New Brunswick’s Nature Legacy:
How can I enjoy a Protected Area?
What is a Protected Area?
A protected area is designed to conserve nature and associated ecosystem services and cultural values for the long term. Protected areas are home to many wildlife and plant species in forests, lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and along the coast. Forests in Protected Areas are allowed to grow old and maintain standing dead trees and large decaying trunks on the forest floor, which are important to the plants and wildlife that live there. Although Protected Areas are sites that allow nature to exist with minimal human interference, New Brunswickers are encouraged to enjoy wilderness experiences in most protected areas (with the exception of Class I Protected Natural Areas where access is restricted to protect sensitive features).
Be a responsible visitor, • Plan to leave no trace of your visit • Check if there are any site-specific restrictions in place when you plan to visit |
What can I do in a Protected Area?
Being in nature is fundamental to the lives of many New Brunswickers. Time spent in the wilderness provides an opportunity to recharge and reconnect with nature. New Brunswickers may continue to enjoy these newly designated natural spaces, by engaging in activities such as:
- Responsible use of hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and other non-motorized trails
- Short-term camping / campfires
- Canoeing/Kayaking
- Hunting, trapping, and recreational fishing subject to appropriate licences
- Guided hunting/fishing trips and outfitting
- Sustainable foraging (e.g. fiddleheads, nuts, berries, and mushrooms)
- Responsible use of snowmobiles, motorized bikes, and ATVs (e.g. use of well-maintained roads and trails)
What activities may be possible with careful planning and permissions?
Low impact commercial pursuits and other land uses may be compatible with Protected Areas such as:
- Scientific research and exploration leading to a better understanding of our environment, our resources, water, and wildlife.
- Building of non-motorized trails, stream crossings, or backcountry infrastructure to mitigate impacts from recreational use.
- Minor structures to support nature-based education and tourism.
- Maple sugaries that are operated to also conserve biodiversity.
To ensure that biodiversity is conserved, oversight or management actions may be needed to prevent impacts, depending on the activity.
What land uses are these areas
protected from?
To ensure New Brunswick’s new Protected Areas conserve biodiversity, the Government of New Brunswick protects these places from activities that may alter or damage the natural environment such as:
- New construction, excavation, or clearing that results in permanent ecosystem change
- Clearing of land to develop campground facilities
- Building new roads, pipelines, or transmission corridors
- Using a motor vehicle in a wetland or creating unauthorized trails
- Industrial extraction of natural resources including:
- Harvesting trees for firewood, pulp & paper, or timber
- Infrastructure to support mineral, oil & gas, peat, and/or aggregate extraction
- Clearing of land for agriculture
- Development of aquaculture
- Release of non-native or invasive plants or animals
- Disposal of garbage and other wastes
