Our Story

Archibald Lake

Guysborough County

Nova Scotia

(2 minute read)

Archibald Lake is located in a pristine forest approximately 6 km north of the village of Sherbrooke. The lake is surrounded by extensive old growth hardwood forest (see example) on elongated hills (drumlins). An iNaturalist project has documented the biodiversity in the area, which is also habitat for the provincially endangered Eastern Moose. The watershed feeds into the nearby St. Mary’s River, entering near Ford Pool. The Pool is well known for salmon fishing, which in the past attracted celebrities like Babe Ruth. The river encompassing Ford Pool forms an ecologically important cold water refuge for Atlantic Salmon migrating upstream. The Archibald Lake ecosystem is currently enjoyed for outdoor activities such as trout fishing, hunting, and camping.

The future of the lake and the surrounding forest is in jeopardy, and attempts to protect the ecosystem have been galvanized by hard-working volunteers of the St. Mary’s River Association (SMRA). The history of the status of the Archibald Lake ecosystem is described below.

History of Archibald Lake Wilderness Area

On January 10, 2020 the Nova Scotia Provincial Government published a request seeking input on proposed protected areas, which included the Archibald Lake Wilderness Area. The proposal was very well received by the SMRA. Most of the comments submitted in response to the request were regarding the Archibald Lake Wilderness Area, and the majority were in favour of protecting the ecosystem. Over the following year, the provincial government announced a number of new wilderness areas, but the Archibald Lake Wilderness Area was not included, which frustrated the SMRA. Discussions internal to the provincial government show disagreements on how to proceed with the designation. The SMRA continues their work to protect the ecosystem for future generations.

Archibald Lake is currently included as part of the Cochrane Hill Gold Project, proposed by the Atlantic Gold Corporation. Water from the lake will be the primary supply for the proposed mine. A provincial designation of the Archibald Lake Wilderness Area will restrict access to the lake, and potentially disrupt plans for the gold mine.