Timothy Halman

Five new wilderness areas and nine new nature reserves will be protected forever, the Nova Scotia government announced Wednesday. The new designations brings the total protected land in the province up to 13.45 per cent, according to a news release. Timothy Halman, minister of environment and climate change, says protecting nature benefits everyone, today and in the future. “Our government is protecting more of Nova Scotia’s land, wetlands and water for the many benefits they give us, helping us stay physically and mentally healthy, giving us clean air and drinking water, helping us fight climate change, strengthening biodiversity and preventing further biodiversity loss, providing habitat for wildlife and much more,” he said. …The climate minister also released the Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy, which “will guide the province’s work in achieving the goal to protect 20 per cent of Nova Scotia’s land and water mass,” the release says.