Owls Head Provincial Park: An Ecotourism Paradise Waiting to Happen
Owls Head Provincial Park (OHPP), Little Harbour, has become known as the park that’s not really a park.
It’s a tale as old as time: some 40 years ago, stakeholders agreed the land should be preserved and included in the Eastern Shore Seaside Park System. But then that never happened.
As a result, many people didn’t even know the park existed.
That changed dramatically in December 2019, when CBC revealed the provincial government’s intention to sell this natural landmark to an American developer.
Potential buyer Lighthouse Links Development Company (LLD), it was written, intends to build up to three golf courses in its stead.
But making the land a park for every Nova Scotian to enjoy was the right idea, says the Save Owls Head Provincial Park group.
What’s more, completing the Eastern Shore Seaside Park System would attract more tourists to the region than golf.
Writing my first piece on Owls Head Provincial Park, I became intrigued by this claim.
Because, although it’s clear money isn’t worth much on a sick, burning planet, economy and environment aren’t always so obviously hand in glove.
So, I set out to learn more. And discussed the topic with three people who’ve been gravitating around OHPP.
Golf Courses Would Ruin one of the Eastern Shore’s Strongest Assets
Dramatic hills, unusual features, rare rocky ridges that extend into the ocean, Owls Head Provincial Park, which stretches over 285 hectares, has it all.
But, as of now, only a few scientists and adventurers have the means to explore this treasure. It’s thanks to them that we know, for example, about the species of conservation concern in the park, such as the coastal broom crowberry ecosystem and the piping plover.
Many have spoken up about the extent of the damage Lighthouse Links Development’s project would cause to both the terrestrial and marine environments.
The rare rocky ridges would have to go too; the company intends to grind them into sand for the course.
That’s… a lot of eggs to break.
And all to make a small, not-so-nutritious omelet. LLD has made appealing promises of development and jobs. But it’s doubtful the company can fulfill them, says Little Harbour resident Beverley Isaacs, who’s also one of the administrators of the Save OHPP campaign.
The few golfing days in Little Harbour alone is no small obstacle, she says.
“This summer, for example, we’ve had a lot of fog. No one plays golf in these conditions. So, what if you get 8 weeks, 12 weeks of golfing in a year?”
Granted, she says, the project will generate some economic benefit, but it’ll be short-lived.
“Maybe at the beginning, during the construction phase, jobs will be available. But once it’s done, you’re looking at part-time, seasonal jobs. And that’s not going to sustain a single family.”
What makes LLD’s project even more of a head-scratcher is the fact that recreational golf has long been declining in Canada and the United States.
One of the main reasons for it is, you might have guessed it, younger people’s severe lack of interest in the sport. As a result, golf courses have been closing down everywhere.
It’s true that some are doing well still, such as the ones in Cape Breton. But weathering through uncertain times as an already renowned business is one thing.
Building courses on land highly unsuited for it, in a region that’s never been a golf destination, after numbers have been dwindling for years and years, is another.
Something, however, could put the Eastern Shore on the map without destroying one of its strongest assets, and with much better rates of success.
And that something is ecotourism.
Owls Head Provincial Park: A Land of Many Possibilities
“Are you going to Cape Breton?” is one of the top questions I was asked while travelling around Nova Scotia. I mean, it almost dethroned “Where are you from?”
In contrast, the Eastern Shore, despite its unique charm and beauty, ended up being referred to as the forgotten shore.
But ecotourism could change that.
Developed as an answer to the social and environmental impacts of traditional tourism, ecotourism is as much about people as it is about protecting nature and fighting climate change.
It’s a type of travel where local history and culture are celebrated.
And, contrary to golf, it’s on the rise.
A recent survey by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) pointed to ecotourism as a very rapidly growing industry.
“People are getting tired of mass tourism”, Dartmouth resident Angus MacLean tells me during our interview.
This masters student at University Centre Of The Westfjords specializes in Coastal Communities and Regional Development. They are precisely writing their thesis on sustainable development alternatives for Owls Head and its surrounding communities, but they are not involved in the Save OHPP campaign.
“In tourism literature,” Angus continues, “there’s a lot coming out about the search for authenticity.”
“More and more, people are looking for experiences where they get to learn something, where their senses are being engaged, and where they’re building a connection to a place.”
And the controversy surrounding the potential sale of Owls Head Provincial Park has made a lot of people eager to build a connection to it.
Sea kayak instructor Eleanor Kure, along with her business partner, has been giving them the opportunity to do just that.
The past two summers, they’ve taken small groups on kayak tours around the park.
“There’s been a huge demand to go paddling there,” she admits. “People want to see the park in the only way they can at the moment, which is kayaking.”
It’s true. Sadly, as the government never invested to make OHPP an actual park, it’s sort of make-your-own-trail right now.
Beverley Isaacs is one of the few who have been venturing in.
“I’ve taken quite a few people,” she explains. “And they were all amazed by the park. I’ve had some of them say: ‘Oh, my Gosh! The smell!’ because it smells so fresh in there.”
But people shouldn’t have to bushwhack to enjoy the scents, sights and health benefits a provincial park has to offer, the Save OHPP group says.
“We think it should be kept as a natural park,” Beverley explains, “but with boardwalks, educational stations and access to the coast.”
And considering how much OHPP has going for it, those in charge of said educational stations would have one heck of a job.
Traces of the last ice age at the park, its globally rare ecosystem and Mi’kmaq history are some of the subjects that could be featured.
What’s more, Save OHPP’s ideas aren’t limited to outdoor activities.
“We’ve even discussed possibilities like having a wellness center at OHPP, where people could go and learn about reiki and self-healing,” Beverley says.
The idea is that, with so many options of what to do at the park, there’d truly be something for everyone, every weather and every season.
“Golf is for the rich, and seasonal, but these activities involve every day, average income families,” she concludes.
Eleanor shares the group’s vision.
“It could be a really lovely spot for recreation and health. We don’t have that many parks in Nova Scotia that are truly wild, and Owls Head could be one of them.”
And one that would have nothing to envy to Canada’s greatest destinations, she says.
“If you look at the beautiful parks they have in British Columbia, and the huge amount of people that visit them… we could have that here.”
The Eastern Shore: A potential World-Class Destination
Beverley is positive: “What Owls Head Provincial Park has to offer, people will come for that.”
As a travel lover, let me tell you how much I agree. OHPP and the Eastern Shore offer people like me the very thing we are constantly looking for: the opportunity to look the world in the eye. Without any mass development filter. And have experiences that will shift, even just slightly, our worldview.
Just thinking about it is so exciting, it’s enough to keep me up at night.
Believe me, we are here for it.
We are also far from a rarity.
In fact, renowned travel agencies are picking up on this rising interest for “immersive experiences”.
In the true style of ecotourism, companies like Contiki promise travellers to help them discover “an authentic side to the places they visit”.
All while being committed to “protecting the communities we visit, the wildlife we interact with and the planet we all share”.
And with the wind in ecotourism’s sails, travel agencies will keep shifting towards that, betting on destinations like the Eastern Shore.
Beverley, who moved to the region for its contemplative lifestyle, envisions a future in which the whole region’s potential as an ecotourism destination is fully embraced.
“There’s so much here,” she says. “We have Sherbrooke village, Caribbean-style beaches, a whale sanctuary.”
Masters student Angus MacLean echoes her comments, and believes the region is primed for the ecotourism venture.
“I think there’s already a lot happening along the Eastern Shore,” they say.
“Sober Island Brewing, in Sheet Harbour, is a good example of tourism with a local focus. They do tours of their brewery, and tell stories that are related to the history and culture of the area.”
“It’s great to see a business that’s so embedded in its own heritage, and using it to improve the experiences it offers.”
But, Beverley says, all of this is just a fraction of what could be.
“There are many people here who have stories to tell and experiences to offer,” she says.
She mentions the fisheries, a main source of income on the Eastern Shore, and an activity that could be featured in a number of ways.
“Fishermen with a license, for example, could go lobster fishing with tourists, bring back their catch and cook it on the beach.”
“All it takes is connecting the dots along the Eastern Shore,” concludes Beverley. “It’s just a matter of having that vision.”
No Need to Choose Between the Economy and the Environment
Let’s be clear about something. Nature deserves to be preserved for itself, regardless of economic concerns. But in this case, it seems the dilemma hardly makes sense. Building golf courses in the park would amount to swimming against the tide.
Owls Head Provincial Park and the idea of a sustainable future for the region have already generated a lot of interest, from every corner. In fact, writing this piece was mind-bogglingly hard, because I had so much material to choose from.
If given the chance, Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore could be as well-known and beloved as Cape Breton.
And we might get to the point where tourists, while visiting the province, inevitably get asked: “Have you gone to the Eastern Shore yet?”
GOOD NEWS! Lighthouse Links Development Co. has cancelled its golf course proposal! Click here to read Save Owls Head Provincial Park‘s press release on the matter.
For more information about the Save Owls Head Provincial Park campaign:
Visit the website, or follow the campaign on:
To contact sea kayak instructors Eleanor and Jenn, click here!
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2 Comments
Thomas Mihelich-Morissette
This is a very thorough article! It takes the time to debunk the financial attractiveness of the golfing project before arguing for the better alternative: making the Eastern Shore into an ecotourism powerhouse. A very exciting prospect indeed!
Sophie Arbour
Thank you, Thomas!
Your interest in Owls Head Provincial Park is heartwarming!