Coastal Marshland Safeguarded for Mi'kmaw Community in New Brunswick

In a significant step towards environmental conservation and cultural preservation, a 25-hectare salt marsh near the confluence of the Petitcodiac and Memramcook rivers in New Brunswick has been transferred to the Fort Folly First Nation, or Amlamgog, for protection and management. The land was purchased using federal funding from the Indigenous-led Area-Based Conservation Program and donated to the community.

The salt marsh, which is backed by dikes and fronted by mudflats, is a valuable natural barrier that helps mitigate the effects of climate change. As the sea level rises, salt marshes can act like a sponge, soaking up and releasing tidewaters, and helping to reduce erosion from waves and storm surges. However, these coastal habitats are under threat as development often prevents them from adapting and growing inland.