MapleCross Campbell’s Mountain Forest

Property Description

Campbell’s Mountain, located in Unama’ki, Nova Scotia, overlooks one of the most scenic and ecologically diverse landscapes of Cape Breton Island. The region is the unceded ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq Nation including the nearby community of We’koqma’q whose people continue to care for the land today as they have done for tens of thousands of years.

European settlers including the Campbell family arrived to the region in the 18th century. The landscape has seen significant change since European colonization, including the negative impacts of intensive forestry and mining, but remains an important part of the island’s cultural and natural heritage.

The mountain itself, rising over 300 meters, features a range of habitats including forested slopes, wetlands, and rocky outcrops. The conserved area of 206 hectares spanning 6 parcels is primarily covered by mixed hardwood and softwood forests. This includes species such as red maple, yellow and white birch, and balsam fir with areas of spruce and pine on the higher, more exposed areas.

A highlight of the conservation area includes a steep gully with a rare old tolerant hardwood forest that has eluded the impacts of intensive forestry. Conserving this property ensures that the forest can continue to provide ecological and social benefits, and it will continue to be closely monitored and cared for over time to ensure its climate change adaptability and resilience.

Content and property pictures courtesy of Community Forests International.