N.S. nature group launches platform for virtual tours of protected lands

Massive cliffs tower over the shore near the Cape d’Or Lighthouse, near Advocate Harbour, N.S., on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. The Cliffs of Fundy has officially become a UNESCO Global Geopark. The area features about 40 designated sites from Debert to the Three Sisters cliffs past Eatonville, out to Isle Haute along Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

An environmental conservation organization in Nova Scotia is launching an online platform for users to explore the province’s protected, delicate and rarely seen ecosystems.

The Nova Scotia Nature Trust launched the virtual program “In Our Nature: The Hidden Wild” on Wednesday.

It features immersive 360-degree images, soundscapes, videos and expert voices, according to a news release from the organization.

“You can step into remote shorelines and tide pools and watch the seasons change with just a click,” reads the release.

So far, the platform offers virtual visits to the Blanche Peninsula on the southwest coast and the Plaister Cliffs on Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or.

The Nova Scotia Nature Trust protects more than 35,000 acres of natural land in the province. They’re generally open for low-impact activities like hiking, fishing, paddling and birding.

“While we welcome people to explore our conservation lands in person, we also want to reduce barriers and make it easier for everyone to experience the incredible nature that is protected, forever,” says Nature Trust’s communications manager Anna Weinstein in the news release.

She notes some locations have sheer cliffs or sinkholes that aren’t too welcoming to new hikers.

“We also know that not everyone has access to a vehicle to reach green spaces, or feels comfortable setting off into the woods. But everyone should have access to the wonder and magic of nature,” Weinstein says.

A third location will be virtually available later this spring and will feature a snow-covered river valley.

“Future stories will build a gallery of wild places and nature moments to explore,” reads the release.

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