Clyde River Nature Reserve

Clyde River Nature Reserve, Nova Scotia (Photo Mike Dembeck)

The Clyde River Nature Reserve is an expanse of  forest, riverfront shoreline and freshwater wetlands in southwestern Nova Scotia. Located approximately 20 kilometres north of Shelburne, the nature reserve is situated near two provincially protected areas: the Roseway River Wilderness Area and the Harpers Lake Nature Reserve. The proximity of these conservation lands increases the area of protection where plants can flourish and wildlife can continue to roam undisturbed.

Nearly 82 per cent of the nature reserve is composed of Wabanaki (Acadian) forest, including red maple, black spruce, white pine, balsam fir, hemlock and red oak. The mixed forest provides ideal breeding habitat for birds listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, such as Canada warbler, common nighthawk and olive-sided flycatcher. Wildlife dependent on the area includes bear, beaver, fox and white-tailed deer. Nova Scotia’s provincial flower, mayflower, is also found throughout the forest, along with several types of rare lichens: black foam lichen, powdered moon lichen and vols ears lichen.

The wetlands on the nature reserve include treed and open bog, marsh and swamp, as well as active beaver habitat. In addition to wildlife, the wetlands provide ideal conditions for rare plants, like hairy swamp loosestrife, Virginia meadow beauty and long-leaved panic grass. Over four kilometres of the Clyde River runs adjacent to the eastern side of the nature reserve. A section of Harper Creek weaves through the southern property before joining the Clyde River, which flows out to the Atlantic Ocean.

With your help, we can protect even more of this beautiful and important stretch of Nova Scotia.