Nova Scotia Woodlands

07/14/2026

07/05/2026

Applications for Nova Scotia’s annual antlerless deer draw open July 6, with 6,025 stamps available for the 2026 season. This program helps support healthy, balanced deer populations across the province by allowing licensed hunters to harvest antlerless deer in designated management zones.

Applications close July 31. Learn more and apply through HuntNS.

https://huntns.ca/

📷: Dean Dillman, Biologist, DNR

07/03/2026

Vote by Saturday at midnight to help name Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources' four new helicopters at https://surveys.novascotia.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=nlL07m762

🚁 Will they be named after our beaches (Ingonish/Melmerby/Mavillette/Rissers)?
🚁 Or a flock of Nova Scotian birds (Osprey/Eagle/Hawk/Falcon)?
🚁 Maybe famous Nova Scotian landmarks (Keji/Fundy/Cabot/Peggy)?
🚁 Or the beautiful trees that cover our province (Spruce/Pine/Oak/Maple)?

Have your say!

02/14/2024

NATURAL RESOURCES/RENEWABLES--15 New Provincial Parks to be Designated, Two Expanded
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NOTE: The list of parks follows this release.
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Nova Scotians will soon be able to enjoy 15 new provincial parks and more space at two others.

These designations of Crown land will put the Province more than halfway to its commitment of having 205 provincial parks, part of the parks and protected areas plan.

“Nova Scotia is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and we are taking significant steps to protect this beauty for generations to come,” said Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. “These parks help protect biodiversity and give Nova Scotians more places to get outside and enjoy nature.”

The new and expanded parks include natural landscapes and cultural heritage. They are home to a wide variety of plants and animals. They also provide outdoor recreation and educational opportunities.

Under the designations, most of the parks will be managed as natural environment parks so their unique environmental and cultural heritage can be protected.

Quick Facts:
- the designations will cover about 1,150 hectares
- designating Crown lands furthers the Province’s goal of protecting 20 per cent of Nova Scotia’s land and water mass by 2030
- some survey work and administrative steps are necessary before the designation is complete; this is common when designating parks and protected areas
- once fully designated, the new parks will be added to the provincial parks website

Additional Resources:
Our Parks and Protected Areas: A Plan for Nova Scotia:https://novascotia.ca/parksandprotectedareas/pdf/Parks-Protected-Plan.pdf

Provincial parks website: https://parks.novascotia.ca/

News Release – Owls Head Provincial Park Designation: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2022/06/14/owls-head-provincial-park-designation

News release – New Provincial Park Designations in Antigonish County: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2022/10/18/new-provincial-park-designations-antigonish-county

News release – Carters Beach to be Designated as Provincial Park: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/11/29/carters-beach-be-designated-provincial-park

Collaborative Protected Areas Strategy:https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/protectedareas/docs/collaborative-protected-areas-strategy-en.pdf

Natural Resources and Renewables on X (formerlyTwitter): https://twitter.com/NS_DNRR

Account not monitored 24/7. Call 1-800-565-2224 to report wildfires, poaching or emergency wildlife situations.

11/22/2023

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT--Forestry Trust Announces Funding for New Program
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NOTE: This release is issued on behalf of the Forestry Innovation Transition Trust.
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The Nova Scotia Forestry Innovation Transition Trust is investing $9.85 million in a new program to support businesses facing increased costs from adopting more sustainable forestry practices.

Under the Ecologically Sustainable Forestry Equipment Program, businesses will be able to apply for a grant to help with the cost of buying or retrofitting equipment for sustainable harvesting operations. An eligible business could receive up to $500,000 in total from the program.

Available grants include:
-- up to 35 per cent of the purchase price for new equipment (maximum grant of $250,000)
-- up to 30 per cent for used equipment (maximum grant of $125,000)
-- up to 30 per cent for retrofits (maximum grant of $100,000).

The trust is developing criteria and application requirements for the program, which will be administered through Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC).

Quotes:
"This program will provide critical support to the forestry sector as it transitions and adopts more ecological approaches to forest management. This will ensure the sustainability of harvesting operations and the sector over the long term."
- Rosalind Penfound, Chair, Forestry Innovation Transition Trust

"This tremendous multimillion-dollar investment from the Forestry Innovation Transition Trust builds on the important work of our Centre of Forest Innovation. The Ecologically Sustainable Forestry Equipment Program will go a long way to help modernize and make more sustainable the work of this important provincial sector."
- Don Bureaux, President, Nova Scotia Community College

"We are grateful for the support to help our contractors make the necessary equipment upgrades to assist in our transition to sustainable ecological forestry practices. This support comes at a time when the sector is facing increased costs to transition to ecological forestry and will have positive impacts across the whole sector."
- Angela MacGillivary, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Forestry Contractors' Association

"As private woodlot owners, we appreciate this financial support for forestry contractors to upgrade their equipment. The assistance for upgrades is essential for our members to be part of the transition to the triad approach to ecological forestry while getting an acceptable price for our wood."
- Debbie Reeves, Chair, Large Private Non-Industrial Landowners of Nova Scotia

Quick Facts:
-- there are now 19 approved projects under the trust with total commitments of $38.4 million; it will remain open for new applications until March 31, 2025, or until funds have been spent
-- the trustees are Rosalind Penfound, Douglas Hall and David Saxton
-- projects may include the development of high-value products and/or new and enhanced business models, processes or services, inclusive economic growth opportunities and new ecological services
-- the trust accepts applications from businesses, organizations and post-secondary institutions three times a year; 2023 applications will be accepted again in December
-- forestry workers can apply at any time for funding to support training or retraining

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Media Contact: Tracy Barron
Cell: 902-223-1465
E-mail: [email protected]

08/16/2023

Learn about ticks and how to keep yourself safe this summer!

07/19/2023

Application for the Anterless Deer Draw are still open!

Open until noon this Friday July 21, applications are still being accepted for the anterless deer draw.

For more information visit:

Online services for Nova Scotia hunters.

07/14/2023

This Saturday July 15 is Canada’s Parks Day!

Get out and visit a park this weekend, enjoy swimming, hiking, and more!

NS Provincial Parks are excited to celebrate Canada’s Parks Day with you! Canada’s Parks Day is Saturday July 15th and marks the kick-off to this season’s events at provincial parks. We encourage everyone to visit a park near you this weekend, where you can enjoy hiking, swimming, and more.

Parks Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in July in all types of parks (municipal, provincial and federal).

NS Parks events include:
- Make and Fly a Kite, Blomidon, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Smokey Bear and Cake, Blomidon, 1 p.m.
- Wildflower Walk, Blomidon, 3:30 p.m.
- Learn to Camp Workshop, Five Islands, 10 a.m. (registration closed)*
- Clam Digging, Five Islands, 5:30 p.m.
- McNabs Island Tours

This parks day, we also celebrate park anniversaries. In 2023, we recognize these milestones:
- Blomidon, 50 years
- Caribou-Munroes Island, 65 years
- Porters Lake, 55 years
- Boylston, 55 years
- Rissers Beach, 50 years
- The Islands, 65 years

Be sure to share your Parks Day adventures using the hashtag , or by tagging

For more information on the events, visit https://parks.novascotia.ca/news-and-events/park-event-listing