Its been a very busy few days for us here.  

On Wednesday we released rare footage of Atlantic salmon in McKeen’s Brook an important tributary to the St. Mary’s river for spawning Atlantic Salmon.  McKeen’s Brook is very significant to the proposed gold mine because part of it will be chewed up by the 260 acre/230foot high tailings impoundment, the effluent will flow into the brook and any run off or dam failure will devastate the McKeen Brook drainage basin. 

Besides being some of the most important habitat for salmon spawning in the St. Mary’s River Mckeen’s Brook also has a large population of endangered wood turtles.  Who knew these creatures liked clean water!  The footage captured by photographer team Nick Hawkins and Tom Cheney clearly shows multiple salmon on their nests or redds.  The footage and story have now gone National and I personally am quite overcome with excitement. 

The Atlantic Salmon Federation has created a webpage dedicate to the cause and story.  You can send a letter to the Premier from here with your displeasure of a gold mine being allowed to come to such an important ecological provincial gem right here with the click of a button:

https://www.asf.ca/news-and-magazine/news-releases/silver-more-precious-than-gold

You can watch our video here:  https://youtu.be/xCtkRGlTH40

We must not forget about the consultation period for Archibald Lake Wilderness Area as well.  We have until March 9th to let the Provincial GOvernemnt know that we want this 684 hectares of land protected.  This protection designation will cut off the gold mines proposed water source for production.  If you have not sent in a letter you still can and it really doesn’t have to be much.  Just say I want it protected!

https://novascotia.ca/parksandprotectedareas/

Submit comments by 9 March, 2020 to:  protectedareas@novascotia.ca.

You can also share comments by mail or phone:
Protected Areas and Ecosystems
PO Box 442
Halifax, NS B3J 2P8