Pleasant River couple donates piece of property to Nature Trust of Nova Scotia

As precious as the land is to Wayne and Bertha (Birdie) Fiddes, the couple has donated a piece of it to the Nature Trust of Nova Scotia. 

The retired couple live in Pleasant River, N.S., and say they made the decision because they wanted to ensure that the land was preserved for generations to come.

"So much of the land in Nova Scotia has been cut over and there is not as much space for varying species like red coyotes and birds, so we thought it was important to donate some land," Bertha said.

The 16.2-hectare property is made up of two parcels and is a mix of forest and wetland. It is south of the Rails-to-Trails in the Pleasant River area, and east of Kejimkujik National Park.

The property has been in Bertha's family since the 1850s. But the couple said they are happy to play a role in the province's conservation legacy. 

The couple's two children are supportive of the decision despite the increasing value of land.

"We wanted to make sure that the land would still be available for other people to use and help preserve nature there," Wayne said.

Bonnie Sutherland, the executive director of the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, said the land is a valuable part of Nova Scotia's habitat for diverse species and will be used for science and education.

"It's part of what's considered one of Canada's 11 priority places for conservation because of its incredibly rich biodiversity," she said. 

The land is home to a number of at-risk and endangered plant species, including Blanding's turtles, olive-sided flycatchers, Canada warblers, eastern ribbon snakes and wrinkled shingle lichen. Sutherland said that the land is a designated critical habitat for these species. 

She said that over 65 per cent of Nova Scotia land is privately owned and most is subdivided into small parcels "so a donation of 40 acres of such high priority conservation lands is definitely significant and a great win for nature."

The donation is exciting, she said, because it builds on other areas already protected by the trust. It is also close to the Pu'tlaqne'katik Wilderness Area that the province has protected. 

The Fiddes's donation is also an addition to the trust's Deep Brook Bog conservation lands, which was donated by their neighbour years ago. This played a role in their decision because it allows species to roam and grow naturally instead of within a restricted area.

"It's a nice long stretch of property," Bertha said.

Bertha and Wayne say they are pleased that they can still access the land. 

"We can still walk on the land and enjoy the land, just not damage it in any way,' Bertha said. "It's still there and it will always be there, so anyone can enjoy it."