Hike NS Enews: August 2021
Be sure to vote on August 17 and, leading up to election day, check out the parties’ stance on trails & wilderness and ask your local candidates for their views too!
Speak Up for Trails
Leading up to the NS provincial election, Hike NS asked the parties about their support for the Shared Strategy on Trails, support for volunteer trail groups, funding for trails, land protection goals, the Lahey Report and Owl’s Head.

We have compiled the answers on the Speak Up For Trails web page. The page also includes questions that voters can ask candidates either in person or using the email template provided there.

Please vote and Speak Up for Trails!
Fall Courses & Webinars
Registration is open for Hike NS’s slate of fall 2021 courses and webinars. In-person courses include: Field Leader - Hiking; Navigation Maps & Compass; and Field Leader - Hiking course with Winter module. Webinars include Intro to Hiking, Leave No Trace, Tick Prevention. We expect more courses and webinars to be added. Learn more and register.
Walk Leader Training: Sept. 21
Hike NS is offering another free NS Walks Leader Training on September 21 to give you the skills and confidence to lead a walking group as part of the NS Walks program. The training is meant for people interested in leading gentle, fun, friendly regularly scheduled walks for those who are currently less active. The registration deadline is Sept. 17.

Call for Fall Guided Walks
Hike NS invites groups across NS to partner with it on delivering guided walks this fall. Hike NS will help promote events and provide a how-to guide and trail prizes to giveaway. Please register your event by August 9, 2021.

Have Your Say: Consultations
Parks & Protected Areas Consultation
Provincial government is seeking public input on seven sites proposed for protection and conservation lands in the Ingram River area. Review the information here and provide comments by September 27.

Coastal Protection Act
Provincial government has launched consultation on proposed rules to govern future construction on our coastline. Review the information here and provide comments by September 17.
Hike the Highlands Deadline: Aug. 15
You have two options to participate in the Hike the Highlands Festival, Sept. 10-19, 2021. They are 1) virtually and 2) in person on Cape Breton Island, subject to travel restrictions and NS Public Health safety protocols. The deadline for registration is Sunday, August 15. You can register after this date but the Hike the Highlands Festival can't guarantee you will get a t-shirt.
Quick Hiking/Trail News Hits
These are some news hits from Twitter and Facebook:

  • Social media influencers called on to help promote Cape Breton tourism view
  • Want to avoid tick trouble? Some tips for Cape Breton hikers view
  • ‘Love and compassion’: Landyn Toney's journey helps heal scars of Canada’s residential schools view
  • Hiking Nova Scotia: With water views and old-growth forest, Sackville's Second Lake Trail ideal for families view
  • A for Adventure: Etiquette for enjoying our coastline this summer view
  • Owls Head application for judicial review dismissed by N.S. Supreme Court view
  • Lewis's legacy a 'hidden gem': Berwick's Chute Park perfect for thrill-seekers and trail-walkers alike view
  • Nova Scotia hikers retrace route of North Novie soldiers from 80 years ago view
  • N.S. minister: Proposed highway through Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes decades out view
  • 3 parks, 5 wilderness areas up for protection now open for public consultation view
  • Pharmacists’ scope of practice to include checking tick bites, prescribing antibiotics to prevent Lyme disease view
  • Beloved NS wilderness area joins network of urban parks across Canada view