Angevine Lake is the largest lake in Cumberland county, Nova Scotia and the closest to the Northumberland Strait. A portion of the land bordering the lake supports cottage development but most is owned by the province and a local lumber company. Fracking for natural gas, clearcutting for pulp wood and forestry pesticide spraying practises threaten this lake and there is now an opportunity to petition the Nova Scotia government to protect the abutting Crown Land under their 12 percent land protection target. Angevine Lake is representative of the Northumberland Lowlands landscape and thus far there is no land in this landscape type under protection.
Why protect Angevine Lake? This Lake and environs have proven to be exceptionally biodiverse as well as to be supporting a large number of rare species. For this reason it was categorized as being a "Tier 1" (first priority for future protection) property in the 2007 Colin Stewart Forest Report.
Angevine Lake has the highest documented biodiversity for herpetological species in the province (salamanders, frogs and snakes) and is the only crown owned site for the endangered Ram's Head Lady Slipper. It provides diverse habitat for bald eagles, loons, pileated woodpeckers, wood ducks, various owls, hermit thrush, black bear, deer among other birds and mammals. It also has a thriving population of odes (dragonflies and damselflies); three of which are known to be rare. In addition to the Ram's Head Lady Slipper, rare plants in the environs of the lake include hepatica, black ash, halberd leaved tearthumb, blue cohosh, yellow violet and a rare lichen (Collema leptaleum) among others. The old and near old growth forest surrounding the lake is some of the last remaining in the county. Please add your name to those wanting to protect this important habitat from future exploitation by the natural gas and pulp and paper industries.
We the undersigned:
Want protection for Angevine Lake. This lake, on the north shore of Cumberland County, is an important and sensitive ecosystem. The crown land which abuts the lake needs protection from future clearcutting and natural gas exploration and exploitation, notably "fracking". This is the only crown land which provides habitat for the endangered ram's head lady slipper. The Nova Scotia herpetological atlas documents that this lake is also the most biodiverse in Nova Sotia for amphibians, an extremely sensitive group to any changes in the chemistry of an aquatic system. The old growth and near old growth remaining around the lake is some of the last left standing in Cumberland County after aggressive clearcutting in the region over the last 15 years. We ask that you stand with us to protect Angevine Lake and forest and the species which depend on it by setting aside the entire crown land blocks north and south of the lake in Nova Scotia's 12% target for protection.
Thank-you for taking the time to read and consider our concerns.
