Effort to protect Maritime marshland for endangered mainland moose

Maintaining Maritime marshlands for mainland moose Efforts have begun to protect N.B. and N.S. Marshlands, which is integral to the mainland moose's survival. Jonathan MacInnis reports.

HALIFAX — Efforts have begun to protect marshlands in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which are integral to the endangered mainland moose's survival.

The marshlands and forest along the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are an important land for the endangered mainland moose.

It’s a combination of bog and forest, both spectacular and primitive. But experts say the 1400 acres are now under threat.

“Unfortunately a lot of it is being lost to farming, roads and other development, so there’s less habitat there for animals to move around,” says Andrew Holland of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “So the Nature Conservancy of Canada is in a race to try to protect the best of what’s left.”

This land was owned by Hans Caemmerer, a former soldier of the German army who fought in the Second World War.

It was passed down to his daughter who is now giving it to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

“Her late father was a prisoner of war in World War II, and ultimately came to Canada and the United States on vacation, fell in love with this part of New Brunswick and ended up buying these parcels of land, and now her intent is to donate them back,” says Holland.

This stretch of land straddling the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick border on the Chignecto Isthmus plays a significant role in the NCC’s so-called ‘Moose Sex Project’.

“Our intent is to conserve it to allow New Brunswick moose to move over into Nova Scotia, and try to give moose in mainland Nova Scotia a fighting chance to survive by boosting the population numbers and the gene pool,” says Holland.

If that doesn’t happen, the mainland moose could be in even bigger trouble.

“It’s important for moose, mainland moose are endangered in Nova Scotia where surveys estimate there are 100 animals," explains Holland.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is looking to raise $130,000 to cover things like surveys and legal fees in an attempt to encourage cross border breeding.

The total area now protected by the NCC is 4,800 acres.