Micou’s Island

No, although many of the rules are very similar to those of a Provincial Park—i.e., no tree cutting of any kind, digging, or unpermitted fires. The island is undesignated public (“Crown”) land and is managed under a “Stewardship Agreement” in a partnership between the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association (SMBSA), which is a local charity, and the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

The SMBSA is at the front lines of this work and does not have paid maintenance staff in the way that a Provincial Park does. Instead, the vast majority of the work associated with the stewardship of the island is completed by community volunteers. With this in mind, we must all take ownership of our impacts as a community, not just as an individuals.

Yes, camping is permitted so long as no vegetation is altered, removed, or destroyed. We have to be careful where we pitch our tents to ensure that we do not squash sensitive plants. This makes the established site on the west side of the island the best spot to camp.

Micou’s Island receives hundreds of campers each year so we must consider the impacts of camping on this scale.

Yes, as long as the current fire restrictions permit us to do so. However, all fires must occur within the confines of the established pit on the west side of the island. The best-case scenario is to bring untreated lumber, as this eliminates the impacts of removing forest biomass from the island’s forest ecosystem, which has a finite supply. Remember that cutting trees, alive or dead, is not permitted on Micou’s, and always dump a bucket of saltwater on the fire before you go to bed.

There is a high level of forest fire risk on Micou’s Island so it is imperative that we all use extreme caution when we have fires.

No, you are not required to keep your dog on a leash on Micou’s Island. However, dogs must be kept under control and not at-large at all times. It is also illegal for dogs to chase wildlife. Off-leash dogs are the number one source of complaints that we receive from visitors, so we have to do better to ensure that our fur babies don’t ruin the experiences of others.

No, the Micou’s Island cottage is not available for rent. The SMBSA owns the cottage and it mainly functions as a residence for our trained volunteers who fill the role of “Resident Island Steward.” These volunteers stay in the cottage while they care for the island, engaging with visitors about the rules of the island and the ways in which we, as a community, can reduce our impacts. This volunteer work exchange is one of the main pillars of the Micou’s Island Stewardship Program. Please let us know if you’d like to become an Island Steward.

In order for parking to be legal and safe, our cars must be parked with all four tires entirely off of the road, on the shoulder. As there are limited spots close to the island where legal parking can occur, we have a responsibility to park further up the road in a location where we are able to do so. Failure to do so creates an unsafe environment, as emergency vehicles may not be able to pass if we park on both sides of the road. It is our responsibility to park safely and not create a safety hazard for the community and ourselves.

Micou’s Island was privately owned until the SMBSA led a fundraising campaign to purchase the property. Without this purchase, the island would have been developed. Luckily, the campaign was successful and the island will remain accessible to the public forever.

Part of the Stewardship Association’s campaign was to secure the ongoing stewardship of the island, thus the volunteer-based stewardship program was established.

The Micou’s Island Stewardship Program incorporates the Mi’kmaw concept of netukulimk, ensuring that we consider our impacts from a scale of seven-generation thinking.

There are so many ways to give back to the island! Attending our monthly volunteer Stewardship Days, picking up garbage, making a tax-deductible donation to the SMBSA, reporting wildlife sightings, letting others know about the rules and the sensitivity of the island, and generally working to reduce impacts on the island.

One simple thing to do is to refrain from spreading the word about the island, avoid posting about it on social media, and do your best to keep Micou’s Island as secret as possible.