Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area
Notice
Welcome to Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area.
Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area is open to the public and most trails are open. For information on the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre please visit Cape Jourimain. Please note that while Environment and Climate Change Canada establishes trails and infrastructure to support visitor access and use of selected National Wildlife Areas, staff are not always on-site for management of public safety.
Please respect the environment and leave no trace.
Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area (NWA) borders the Northumberland Strait at the southeastern extremity of New Brunswick, 2 kilometres northwest of the village of Cape Tormentine.
Description
Established in 1980, this NWA encompasses an extraordinary variety of ecosystems that functions as a refuge for approximately 170 species of native and migratory birds, habitats include:
- salt marshes
- brackish marshes
- fresh water wetlands
- barrier beach
- sand dune
- upland
The cape itself is comprised of two islands (inner "Trenholm" and outer "Jourimain"), and the salt and brackish marshes that connect them to the adjoining upland. Until about 1896, Jourimain Island was the mainland terminal for ice boats that operated between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. A lighthouse, that was built in 1869, still remains to this day. A prominent road was built in the 1960s linking the islands to the main land. This road was upgraded and expanded as the Trans Canada Highway to the Confederation Bridge, it now connects New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. This development stopped the natural tide-flow into a portion of the marsh, creating two large brackish marsh. Although not intentional, it had significant positive outcome on the landscape, increasing the ecological value of the area.
Cape Jourimain has significant and unusual wildlife and habitat values. It is frequented by large numbers of spring and fall migrant waterfowl and provides nesting and rearing habitat for several species of waterfowl. It attracts a large and diversified group of shorebirds, including Piping Plover, and provides one of the most exceptional shorebird viewing areas in the Atlantic region. The Cape value to wildlife includes provision of breeding and migration habitat for many bird species in addition to waterfowl and shorebirds, like the Osprey, which uses the area's nesting platforms.
More information on Cape Jourimain NWA is provided in the summary table below.
Management
Under the Canada Wildlife Act, NWAs are protected and managed in accordance with the Wildlife Area Regulations. The primary purpose of NWAs is to protect and conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. For this purpose and according to the legislation, all activities in a NWA that could interfere with the conservation of wildlife can be prohibited. Consequently, most NWAs are not accessible to the public and all other activities are prohibited in all NWAs. However, some activities may be authorized through Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations or the issuance of permits as long as they are consistent with the management plan goals for the NWA. For more information, consult the NWA Management and Activities section.
More information on access and permitting for Cape Jourimain NWA can be obtained by contacting the Environment and Climate Change Canada regional office.
Planning your visit
The Cape Jourimain Nature Centre is a not-for-profit organization that offers educational programs as well as tours. It also includes an interpretation centre and day camp programming for children. A network of well-marked and accessible trails start from the nature centre and walking them is a wonderful way to observe wildlife and reconnect with nature.
Public Facilities: interpretation centre, parking lot and public washrooms.
Access to Cape Jourimain NWA is permitted in accordance with the conservation objectives identified in the NWA management plan. Any authorized activities are listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations; signage is also posted at access points.
Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Cape Jourimain NWA, include
- wildlife viewing
- hiking
- participating in a group meal or group event involving 15 or more people in the interpretation centre picnic area
- operating a vehicle, other than a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle, on designated roads and in designated parking areas
- swimming
- non-commercial picking of edible plants and edible mushrooms
- boat launching and boat landing
- motorized boating with a motor of less than 10 horsepower
- non-motorized boating
- cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skating
- sport hunting of waterfowl in salt marshes — including with dogs off-leash — from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset , if the hunting is carried out
- in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of New Brunswick for sport hunting in that province; and
- without the use of toxic shot
- sport fishing, in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of New Brunswick for sport fishing in that province, during the periods authorized by those laws
- trapping in accordance with any applicable federal permit and any authorization required by the laws of New Brunswick for trapping in that province
- activities referred to in items 1 to 10 and 13 from sunset to sunrise, in addition to during the period referred to in subsection 3.1(3)
Directions
Located in New Brunswick at the foot on the Confederation Bridge, this NWA is one of the most easily accessible wildlife areas in the country.
From New Brunswick: the parking lot and visitor centre are located on the south side of Highway 16 immediately before the access ramp to the Confederation Bridge.
From Prince Edward Island: the parking lot and visitor centre are located on the south side of Highway 16 immediately after leaving the Confederation Bridge.
Map of the area
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Long description
Map showing the area around Cap Jourimain, on the eastern side of New Brunswick. The boundaries of the Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area (NWA) are indicated. This NWA covers Cape Marsh and much of the surrounding lands including Jourimain Island and Cape Jourimain. The land covered extends approximately 4 km inland from the Northumberland Strait in a southwesterly direction. Highway 16 divides the NWA in half along a Southwest to Northeast axis. The NWA is located to the northwest of Bayfield and Cape Tourmentine. The scale on the map is in kilometers. Permanent water, intertidal water, roads and highways are all indicated on the map. An inset situates the NWA in Canada.
This map is for illustrative purposes only and should not be used to define legal boundaries.
Summary table
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Protected Area designation | NWA |
| Province/territory | New Brunswick |
| Latitude/longitude | 46°09' North / 63°49' West |
| Size | 621 ha |
| Reason for creation of protected area | To provide secure protection of the habitats of this coastal site and to afford an opportunity to enhance its values to wildlife through habitat and resource management. |
| Date created (Gazetted) | 1980 - Legal Description |
| International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Management Category | IV - Habitat / Species Management Area |
| Additional designations | None |
| Keystone or flagship species | |
| Main habitat type |
|
| Listed Species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) | |
| Invasive species |
|
| Main threats and challenges | None recorded |
| Management Agency | Environment and Climate Change Canada (Canadian Wildlife Service) |
| Public access and usage | Authorized activities listed in Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations for Cape Jourimain NWA, include:
|
Note: If there is a discrepancy between the information presented on this web page, any notice posted at the NWA site and the law, the law prevails, as it is the legal instrument authorizing the activity.
Contact us
Environment and Climate Change Canada - Atlantic Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
Landscape Conservation Unit
17 Waterfowl Lane
Sackville, New Brunswick
E4L 4N1
Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca
Related links
- Cape Jourimain NWA management plan
- Cape Jourimain NWA pamphlet
- 10 great places to connect with nature
- Cape Jourimain NWA on Google maps (Please note that the Google map is a complementary source of information and does not represent the official map or site name).
Page details
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