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Current phase: Monitoring

Restoration Date: September 2024

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Wepe’k Mtasoq (White Cliff)

The Making Room for Wetlands project is pleased to introduce the Wepe’k Mtasoq site (meaning White Cliff in Mi’kmaq, named by Michael McDonald of Sipekneꞌkatik First Nation). Stewarded by the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, the Wepe’k Mtasoq represents an opportunity to restore the flow of tidal waters to this parcel of retired agricultural land, restoring important tidal wetland habitat and increasing dykeland climate resiliency.

About the site

Aerial image of the Wepe’k Mtasoq (White Cliff) site, May 1, 2024. Credit CBWES Inc.

This 2 ha piece of former agricultural field is part of a larger 67 ha parcel along the Maqmekwitk (St. Croix River), in West Hants Regional Municipality. Protected in 2020 as part of the Twice the Wild campaign, the site also features globally rare gypsum karst cliffs and Eastern Hemlock stands, and is home to rare plants such as the Yellow Lady’s Slipper and the endangered Ram’s-Head Lady’s Slipper orchids.

The Gypsum Karst landscape is characterized by sinkholes, caves, and escarpments. At the foot of the gypsum cliffs is a small section of former agricultural land, around which runs the meandering St. Croix River. No longer actively maintained, the dyke infrastructure on the site has continued to erode due to the flow of tidal waters, and there has been significant intrusion of salt water to the land.

Flowing from the Bay of Fundy, the Maqmekwitk is home to the plamu (Atlantic Salmon), punamu (Atlantic Tomcod), and ka’t (American Eel), all culturally significant species to the Mi’kmaq. These aquatic species, along with many others, rely on tidal wetland habitat and natural tidal processes for feeding, spawning, and shelter.

Making Room for Wetlands at the Wepe’k Mtasoq (White Cliff)

View from the Wepe’k Mtasoq site, May 1, 2024.

No longer actively farmed, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust and the MRFW Team identified the unique opportunity to restore the site to a more natural condition, and fully restore the historical tidal wetland.

After careful site assessment and a thorough design process, the dyke will be strategically breached to allow for natural tidal flow. Following restoration, the site will be monitored to ensure it is recovering as anticipated and keeping pace with sea-level rise.

The restoration of natural tidal processes to Wepe’k Mtasoq will provide critical habitat for the punamu, plamu, ka’t, and many other important aquatic species. In addition to helping the recovery of important tidal wetland habitat, we are also reconnecting the site to the broader St. Croix River estuary which will ultimately increase the climate resiliency of the entire system.

The Making Room for Wetlands Project is excited to be teaming up with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust to restore tidal wetland habitat and support the goal to protect Nova Scotia’s rare, outstanding and unique natural areas!