Bridgewater Watershed Protection Alliance
We are an interdisciplinary group of citizens concerned with the proposed logging in the Bridgewater Watershed, an area which is also the habitat of the critically endangered Atlantic Whitefish. It is a beautiful, mature forest that provides abundant ecological and recreational value, and is home to other at-risk species, too.
This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) people first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The Bridgewater watershed is in the Sipekne’katik district.
Photo by Paul Newton
See Paul’s Watershed Slide Show!
“We’re under siege here.
“It’s so clear now that the actions that we are taking are really just band aids on gushers, when behind the scenes there are people working both inside and outside governments to undo it all.
“So, all of these permanencies that people affix to protections — everything is on the table.
“So that’s what I would say about the forestry on the Minamkeak Lake: what is protected is what you are prepared to fight for. That’s really what it boils down to.
“If you’re not prepared to fight, it’s gone.” [Source close to the process]
Linda Pannozzo — The Quaking Swamp
November 23, 2022
How to help
1. Help spread the word by inviting your facebook friends to join the Bridgewater Watershed Protection Alliance Group – on the top right of the page click on the blue, rectangular “+ invite” button and select people to invite.
2. Write or call your politicians about your concerns, and ask that this area is designated a wilderness area. Details
3. Print and post our pdf
Protect Bridgewater Watershed mini-sign
4. Using our hashtags when posting / sharing / tweeting / RT to social media: #SaveWetlands | #ProtectWatersheds | #SaveTheAtlanticWhitefish
Bridgewater Watershed Protection Alliance links:
- A two lake solo skate – Minamkeak and Milipsigate Beautiful video by Paul X. Newton created this winter giving a different perspective than the usual summertime activities that can be enjoyed on these beautiful, pristine watershed lakes
3:48mn
- Slide Show of the Beautiful Bridgewater Watershed by Wildscape Artist Paul X Newton.
- Preserve Nova Scotia maple woods, whitefish habitat from clearcutting
Saltwire Letters – March 31, 2022
- Loggers want to move into home of critically endangered Atlantic Whitefish
Public has until April 23 to comment on a proposal to harvest dozens of hectares near Bridgewater
CBC – Paul Withers – last updated March 17, 2022
- Atlantic Whitefish (Coregonus huntsmani): recovery strategy
Government of Canada
- Atlantic Whitefish (Coregonus huntsmani): action plan
Government of Canada
- Nova Scotia Silviculture Guide for the Ecological Matrix
July 14, 2021 – 194 pages
- Independent Review of Forest Practices in Nova Scotia
Dr. William Lahey – August 2018 – 82 pages
- Hinterland Who’s Who Atlantic Whitefish
Videos (30 sec + 60 sec); info.
Map of the Bridgewater (Nova Scotia) Watershed. The Designated Area is highlighted in orange and the Natural Watershed in blue.
Click for a larger version
Bridgewater Watershed in the news
- Indefinite hold on logging!
The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables has placed an “indefinite hold on a proposed harvest plan, consisting of three areas of Crown land, near Minamkeak Lake, Lunenburg County.”
Quaking Swamp Journal – Linda Pannozzo – May 9, 2022
- The Atlantic Whitefish Whitewash
Part 3: Missing water quality science says logging has “severe implications for surface water quality” the “effect on migratory fish may be permanent.”
Quaking Swamp Journal – Linda Pannozzo – May 3, 2022
- The Atlantic Whitefish Whitewash
Part 2: The case of the missing water quality science gets even murkier
Quaking Swamp Journal – Linda Pannozzo – April 27, 2022
- Bridgewater opposes logging in home of critically endangered fish
CBC – April 21, 2022
- The Atlantic Whitefish Whitewash
Part 1: Proposed logging operations on crown land threaten the last remaining wild population of Atlantic whitefish. The question is, what happened to the science that says so?
Quaking Swamp Journal – Linda Pannozzo – April 21, 2022
- Logging proposed next to the last habitat for the endangered Atlantic Whitefish
National Observer – April 18, 2022
- The endangered Atlantic Whitefish of Minamkeak Lake need your help!!
Nova Scotia Forest Notes – April 15, 2022
For more information, contact or follow Bridgewater Watershed Protection Alliance
For more information, contact or follow Bridgewater Watershed Protection Alliance