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*KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK

ADMINISTRATIVE MAP PLAN OF DECLARED WILDERNESS AREA PARCEL DWA-1 KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA COUNTIES OF QUEENS, DIGBY AND ANNAPOLIS

ADMINISTRATIVE MAP PLAN OF DECLARED WILDERNESS AREA PARCEL DWA-2 KEJIMKUJIK NATIONAL PARK OF CANADA ST. CATHERINES RIVER-SOUTH WEST PORT MOUTON QUEENS COUNTY NOVA SCOTIA

The Common loon is a highly visible water bird inhabiting many of the lakes within Kejimkujik and the greater park ecosystem. It is a top predator in freshwater ecosystems in the area and is sensitive to a variety of stressors, including mercury bio-accumulation, acidification, water level fluctuation and human disturbance. The monitoring program tracks loon population status, by recording the number of adult pairs and number of chicks on focal lakes at Kejimkujik. Monitoring occurs twice annually in June and August using field observations from volunteers and park staff.

Kejimkujik National Park, in Nova Scotia, Canada, is a sensitive region for heavy metal contamination, such as mercury, in part due to long-range atmospheric deposition from global and regional industrial regions. The region is remote from industrial centres, but is downwind of major pollution sources in North America and Canada, and historically had numerous gold mining sites. The region has also experienced anthropogenic acidification from sulphate deposition over the 20th century, which has resulted in limnological conditions favourable for mercury (Hg) methylation within Kejimkujik lakes. Kejimkujik is therefore known to be a hotspot for methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation and biomagnification, with the highest mercury concentrations detected within common loon (Gavia immer) populations across Canada and North America.

The European Green crab is a pan-global invasive exotic species. Its detrimental effects are well documented, including effects on eelgrass and soft-shelled clams and have defined the species of crab as an 'ecosystem engineer'. A population control program was initiated in 2009 whereby modified shrimp traps are used to remove as many green crabs from Kejimkujik's estuaries as possible. These management efforts are evaluated through standardized monitoring whereby 14 traps are deployed for the same period of time in the same place annually.

Brook trout are top predators in aquatic ecosystems at Kejimkujik that integrate the effects of stressors throughout the aquatic trophic structure. They are sensitive to a variety of stressors, including acidification, changes in water quality, climate change, fishing pressure, exotic species introductions, trophic structure alterations, land use change, and watershed fragmentation. The monitoring program tracks Brook trout population status, as assessed by relative abundance and trout condition at two watersheds in Kejimkujik. Volunteer anglers record morphometric and catch per unit effort data during the months of April, May and June for 3 years in a row every 5 years.

PART OF KLUANE NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY AND CONTROL SURVEY FOR PART OF KLUANE NATIONAL PARK BOUNDARY, SILVER CREEK AREA

NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK

NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK