CPAWS welcomes national park for Sable Island

HALIFAX – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) welcomes today’s announcement that the Federal and Nova Scotia governments have reached an agreement that will see Sable Island protected as a national park.

“Sable Island is an iconic wilderness”, says Chris Miller, National Conservation Biologist for CPAWS, based in Halifax. “We’re pleased that the national park designation is moving ahead to protect the ecological integrity of the island”.

Sable Island is a sandy, windswept island located 160km off the eastern coast of Nova Scotia.  It is well known for its population of wild horses, but is also significant for having the largest dunes in eastern North America, the largest breeding population of grey seals in the world, and several species at risk including the roseate tern and the only known breeding location in the world for the Ipswich Savannah Sparrow.

“For far too long Sable Island has fallen through the cracks”, says Miller. “With the national park designation, the ecological significance of the island will take on a higher priority and the valuable scientific research that is occurring there will continue.”

Today, the federal and Nova Scotia governments also announced that the Offshore Implementation Acts will be amended to permanently prohibit offshore oil and gas drilling on the surface of Sable Island.  This was required because of the way the Offshore Implementation Acts stack up against the National Parks Act.  Sub-surface drilling beneath the island remains a possibility.  Sable Island occurs in an area of active offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction.

CPAWS has formed a coalition with the Sable Island Green Horse Society and the Ecology Action Centre to ensure that the national park protects the ecological integrity of the island.  This includes pushing for limits on the amount of visitors to the ecologically sensitive island, promoting off-island visitor experiences, ensuring continued scientific research on the island, and ensuring conservation remains the top priority for the management of the island.

CPAWS congratulates the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia for taking important steps to protect Sable Island as a national park and to bring its magnificent story to all Canadians.

Contact:
Chris Miller
National Conservation Biologist
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
902-446-4155
cmiller@cpaws.org