The Province recently announced the designation of two new Provincial Parks under the Provincial Parks Act.  Barra Forest-MacNeils Vale Provincial Park and St. Marys River Provincial Park are two unique parks which add greater protection and recreational opportunities in Nova Scotia. These two parks contribute to the province’s land protection goals as outlined in the Parks and Protected Areas Plan.

Barra Forest-MacNeils Vale Provincial Park is a relatively large area (733 ha) located in Victoria County that was donated to the province through the Nature Conservancy of Canada. It includes a portion of shoreline along Bras d’Or Lake in the well-known Maskells Harbour.

St. Marys River Provincial Park is a series of properties in both Pictou and Guysborough counties along the West and East St. Marys Rivers, totalling 3,214 ha. The St. Marys River is one of the longest rivers in Nova Scotia and has one of the last remaining populations of Atlantic salmon.  It’s home to several vulnerable species of birds and provides habitat for nationally threatened and provincially vulnerable Wood Turtle. It also includes a floodplain and old-growth forests.

The public are welcome to enjoy these lands, knowing that services are not provided at this time, and the Provincial Parks Act and regulations must be followed. As always, safety is your responsibility.