Waverley–Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area
The Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area is a provincial wilderness area located about 20 kilometers east of Dartmouth Nova Scotia, Canada.
| Waverley - Salmon River Long Lake Wilderness Area | |
|---|---|
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area) | |
| Location | Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Nearest city | Porters Lake, Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Coordinates | 44°46′32″N 63°23′54″W |
| Area | 8,710 ha (87.1 km2) |
| Governing body | Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources |
Geographical description
The wilderness area represents the Eastern Shore Granite Ridge, one of Nova Scotia's many natural areas. It features a rugged wilderness of lakes, rivers, and barren granite hills in the south. In the north, the bedrock is quartzite and slate, and the terrain is much less hilly.[1]
Some of the hills found in the wilderness area reach over 100 meters tall, and Jack Pine (an uncommon tree in Nova Scotia) grows in abundance on the hills. The wilderness area features pockets of old-growth Red Pine, White Pine, and hemlock.[2] Due to the hilly nature of the terrain, much of the old-growth softwood forest is well-drained. The valleys of the wilderness area, which are much wetter, feature Black Spruce and Balsam Fir, and the occasional Red Maple or White Birch grows amongst the softwoods. Part of the watershed that feeds Lake Major, the main water supply for the City of Dartmouth is contained within this wilderness area. The southern part of the wilderness area, including West Lake and Granite Lake and the Salmon River can be accessed via the Crowbar Lake Hiking Trail.[3]
In 2011, the Wilderness Area was enlarged, with all the land around Three Bridges Brook becoming protected.[4]
Nearby wilderness areas featuring similar topography, flora, and fauna include the White Lake Wilderness Area, Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Area, and Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area.
