Tobeatic Wilderness Plan Set

Finally, after many years and much discussion the Tobeatic Wilderness Area Management Plan is a reality.

A key element to establishing the area as a true wilderness, vehicular access, was resolved. Nova Scotia Environment and Labour will not permit vehicle use in the wilderness area, with very few and highly regulated exceptions. As stated in the plan: “Unautorized vehicle use in Tobeatic Wilerness Area is wide-spread. This causes significant adverse environmental effects, diminishes unique and broadly valued wilderness hertiage values, creates considerable public safety and liability concerns, and presents significant challenges for management and enforcement. All unauthorized vehicle trails and routes will be retired. Without such action the area would have been wilderness in name only. Over the next 100 years, with the absense of logging and vehicular access the region will have an unprecedented opportunity to recover and evolve to a wilderness state.

Sportfishing, hunting, and trapping will be allowed but specifically managed as required for protection of wildlife poplulations and maintenance of ecological integrity. Baiting of animals for hunting will not be permitted. Except for a six-day primitive hunt no other hunting or trapping will be allowed in the Tobeatic Wildlife Management Area lands.

Campsite leases will be retired either by voluntary reassignment of land outside of the wilderness area or renewal with strict conditions and requirements valid only for the lifetime of current lease holders. There will be no land vehicle access to these sites. So, at some point in the future all lease sites will be eventually retired.

There are many other aspects of this plan that deal with less controversial aspects of wilderness area management and use. For a full review, go to: http://www.gov.ns.ca/enla/protectedareas/docs/TobeaticManagementPlan.pdf

Thanks to all on the Tobeatic Advisory Group, the public who took time to review and comment on draft plan, the DEL staff who finally got it all together, and the Minister who finally got around to signing it.