Funding to Create New Arboretum on Eastern Shore

Press Release

May 14, 2026

The Province is supporting renewal and preservation along the Eastern Shore in the wake of destruction caused by Hurricane Fiona in 2022.

The storm made landfall near the Memory Lane Heritage Village in Lake Charlotte, knocking down close to 200 trees on the property.

Rather than simply replanting, the Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society, the museum operator, saw an opportunity for something more – a dedicated area to protect and study trees and forest plants.

The society’s vision for the Atlantic Coast Arboretum now has support from the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund. Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced today, May 14, that the project will receive $131,548 from the fund.

“Our government is pleased to fund this project and support the conservation and climate change leadership of the Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society,” said Minister Halman. “The society and its museum, which have been impacted by climate change, are an outstanding example of best practices in responding to climate change and conservation work that will make our province greener and healthier.”

Arboretums are dedicated places for scientific research and education on biodiversity, conservation, sustainability best practices, tree species and the impact of climate change on trees and forests. They also provide a home for wildlife, birds and endangered species and are a place for people to connect with and enjoy nature.

In addition to the arboretum on land the society owns, it would also like to create an arboretum catchment area comprised of four watersheds in eastern Halifax Regional Municipality. The catchment area would be about 82 per cent of the size of Prince Edward Island.

Quotes:

“We thank the Province and Minister Halman for recognizing the importance of this initiative. This funding support enables the Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society to move forward with our plan to advance Memory Lane Heritage Village’s sustainability goal by creating an Atlantic Coast Arboretum that will represent the interrelationship between the arboreal history and the cultural heritage of the Eastern Shore.”
— Thea Wilson-Hammond, Executive Director, Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society

“Nova Scotia’s communities are looking to nature-based solutions to help prepare for the impacts of climate change, and the Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society is taking an important step forward through the Atlantic Coast Arboretum project. Funded through the adaptation stream, the project combines environmental planning with cultural heritage and will help strengthen climate resilience while enhancing stewardship of the Eastern Shore’s natural assets.”
— Juanita Spencer, CEO, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities

Quick Facts:

• the Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society was founded in 1995 to protect and share the human and natural history of the Lake Charlotte area
• the government created the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund in 2021 as part of the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, its legislated commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, respond to climate change, transform how Nova Scotians produce and use energy, make homes and buildings energy efficient, and more
• the program provides grants to municipalities, non-profit and community organizations, post-secondary institutions and Mi’kmaw communities to help them respond to and prepare for climate change impacts, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities was selected through a request for proposals process to develop and administer the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund on behalf of the government
• the third round of the fund opened on February 24, 2025, and closed on April 22, 2025, with coastal protection projects given priority

Additional Resources:

Information on an Atlantic Coast Arboretum catchment area is available at: https://www.easternshorearchives.ca/storymaps/

More information on the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund is available at: https://nschallengefund.ca

News releases about the fund and related projects: https://news.novascotia.ca/search/all?field_topics=228

Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/environmental%20goals%20and%20climate%20change%20reduction.pdf

Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf

Powering the Transition: Nova Scotia 2025 Climate Change Risk Assessment: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/climate-change-risk–assessment-2025.pdf

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