Lunenburg Part 1 - Introduction and Background August 30.pdf
Lunenburg Part 1 - Introduction and Background August 30.pdf
Lunenburg Part 1 - Introduction and Background August 30.pdf
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The forest composition around <strong>Lunenburg</strong> has also been very much a product of the drumlins’<br />
influence on both soil development <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> use patterns. The species composition is typical of<br />
well-drained, s<strong>and</strong>y, <strong>and</strong> loamy till soils formed over glacial features such as drumlins <strong>and</strong><br />
eskers, but also reflects historical disturbances such as logging, clearing for agriculture, or fire 66 .<br />
The Municipality of the District of <strong>Lunenburg</strong> spans across three watersheds. From southwest to<br />
northeast, these are the Herring Cove <strong>and</strong> Medway River Watershed, the LaHave River<br />
Watershed, <strong>and</strong> the Gold River Watershed 67 . The rivers of these watersheds carve sediments<br />
out of drumlins <strong>and</strong> carry them to the coast. Deposition of fine sediments along the shore has<br />
lead to abundant coastal wetl<strong>and</strong>s. Tidal marshes, salt marshes, eel grass flats, <strong>and</strong> wide river<br />
estuaries of the area provide unique <strong>and</strong> important habitats for a variety of wildlife. Several<br />
species of shorebirds <strong>and</strong> waterfowl, including some species at risk, breed in specific pockets<br />
along the coast. In particular, this includes the Piping Plover, the Atlantic Puffin, Leach’s Stormpetrel,<br />
the Razorbill, the Lack Guillemot, Gulls, Cormorants, <strong>and</strong> the Great Blue Heron. The Rednecked<br />
Grebe uses the area as an overwintering ground 68 .<br />
The Municipality of the District of <strong>Lunenburg</strong>’s coastal settlement is typical for the province.<br />
Fishing villages cluster around habours <strong>and</strong> small inlets or string out along a road that parallels<br />
the shore. The historic architecture, exceptional ocean vistas, sheltered coves <strong>and</strong> s<strong>and</strong>y<br />
beaches of this storied part of the province have drawn modern residential development as well.<br />
Recreational <strong>and</strong> retirement homes <strong>and</strong> tourism developments are replacing fisheries <strong>and</strong> other<br />
industrial infrastructure in small fishing ports. The population <strong>and</strong> social institutions, while typical<br />
for rural, coastal Nova Scotia, are now changing as communities that have existed for 250 years<br />
are experiencing a conversion to an aging population of retirees <strong>and</strong> summer residents rather<br />
than a blend of young <strong>and</strong> mid-life families <strong>and</strong> elders. Servicing such a long coastline of<br />
dispersed population is challenging for any municipality. Here, roads hug the shore for great<br />
distances, often extending as the only egress along long peninsulas. Bridges <strong>and</strong> causeways<br />
connect across rivers <strong>and</strong> also connect populated isl<strong>and</strong>s to the mainl<strong>and</strong>. Significant social<br />
services cluster in the towns (Bridgewater <strong>and</strong> <strong>Lunenburg</strong>), often long distances from where rural<br />
people live. Climate change impacts of rising sea level, storm surge <strong>and</strong> erosion present<br />
challenges for such a coastally-oriented settlement pattern <strong>and</strong> its economic <strong>and</strong> social systems.<br />
66 Ibid.<br />
67 Ibid.<br />
68 Ibid.<br />
16
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