A new poll released this week has found that over two-thirds of Nova Scotians believe more land should be protected.
Released on Wednesday, which is also Earth Day, the survey conducted by Narrative Research shows that 67 per cent of respondents believe the Nova Scotia government should create more protected wilderness areas.
The survey pointed out that Canada has committed to reaching 30 per cent legal land protection by 2030, with Nova Scotia setting that target at 20 per cent by that date.
According to a release from the Ecology Action Centre, Nova Scotia’s current rate sits at 14 per cent.
EAC senior wilderness coordinator Raymond Plourde says those strong polling results in favour of protection are consistent with previous polls.
“This is a sacred trust from present to future generations, and the government must meet that trust. The Houston government needs to accelerate their efforts and protect more public land quickly,” says Plourde in the release. “We only have three and a half years left to get there.”
Survey respondents overwhelmingly supported protected areas, even when weighed against other considerations like industrial use.
The Ecology Action Centre is calling on the Tim Houston government to fulfill its commitment to the protected areas network and the people of Nova Scotia.
“Nova Scotia’s protected areas network is a vital safeguard for both wildlife and our economy,” adds Becky Parker, Executive Director of Nature Nova Scotia. “We hope the province will use this clear sign of overwhelming public support to immediately designate the remaining areas from the Parks and Protected Areas Plan, which have been waiting for protection for well over a decade, and to work with Nova Scotians advocating wilderness conservation in their communities.”
The Narrative Research survey was sent to a representative sample of 517 adults from across the province using Narrative Research’s East Coast Voice panel and weighted to ensure accurate representation of the population’s true distribution according to Statistics Canada 2021 census data.