Ecological
Connectivity
Concerns
The world is experiencing a biodiversity crisis as landscapes fall to human and industry pressures.
The Nova Scotia Environmental Assessment Branch recently updated their Guide to Preparing an Environmental Assessment Registration for Wind Projects.
It states wind proponents should ‘avoid relatively intact natural areas’ that are ‘therefore critical to biodiversity conservation at the landscape level.
The proposed industrial wind turbine project areas are in a ‘relatively intact natural area’ at the landscape level.
It also states that proponents should ‘avoid lands that are important for regional ecological connectivity’ ‘including between relatively intact natural areas and between protected areas.'
All proposed wind turbine locations are in areas critical for regional ecological connectivity.
Conservation scientists recognize Higgins Mountain as a critical bio-diversity connectivity area in Nova Scotia connecting species with the rest of North America. Nova Scotia’s endangered mainland moose frequent the area seasonally and travel through project area as they connect between the Wentworth Valley Wilderness Area and the Portapique Wilderness Area.
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