bird Area, a crucial stopover for migratory shorebirds, the nature reserve offers essential habitat for an assortment of wildlife and migratory birds, including several species protected under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
Over half of the forest is mature, coastal red spruce, with a mixture of balsam fir, red maple and white spruce. There are also wetlands and two freshwater brooks that provide nature-based solutions such as water purification and carbon storage.
In addition to the Brown family, the project was also made possible through donations from individuals, private donors, businesses and foundations. It was also supported by funding from the federal government through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund.