Hard work enhances the salt marsh in Cheverie

The Cheverie salt marshes and the environment have benefited from a cooperative project.

The Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) Atlantic Chapter and the Cheverie Crossway Salt Marsh Society worked together during an Environment Day held on the marshes July 19.

As part of the effort to enhance the natural environment of the tidal marshes in Cheverie, four truckloads of gravel were brought in to create 200 metres of walking trail along the marshlands.

Also, volunteers constructed a couple picnic tables, assembled a waste receptacle, covered an area with topsoil to be seeded, weeded, pruned, and placed and covered a culvert. Donations and labours from the event exceeded $13,000.

The donations of materials, supplies, foods, equipments and labours were tremendous, said Bruce Rathbun, who was heading up both organizations involved. “People who came to the event (about 60 volunteers) didn’t just put in an appearance – they worked and worked hard.”

The goal was to get the trail built so people could walk it and see the beautiful dynamics of the marshes, Rathbun said. “This at a time when our natural environment is stressed by human activity and many companies in our industry face a pressure of going green.

“We wanted to be able to give back to the environment,” Rathbun said.

CSSA vice president Kim Murtha contributed to the cause by presenting a cheque for $1,000 during the Environment Day. Hants West MLA Chuck Porter also offered a provincial donation of $5,000 to further the salt marsh preservation efforts.

Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison pointed out a property within walking distance of the salt marsh area in Cheverie as he explained his family ties to the area. “I grew up here,” he said.

There are strong ecological and cultural opportunities in the Hants Shore, which can be utilized in tourism for economic growth, Brison said. “I’m very proud of this project.”

It can be easy to take for granted the beauty of this land, when living here, because it becomes harder to understand how special this place really is, Brison said. “However, there is a growing sense of our responsibilities, as locals, to protect this place.

“It’s all about thinking globally and acting locally,” Brison added.